Test apparatus to facilitate building and testing complex computer products with contract manufacturers without proprietary information

摘要

Building and testing complex electronic products especially large scale computer systems are handled with control remaining with the owner of the design while a contract manufacturer does the basic manufacturing processes and testing. Nearly all levels of testing are accomplished without sharing high level descriptions of the end product or its features by providing only low level files for test functions. A tester used by the contract manufacturer to exercise the testing function for multiple circuit boards and that tester has numerous features that make it more useful and efficient. The tester has a computer system in it to run the tests using the low level files, and mimics the platform into which the boards will eventually become inserted. Various features provide additional ease of use and functionality.