IEC 62529:2012

Standard for Signal and Test Definition

IEC 62529:2012(E) provides the means to define and describe signals used in testing. It provides a set of common basic signal definitions, built upon formal mathematical specifications, so that signals can be combined to form complex signals usable across all test platforms. The standard provides support for structural textual languages and programming language interfaces for interoperability. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, published in 2007, and constitutes a technical revision.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 20-Jun-2012
• ICS: 25.040.01 - Industrial automation systems in general
• ICS: 35.060 - Languages used in information technology
• Technical Committee: TC 91 - Electronics assembly technology
• Drafting Committee: WG 15 - TC 91/WG 15
• Current Stage: DELPUB - Deleted Publication
• Start Date: 27-Jun-2024
• Completion Date: 26-Oct-2025

Relations

• Revised: IEC 62529:2024 - Standard for Signal and Test Definition
• Effective Date: 05-Jul-2024
• Revises: IEC 62529:2007 - Standard for Signal and Test Definition
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 62529:2012 (Signal and Test Definition) defines a formal, platform‑independent approach to describe signals used in testing. Published as the second edition (which replaces the 2007 edition) and issued in conjunction with IEEE Std 1641‑2010, the standard provides mathematically based, reusable signal definitions and language interfaces so signals can be combined into complex test stimuli and measurements that interoperate across test platforms and tools.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Layered architecture - The standard is organized in layers (SML, BSC, TSF, TPL, etc.) to separate abstract signal modeling from implementation and test requirements.
• Signal Modeling Language (SML) - A formal textual language for defining physical, digital and composite signals using mathematical constructs.
• Basic Signal Components (BSC) - Reusable component classes and templates for building signal functions and physical signal types.
• Test Signal Framework (TSF) - Libraries and templates (including XML representations) for common analog, digital and pulsed signal families to promote reuse.
• Test Procedure Language (TPL) - Constructs to express test requirements and map signals to platform actions, enabling portable test procedures.
• Interoperability interfaces - Support for structural textual languages, Interface Definition Language (IDL) components and programming language bindings to integrate with test systems and automated test equipment (ATE).
• Dynamic and digital signal support - Annexes cover dynamic descriptions, digital streams, sampling, measuring, limiting, FFT analysis and more.
• Platform independence - Guidance to maximize test platform neutrality so test descriptions can be reused across tools, environments and vendors.

Practical applications and who uses IEC 62529:2012

IEC 62529 is used by:

• Test engineers and validation teams who need precise, repeatable signal definitions for laboratory and production testing.
• Test software developers and ATE vendors implementing signal libraries and language bindings to support portable test procedures.
• Manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, electronics and telecommunications who require standardized stimulus and measurement definitions for conformance, verification and automated test.
• Standards bodies and test laboratories seeking formal representations (SML/TSF/IDL) for interoperability between tools.

Practical use cases include creating reusable signal libraries, automating test procedures, translating high‑level test requirements into executable tests, and sharing signal definitions across organizations.

Related standards and resources

• IEEE Std 1641‑2010 (published with IEC 62529)
• IEC publications search and Electropedia for related electrotechnical vocabulary

Keywords: IEC 62529:2012, signal and test definition, Signal Modeling Language (SML), Basic Signal Components (BSC), Test Signal Framework (TSF), Test Procedure Language (TPL), IEEE Std 1641, interoperability, test platform independence.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 62529
Edition 2.0 2012-06
™
IEEE Std 1641
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Standard for Signal and Test Definition

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IEC 62529
Edition 2.0 2012-06
IEEE Std 1641™
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Standard for Signal and Test Definition

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
PRICE CODE
XH
ICS 25.040; 35.060 ISBN 978-2-83220-103-9

– ii – IEEE Std 1641-2010
Contents
1. Overview . 1
1.1 Scope . 1
1.2 Purpose . 1
1.3 Application . 1
1.4 Annexes . 2
2. Definitions, abbreviations, and acronyms. 2
2.1 Definitions . 2
2.2 Abbreviations and acronyms . 4
3. Structure of this standard . 5
3.1 Layers . 5
3.2 Signal Modeling Language (SML) layer . 6
3.3 BSC layer . 6
3.4 TSF layer . 6
3.5 Test requirement layer . 6
3.6 Using the layers . 7
4. Signals and SignalFunctions . 7
4.1 Introduction . 7
4.2 Physical signal states . 8
4.3 Event states . 9
4.4 Digital stream states . 9
5. SML layer . 10
6. BSC layer . 11
6.1 BSC layer base classes . 11
6.2 General description of BSCs. 11
6.3 SignalFunction template . 12
7. TSF layer . 12
7.1 TSF classes . 13
7.2 TSF signals defined by a model . 13
7.3 TSF signals defined by an external reference . 16
8. Test procedure language (TPL) . 16
8.1 Goals of the TPL . 16
8.2 Elements of the TPL . 16
8.3 Use of the TPL . 17
9. Maximizing test platform independence. 17
Annex A (normative) Signal modeling language (SML) . 18
A.1 Use of the SML . 18
A.2 Introduction. 18
A.3 Physical types . 19
A.4 Signal definitions . 22
A.5 Pure signals . 24
A.6 Pure signal-combining mechanisms. 26
A.7 Pure function transformations . 32
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

