Automatic ATML test description translation to a COTS test executive

In response to the lack of common formats for documenting automatic test information, the Naval Air Systems Command led the creation of the Automatic Test Markup Language (ATML) to standardize the documentation and reporting of automatic test information. ATML defines classes that represent automatic test system (ATS) components, such as test description, test results and instrument description, and the interoperability between classes. As an emerging standard, ATML classes have different levels of definition and adoption. One of the most adopted classes in the ATML standard is Test Description (TD). Organizations are expecting the adoption of the ATML TD standard to reduce the development and maintenance costs for test program sets (TPSs). ATML TD documents describe the types of measurements an ATE must perform but not the way the ATE must perform them. Translating an ATML TD document to a TPS consists of defining the necessary instrumentation, switching, and software automation. Manually translating an ATML TD to a TPS requires significant time and effort. In contrast, automatic translation methods can reduce development time. This paper discusses a method for translating ATML TD documents to a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) test executive, a graphical programming language, and ANSI C. It also examines how ATML TD constructs such as test group, test action, test name, and behavior can be mapped to constructs in the COTS test executive and programming languages. As the industry continues to adopt additional ATML standards, TD translators will be able to further automate the generation of TPSs. With the goal of catalyzing future work in the area, the paper closes with a proposal of how to improve a translation from a TD to a TPS with the information in other ATML standards such as Test Configuration, Test Station, UUT Description, Instrument Description, and Test Adapter.