The anatomy of the test language standard required for autonomous, cooperative information exchange in a distributive open test environment (Test object reuse)

While numerous application tools and significant standards such as VXI have emerged, little has been done to enhance the use and reuse of key information required for test. This situation occurs because higher order test procedures, methods and standards required by high end users are not being pursued by the commercial sector. Required information infrastructures and their associated architectures and standards have not been evolving at a rate required to keep up with the technology needs. This situation results in the development of autonomous uncooperative (across applications) tools. C/ATLAS-94 has introduced a number of substantial improvements to ATLAS. In the incorporation of these improvements, a need to restructure the language became apparent. The introduction of complex signal, bus testing, new digital and the event enhancements reinforces this need. In addition, the current technology trends and efforts such as A Broad Based Environment for Test (ABBET) require standards that can accommodate an open architecture layered approach to information exchange.<>