Open Architecture Tools to Describe Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) Capabilities Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Topic No.: N181-009 Topic Title: Open Architecture Tools to Describe Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) Capabilities Proposal No.: N181-009-0139 Firm: TPS Associates, Inc. 2494 Ridgeway Blvd Manchester, New Jersey 8759 Contact: Joseph Stanco Phone: (812) 825-0585 Web Site: http://www.tpsassocinc.com Abstract: For years the DoD ATE community has been trying to build an open architecture environment that would support avionic testing across and within services. Little progress has been made in this area due to lack of applicable standards and a common vocabulary that could communicate test requirements required by the various users. This has led to non-standard designs in the ATEs and their associated tools. The proposal describes a method and approach that utilizes an appropriate set of existing IEEE standards designed to address this problem. However, these standards have not been utilized effectively based on the lack of guidelines for the selection of optional elements necessary to support the broad scope of use cases and common vocabulary of test parameters. The approach taken is to effectively utilize the modeling capability of the standard to build a library of signal models. A testing taxonomy structure of test categories and parameters will be used to identify these parameters. They will address both the UUT and ATE capabilities making the identification and utilization of a library of signal models that will allow for the development of a management tool that will be capable of supporting model development, TPS operation and resource interfacing. Benefits: The need for industry (Government and commercial suppliers) to define standards in the test community has been known for many years. Instrument manufacturing companies have not been convinced that the implementation of standards would actually increase sales even if their instruments are proprietary. This is true because the users of their products (ATE System Designers, Maintainers, TPS Developers and Operators) only have to learn 1 set of standards regardless of manufacturer. The following approach will be used in the commercialization of this technology: 1) Availability of the tool developed under this SBIR and how it can be used to aid in expanding the marketing of the ATE and the instruments. This would apply to the entire ATE/instrumentation market. 2) Presenting the technical approach benefit in today�?Ts testing environment. 3) Demonstrating the tool and showing its benefits and ease of use at Autotestcon and appropriate industry and government symposiums. 4) Participate and make aware of the technology developed to the appropriate organizations, for example NSIA, IVI and Autotestcon. 5) The schedule to market for the mature standardization tool(s) could be in the 2.5 to 3 year timeframe depending on the timing of the Phase II contract award. The Phase I research will lead to a workable prototype fully developed in Phase II. The methods, models and tools developed in Phase II will transition to the ATE/instrumentation market under SBIR Phase III guidelines. Return