OpenTAP Plugin of InterconnectIO Box

Integrate and automate your testing process with the OpenTAP Plugin for the InterconnectIO Box on the First TestStation!

Purpose

The InterconnectIO Box has been developed to support communication using the SCPI protocol. However, building test sequences solely with raw SCPI commands can quickly become tedious and time-consuming. By leveraging our chosen test sequencer, OpenTAP, we can create more efficient and maintainable methods to interact with the instrument.

One of OpenTAP’s key features is the concept of Test Steps — small programs written in C# or Python that perform either a basic or advanced operation:

• A basic Test Step might simply send a *IDN? command to the instrument and return the response.
• An advanced Test Step could send the same command, analyze the response, and assign a verdict (e.g., PASS or FAIL) based on predefined criteria.

All the necessary Test Steps for communicating with the selected instruments (InterconnectIO Box) are grouped together and packaged into what OpenTAP calls a Plugin.

In essence, the plugin transforms the InterconnectIO Box from standalone hardware into a fully integrated, intelligent component of your test workflow — greatly enhancing its usability and performance.

If you’re interested in exploring further, visit the OpenTAP documentation for in-depth information on plugin development and usage.

InterconnectIO Box Plugin

As shown in the image above, the actual plugin for the InterconnectIO Box includes the following components, all integrated within the same plugin package:

1. InterconnectIO Plugin
   This plugin groups together all the Test Steps required to execute the full range of functions available on the InterconnectIO Box.

2. DUT Plugin
   This plugin defines the Device Under Test (DUT). According to our DUT strategy, each DUT should include a 1-Wire device, which is read and validated before power is applied. This plugin is responsible for defining the expected 1-Wire data to be validated during the test sequence.

3. Selftest Board Plugin
   This plugin provides communication with the Selftest Board, and is developed as an integrated part of the InterconnectIO Box Plugin. While it’s not required when the DUT is not a Selftest Board, it adds powerful and maintainable Test Steps for internal diagnostics and validation.

Plugin Description

All the Test Steps required to control the FTS_InterconnectIO Box have been organized into distinct categories for better clarity and ease of use:

• 1-Wire
  A set of Test Steps to check, read, or write data from 1-Wire devices.

• Analog
  Test Steps to read voltages from the ADC, set voltages using the DAC, take measurements from the Power Monitor, control individual relays, and toggle open-collector transistors.

• Communication
  Test Steps to configure and perform read/write operations using communication protocols such as I2C, SPI, and Serial.

• Config
  Test Steps to read from or write to configuration parameters stored in the configuration EEPROM.

• Digital
  Test Steps to configure direction (Input/Output) and perform bit- or byte-level read/write operations on one of the two 8-bit I/O ports.

• GPIO
  Test Steps to set the direction of individual GPIO pins and perform read/write operations on designated GPIOs.

• Route
  Test Steps to control one of the four available relay banks.

• SCPI
  Test Steps to send predefined basic SCPI commands or manually send/query SCPI instructions.

• System
  Test Steps to monitor and control system-level features, including reading firmware and software version details.

• ZModule
  Test Steps dedicated to controlling the Selftest Board, enabling seamless command and response communication between the box and the Selftest module.

Plugin Location

The plugin source code is hosted on the official GitHub repository. In the future, the InterconnectIO Box plugin may also be made available directly through the OpenTAP Package Manager for easier installation and updates.

🔗 OpenTAP InterconnectIO Box Plugin