Integrative Test-Methodology for RFID Applications (ITERA)

The success of Radio-frequency identification (RFID) has yet proved its potentials for several years, the only hurdle SMEs still face towards an implementation is the cost factor which is significantly determined by the related software.

In general, costs for automation systems are significantly determined by its software. In high performance software systems the part of testing takes 50% and more of the total costs. Moreover, the later an error found the more expensive the correction. This makes the use of powerful software testing methods a central element for affordable RFID-systems. Despite the fact that elaborating test methods and tools has yet been addressed, an integrated test methodology dedicated to RFID-applications and its specifics is still missing.

As consequence the following problems are valid in this context:

• Late test phase
• Manual test with huge test efforts
• Test are not reproducible; no regression testing possible
• Agile Methods are not feasible due to a lack of a suitable test automation methodology covering all possible test phases and levels

To improve the situation especially for RFID-applications we aim to develop a new methodology dedicated to RFID-application testing with a focus on utilizing state of the art development processes and on automation and reuse issues.

• The first step is software module testing marking the earliest point of software testing.
• Followed by bottom-up integration testing including the relevant RFID-interfaces making sure that the utilized in-field-devices and adapters work.
• Step three will deal with top-down integration software testing. The basis of the test bed will utilize virtual RFID-devices simulating the behaviour of real RFID-devices so that at this point no hardware is needed for testing.
• The last step is a complete system test including the RFID-application and RFID-hardware. At this stage the aim is to grant an authentic system test of the entire RFID-related software to also cover errors that occur in terms of defective or interfering communication between encapsulated sub systems that seem to perform well working isolated.