ATML completed status

The IEEE Standard for Automatic Test Markup Language (ATML) for Exchanging Automatic Test Equipment and Test Information via XML (IEEE Std 1671trade-2006) [1] and all its `dot´ standards have been published and are available from the IEEE. The ATML standards working group is now revising these trial use standards and their XML schemas into full use standards with a life time of five years. The ATML standard and it´s ´dot´ companions are now published, available, and their associated XML Schemas are downloadable from the Web. This paper provides: a) An explanation as to the rational behind each of the ATML components; representing ATML companion ´dot´ standards, as well as the use and reliance of existing IEEE standards IEEE Std 1641trade (STD) [3]. b) An explanation of how each companion ´dot´ standard relates to each other, and how they may come together to provide the synergistic ATML Framework defined by IEEE Std 1671trade2006. c) An explanation as to how each component ´dot´ standard can be used standalone; and how each can be used with other component ´dot´ standards to provide for ever increasing interoperable test systems. e) The current status of each of the ATML companion ´dot´ standard and each of their corresponding XML schemas. 1) Description of the future road map being followed for both the XML schema development and the IEEE project standards development, as Full-Use standards are published over the coming year. Finally, the paper explains the common misconceptions associated with test information interchange and explains how the ATML family of standards is an ideal solution for test information interchange across different and varied platforms, for test systems of today and into the future.