Apparatus and method for testing applications

摘要

A receiver/decoder (for example for digital television) normally receives and/or decodes transmitted data in a normal transmitted signal. In order to test an application running on the receiver/decoder, a special test signal could be generated, or a normal signal could be modified before supply to the receiver/decoder. However, this is costly and complex. To overcome these problems, the receiver/decoder simulates the reception of such transmitted data to produce simulated data; and the application to be tested processes such simulated data in addition to, or instead of, such transmitted data. Simulation may involve generating the simulated data in the receiver/decoder, or controlling the generation of the simulated data by a workstation and receiving the simulated data from the workstation. Data generation may employ a model of the transmitted signal, the model having various parameters which can be varied. Data representative of the simulation may be stored in the receiver/decoder and/or transferred from the workstation to the receiver/decoder, for example in parts on a when-required basis.