CSE 477 -- Video Imaged Spatial Positioning Project

Preliminary Design Package
    Introduction
    Project Design
    Project Requirements
    Parts List
    Design Analysis
    Test Plans
    Design Issues
    Technical References
    Powerpoint Presentation
    Word Format
    Group H Design Review
    Design Review (Word)

Final Design Report

Product Brochure

Final Project Report

TEST PLANS

As described in the project design section VISPS is broken into four subsystems: image capture, image processor, data correlation, and data presentation. To test VISPS, we will break it into similar boundaries.

Testing the Image Capture

The image capture subsystem's purpose is to produce a digital image of the marker in an environment. The issue within this subsystem is to make sure that the marker is distinguishable in the image. To test this, we need to take the digital image data from the camera and display the image onto a monitor.

Currently in the lab, a pre-made board with an XS-4010XL FPGA takes the data from the camera and displays the image onto a monitor. Using this pre-made development board, we will be able to see whether the marker will be visible in the digital image that the camera generates.

Testing the Image Processor

From our design, the image processor only finds the marker in the digital images. To test this functionality, we will create a test environment in hardware where we will capture the marker's pixel location and stream the location in binary format out of an available pin on the XS-4010XL board. Then we can monitor this signal using a logic analyzer and see the coordinates our hardware actually produces. By comparing the outputted coordinates with the image on the monitor, we can see if the generated coordinates are in close proximity to the marker on the monitor. To get a more precise measurement, we plan to take the pixel coordinates and place a colored pixel there. So when the image is displayed on the monitor, we can see if the colored pixel is at the marker's location.

Testing the Data Correlator

The data correlator takes three pixel coordinates: two column indices corresponding to the marker's location in each image and an average of the row indices from the two images. From these pixel coordinates, the data correlator will generate two azimuths and determine the coordinates. There are two sections to the data correlator that needs to be tested. First, we need to test the interface between the data correlator and the image processor. Second, the logic to calculate the coordinates needs to be verified.

To begin testing the data correlator, we use a PIC microcontroller (PIC) to simulate the image processor. The PIC will send mock data to the Atmel Microcontroller via the four-way handshake protocol. To test the four-way handshake protocol on the Atmel Microcontroller, we will make sure the Atmel can communicate with the PIC and receive the data. To guarantee the data is received correctly, we will output the data to a PC. We will use the Hyperterminal software in MS Windows to display the data to the screen and compare the output to the test data we use.

Once we verify the four-way handshake protocol, we will use the same test environment to test the logic for the coordinate calculations. We will have the Atmel Microcontroller ask the PIC for data through the four-way handshake protocol. The Atmel Microcontroller will then process the data and output a set of coordinates via the RS-232 protocol to a PC. We can then verify that the coordinates that the Atmel Microcontroller outputs are within reasonable error boundaries of the coordinates we calculate by hand.

Testing the Data Presentation

Currently there is no need to test this subsystem of the project. HyperTerminal will serve to take whatever data is transferred through the COM port onto the monitor. The Atmel Microcontroller will output the data continuously via RS-232 to the COM port.