Implementing an AI-ESTATE based diagnostic engine component

This paper focuses on the construction of a Diagnostic Engine Component (DEC) based on the IEEE 1232 Standard known as "AI-ESTATE" as part of a new approach to constructing and using Automatic Test System (ATS) software in the support of the modern digital avionics maintenance program. Traditional ATS have been constructed of single monolithic software programs that run on single machines. The design approach discussed in this paper is based on decomposing the monolithic software program into primary elements then reengineering the elements into a new type of software component. While the construction of the DEC is detailed, the roles of other components are discussed along with deployment and how the test engineer develops the diagnostic models and the test program set.