Key Points

• How to implement built-in tests in COTS.
• How to re-use built-in tests in COTS.
• How to test COTS at run-time.

Presentation Abstract

This paper presents a new approach to commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component test and a practical technology for design and implementing test-re-usable COTS. Current technologies for COTS test are mainly based on object-oriented (OO) techniques. A new method of Built-In Test (BIT) components for self-testable and test-re-usable software has been developed and trialed in pilot projects.

A BIT-based COTS is a new kind of software component wherein tests are explicitly described in the component source code as special functions. BIT technology is considered to be a significant extension of OO technology to self-testable and test-re-usable COTS in component-based software engineering.

About the Author

Dr. Yingxu Wang is Professor of Software Engineering and project manager with the Center for Software Engineering at IVF, Moindal, Sweden. He was a visiting professor in the Computing Laboratory at Oxford University during 1995. He was awarded a PhD in software engineering by The Nottingham Trent University / Southampton Institute, UK, where he holds an academic title of Visiting Professor.

Dr. Wang is a member of IEEE TCSE/SESE, ACM, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7, and chairman of the Computer Chapter of the IEEE in Sweden. He has accomplished a number of ED, Swedish and industry funded research projects as coordinator local manager and/or principle investigator. He is the lead author of a recent book, Software Engineering Processes: Principles and Applications and has published over 100 papers in software engineering. He has served a session chairman, co-editor, and program committee member for several international conferences and journals. He has won a dozen research achievement and teaching awards in the last 20 years.