Test apparatus, information processing system and data transfer method

Abstract

Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising a test unit that sends and receives signals to and from the device under test; a control apparatus that controls the test unit; and a relay apparatus that relays between the control apparatus and the test unit. The relay apparatus includes a read issuing section that receives a command from the control apparatus and issues a read command for reading read data stored at an address designated by the control apparatus in a storage apparatus of the test unit; a buffer section that buffers the read data transmitted from the test unit in response to the read command; and a data transmitting section that receives the read command from the control apparatus and sends back the read data buffered in the buffer section.

1 . A test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising:
 a test unit that sends and receives signals to and from the device under test;   a control apparatus that controls the test unit; and   a relay apparatus that relays between the control apparatus and the test unit, wherein the relay apparatus includes:   a read issuing section that receives a command from the control apparatus and issues a read command for reading read data stored at an address designated by the control apparatus in a storage apparatus of the test unit;   a buffer section that buffers the read data transmitted from the test unit in response to the read command; and   a data transmitting section that receives the read command from the control apparatus and sends back the read data buffered in the buffer section.   
     
     
         2 . The test apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the relay apparatus further includes a register in which data is written according to the command from the control apparatus, and   the read issuing section issues the read command in response to data being written to the register.   
     
     
         3 . The test apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control apparatus writes, to the register, data designating an address in the storage apparatus of the test unit, and   the read issuing section issues the read command for reading the read data stored at the address indicated by the data written in the register.   
     
     
         4 . The test apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the relay apparatus, the data transmitting section receives a confirmation command from the control apparatus and sends back status information indicating buffering status of the read data in the buffer section.   
     
     
         5 . The test apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when the read command is received from the control apparatus while read data is not being buffered in the buffer section, the data transmitting section postpones completion of the read command until the read data is buffered in the buffer section.   
     
     
         6 . The test apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of the test units, wherein
 the relay apparatus includes a plurality of the buffer sections corresponding respectively to the test units, each buffer section buffering the read data transmitted thereto by the corresponding test unit.   
     
     
         7 . An information processing system comprising:
 a processing unit;   a control apparatus that controls the processing unit; and   a relay apparatus that relays between the control apparatus and the processing unit, wherein the relay apparatus includes:   a read issuing section that receives a command from the control apparatus and issues a read command for reading read data stored at an address designated by the control apparatus in a storage apparatus of the processing unit;   a buffer section that buffers the read data transmitted from the processing unit in response to the read command; and   a data transmitting section that receives the read command from the control apparatus and sends back the read data buffered in the buffer section.   
     
     
         8 . A data transfer method performed by a test apparatus that tests a device under test, wherein the test apparatus includes:
 a test unit that sends and receives signals to and from the device under test;   a control apparatus that controls the test unit; and   a relay apparatus that relays between the control apparatus and the test unit, the data transfer method comprising:   receiving a command from the control apparatus and issuing a read command for reading read data stored at an address designated by the control apparatus in a storage apparatus of the test unit, by a read issuing section of the relay apparatus;   buffering the read data transmitted from the test unit in response to the read command, by a buffer section of the relay apparatus; and   receiving the read command from the control apparatus and sending back the read data buffered in the buffer section, by a data transmitting section of the relay apparatus.