ATML: what "it" is, what "it" is not, and an example of how "it" can be applied

Current test program sets (TPSs) were developed to run on specific automatic test systems (ATSs), and are implemented with tight coupling between components. The components are typically developed specific to that particular proprietary architecture. Once the TPS is fielded, the ATE functionality and TPS utilization strategies used to develop the TPS typically becomes obsolete as the test program evolves in its life cycle. As the ATS is replaced or achieves some level of obsolescence, it is typical to re-host the implementation of the TPS as part of instrument(s), or ATE stations being replaced and/or upgraded. The "standard automatic test markup language (ATML) for exchanging automatic test equipment and test information via XML" (IEEE-P1671) initiative is driven by the desire to promote and facilitate interoperability between components of ATS's by standardizing around the extensible markup language (XML) format. ATML defines a standard exchange medium for sharing information between the components of the test system. The information includes (but is not limited to) test data, resource data, diagnostic data, and historic data. The ATML family of standards includes (and enhance) existing IEEE SCC20 standards such as IEEE-STD-1232 (AI-ESTATE) and IEEE-STD-1641 (signal and test definition). By using a common format, different tools and systems can exchange information and form co-operative heterogeneous systems resulting in: decreased test times, reduced incidents of can-not-duplicate or no-fault-found, reduce repair times, formalize the capture of historic data, and improve closed-loop diagnostic systems. This paper describes the ATML concepts and components, as well as address misconceptions of what ATML is perceived to be (e.g. ATML is not a TPS programming language/ATLAS language replacement). The paper concludes with an explanatory implementation.