Correlator Test Plan STATUS: - 05nov03 Steve Scott and Jim Pisano The very likely adoption of the tunable filter option will cause several changes to this plan. The delay interface and implementation may change dramatically and there will have to be a major addition to stitch the sub-bands together and to reduce the data rate from the inherently high level produced by the tunable filter. The first user testing of the correlator cannot begin until the R1.1 release which will add a specific test fixture for user testing (the correlator is primarily a hardware subsystem with no user interface). All testing iterations after a major release are considered to be three months long, with a two month testing period followed by a month to write a report. The cycles after a minor release will have a one month test followed by a month for the report for a two month total. The exception is the R1.1 release which will be scheduled like a major release. Preliminary ALMA Correlator Software Test Plan: -------------------------------------------- 01oct03 R1 1st full Subsystem Release 1.0 2 antenna prototype 01dec03 IR1 1st Integrated subsystem Release Hardware capability is issue, no SSR testing. 31dec03 ATF0.1 Delivery of the prototype correlator to the ATF. 01apr04 R1.1 Add polarization, external user test fixture for data processing steps, correlator config test GUI. 01apr04 TST1 Begin test of internal correlator algorithms, correlator configuration using prototype hardware. Report due 01jul04 for incorporation into R2. 01may04 CDR2 2nd incremental CDR 01oct04 R2 2nd Subsystem Release 2.0 16 antenna single quadrant correlator , development support Simulator Blanking, flagging. Two sub-arrays with two configs each Delays 01nov04 TST2 Begin test of blanking/flagging, modes, two sub-arrays, and a all modes using simulator and correlator for incorporation into R2.1. 01dec04 IR2 Integrated subsystem release complete 01apr05 R2.1 Bug fixes, incremental enhancements that are TBD 01may05 CDR3 3rd incremental CDR 01jun05 TST3 Begin test of R2.1 enhancements 01oct05 R3 3rd Subsystem Release 3.0 16 antenna single quadrant correlator shipped to Chile All modes available 01dec05 IR3 3rd Integrated subsystem Release 01dec05 TST4 Begin test of all modes using simulator. 01apr06 R3.1 Bug fixes, incremental enhancements that are TBD 01jun06 RR System Readiness Review 01jul06 TST5 Begin test of R3.1 enhancements 01oct06 R4 4th Subsystem Release 4.0 64 antenna four quadrant, dev support 01dec06 IR4 4th Integrated subsystem Release 01dec06 PAR Subsystem Preliminary Acceptance Review 01dec06 TST6 Begin testing of full sub-array capability. 01mar07 CPA Computing Preliminary Acceptance Review 31may07 R4.1 Subsystem Release 4.1 64 antenna four quadrant, enhanced support shipped to Chile 01jun07 IntSci Interim Science Operations begins ================================================================ ================================================================ ================================================================ Descriptions of Correlator Subsystem Software Tests: ================================================================ 01apr04 TST1 Internal correlator algorithms. Correlator configuration with GUI Report due 01jul04 for incorporation into R2. The difficulty of supporting these tests while preparing for CDR2 is recognized, but the timing is unavoidable. The tests cannot being until the test fixture and GUI are ready, and must be completed as soon as possible for inclusion into R2. These test require the external test fixture to expose the internal processing steps. Tests all of the steps used in the correlator data processing by feeding in test lag or frequency spectra. Steps to test: 1.Lag normalization 2.Quantization correction 3.Windowing function 4.FFT 5.Spectra normalized 6.Residual delay adjustment 7.Channel average These tests require the correlator standalone configuration GUI. The GUI allows configuration parameters to be specified (at the hw level) and displays resulting spectra. 1. Setup the few correlator modes that are available 2. Collect data (correlated noise + line) 3. Inspect resulting data ================================================================ 01dec04 TST2 Begin test of blanking/flagging, modes, two sub-arrays, and all modes using simulator and correlator for incorporation into R2.1. Test the following with simulator and with correlator hardware: 1. All modes using simulated input and also broadband noise and CW signal with hardware. 2. All data processing options (TBD) exposed to control system. 3. Various integration times. 4. Blanking 5. Flagging 7. Atmospheric phase correction 8. Two sub-arrays, each with two configurations 9. Delays ================================================================ 01jun05 TST3 Test any enhancements (TBD) from last R2.1. ================================================================ 01dec05 TST4 Test enhanced operation using simulator and hardware. 1. Test all modes using simulator and correlator hardware (which is now in Chile). ================================================================ 01jun06 TST5 Test any enhancements (TBD) from R3.1. ================================================================ 01dec06 TST6 Test of full sub-array capability. Using both simulator and 64 antenna correlator hardware. 1. Multiple simulataneous sub-arrays with different modes and integration times. ================================================================