19.1 Testing methodologies for embedded systems

Embedded systems testing is crucial for ensuring reliability and functionality. This section covers various testing methodologies, from unit testing individual components to system-wide evaluations. It also explores different techniques like black-box and white-box testing.

The notes dive into specific testing types, including functional and non-functional testing. These methodologies help identify defects, verify system behavior, and assess performance under various conditions, ensuring the embedded system meets its requirements and operates correctly in real-world scenarios.

Testing Levels

Unit Testing and Integration Testing

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• Unit testing focuses on testing individual units or components of the embedded system in isolation
  • Involves writing test cases to verify the functionality, behavior, and performance of each unit
  • Helps identify defects early in the development process, making them easier and less costly to fix
  • Typically automated using testing frameworks and tools specific to the programming language and platform
• Integration testing verifies the interaction and communication between different units or modules when integrated together
  • Ensures that the interfaces between units are functioning correctly and data is being passed as expected
  • Identifies issues related to compatibility, timing, and resource sharing among the integrated components
  • Incrementally integrates units and tests them as a group to locate defects in their interactions

System Testing and Acceptance Testing

• System testing evaluates the entire embedded system as a whole, testing its end-to-end functionality and performance
  • Verifies that the system meets its specified requirements and operates correctly in its intended environment
  • Includes testing the system's response to various inputs, error conditions, and boundary cases
  • May involve testing the system's interaction with external hardware, sensors, or communication interfaces
• Acceptance testing is performed to determine if the embedded system is ready for deployment and meets the customer's expectations
  • Involves testing the system against user requirements, use cases, and acceptance criteria defined by the stakeholders
  • May include alpha testing (internal testing) and beta testing (testing with a limited group of end-users)
  • Focuses on validating the system's usability, reliability, and performance in real-world scenarios

Testing Techniques

Black-box and White-box Testing

• Black-box testing, also known as functional testing, tests the embedded system without knowledge of its internal structure or implementation details
  • Focuses on verifying the system's behavior based on its specified inputs and expected outputs
  • Tests the system's functionality, user interface, and external interfaces
  • Techniques include equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, and decision table testing
• White-box testing, also known as structural testing, tests the internal structure, design, and implementation of the embedded system
  • Involves examining the system's source code, algorithms, and data flow
  • Aims to achieve high code coverage by testing various execution paths, conditions, and loops
  • Techniques include statement coverage, branch coverage, and path coverage testing

Regression and Stress Testing

• Regression testing verifies that modifications or additions to the embedded system have not introduced new defects or impacted existing functionality
  • Performed whenever changes are made to the system, such as bug fixes, feature enhancements, or code optimizations
  • Involves re-executing a subset of previously passed test cases to ensure the system still functions correctly
  • Helps maintain the stability and reliability of the system throughout its development and maintenance lifecycle
• Stress testing evaluates the embedded system's behavior and performance under extreme or abnormal conditions
  • Tests the system's response to high loads, resource exhaustion, and unexpected inputs
  • Identifies the system's breaking points and assesses its robustness and error handling capabilities
  • Techniques include subjecting the system to high volumes of data, concurrent user access, or prolonged operational periods

Testing Types

Functional and Non-functional Testing

• Functional testing verifies that the embedded system meets its functional requirements and performs its intended functions correctly
  • Focuses on testing the system's features, capabilities, and user scenarios
  • Includes testing the system's input/output behavior, data processing, control flow, and error handling
  • Techniques include requirements-based testing, use case testing, and exploratory testing
• Non-functional testing assesses the embedded system's non-functional attributes, such as performance, reliability, security, and usability
  • Evaluates how well the system meets its non-functional requirements and quality attributes
  • Includes testing the system's response time, resource utilization, error recovery, and user experience
  • Techniques include performance testing, load testing, failover testing, and usability testing