IEEE Std 1641-2010 – iii –
A.8 Measuring, limiting, and sampling signals . 32
A.9 Digital signals . 34
A.10 Basic component SML . 38
A.11 Fast Fourier analysis support . 63
Annex B (normative) Basic signal components (BSC) layer . 65
B.1 BSC layer base classes . 65
B.2 BSC subclasses . 65
B.3 Description of a BSC . 69
B.4 Physical class . 76
B.5 PulseDefns class . 87
B.6 SignalFunction class . 89
Annex C (normative) Dynamic signal descriptions . 143
C.1 Introduction . 143
C.2 Basic classes . 144
C.3 Dynamic signal goals and use cases . 152
Annex D (normative) Interface definition language (IDL) basic components . 153
D.1 Introduction. 153
D.2 IDL BSC library . 153
Annex E (informative) Test signal framework (TSF) for C/ATLAS . 154
E.1 Introduction . 154
E.2 TSF library definition in extensible markup language (XML) . 154
E.3 Interface definition language (IDL) for the TSF for C/ATLAS . 154
E.4 AC_SIGNAL . 155
E.5 AM_SIGNAL . 157
E.6 DC_SIGNAL . 159
E.7 DIGITAL_PARALLEL . 161
E.8 DIGITAL_SERIAL . 163
E.9 DIGITAL_TEST . 165
E.10 DME_INTERROGATION . 168
E.11 DME_RESPONSE . 171
E.12 FM_SIGNAL . 174
E.13 ILS_GLIDE_SLOPE . 177
E.14 ILS_LOCALIZER . 180
E.15 ILS_MARKER . 183
E.16 PM_SIGNAL . 186
E.17 PULSED_AC_SIGNAL . 188
E.18 PULSED_AC_TRAIN . 190
E.19 PULSED_DC_SIGNAL . 192
E.20 PULSED_DC_TRAIN . 194
E.21 RADAR_RX_SIGNAL . 196
E.22 RADAR_TX_SIGNAL. 199
E.23 RAMP_SIGNAL . 200
E.24 RANDOM_NOISE . 202
E.25 RESOLVER . 204
E.26 RS_232 . 207
E.27 SQUARE_WAVE . 208
E.28 SSR_INTERROGATION . 210
E.29 SSR_RESPONSE . 213
E.30 STEP_SIGNAL . 217
E.31 SUP_CAR_SIGNAL . 219
E.32 SYNCHRO . 221
E.33 TACAN . 225
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

– iv – IEEE Std 1641-2010
E.34 TRIANGULAR_WAVE_SIGNAL . 229
E.35 VOR . 231
Annex F (informative) Test signal framework (TSF) library for digital pulse classes . 235
F.1 Introduction . 235
F.2 TSF library definition in extensible markup language (XML) . 235
F.3 Graphical models of TSFs . 235
F.4 Pulse class family of TSFs . 235
F.5 DTIF . 252
Annex G (normative) Carrier language requirements . 254
G.1 Carrier language requirements . 254
G.2 Interface definition language (IDL) . 254
G.3 Datatypes . 254
G.4 Data-processing requirements . 259
G.5 Control structures . 263
Annex H (normative) Test procedure language (TPL) . 265
H.1 TPL layer . 265
H.2 Elements of the TPL . 265
H.3 Structure of test requirements . 265
H.4 Carrier language . 265
H.5 Signal statements . 265
H.6 Mapping of test statements to carrier language . 267
H.7 Test statement definitions . 267
H.8 Elements used in test statement definitions . 285
H.9 Attributes with multiple properties . 288
H.10 Transferring data in digital signals. 292
H.11 Creating test requirements . 296
H.12 Delimiting TPL statements . 298
Annex I (normative) Extensible markup language (XML) signal descriptions . 300
I.1 Introduction . 300
I.2 XSD for BSCs . 301
I.3 XSD for TSFs . 302
Annex J (informative) Support for ATLAS nouns and modifiers . 308
J.1 Signal and test definition (STD) support for ATLAS signals . 308
J.2 STD support for ATLAS nouns . 308
J.3 STD support for C/ATLAS noun modifiers . 311
J.4 Support for C/ATLAS extensions . 319
Annex K (informative) Guide for maximizing test platform independence and test application
interchangeability . 320
K.1 Introduction. 320
K.2 Guiding principles. 320
K.3 Best practice rules . 320
Annex L (informative) Bibliography . 323
Annex M (informative) IEEE List of Participants . 325
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

IEEE Std 1641-2010 – v –
Standard for Signal and Test Definition

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– vi – IEEE Std 1641-2010
International Standard IEC 62529 / IEEE Std 1641-2010 has been processed through IEC
technical committee 93: Design automation, under the IEC/IEEE Dual Logo Agreement.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, published in 2007, and
constitutes a technical revision.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
IEEE Std FDIS Report on voting
IEEE Std 1641-2010 93/322/FDIS 93/329/RVD

Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report
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Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

IEEE Std 1641-2010 – vii –
™
IEEE Std 1641 -2010
(Revision of
IEEE Std 1641-2004)
IEEE Standard for
Signal and Test Definition
Sponsor
IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 20 on
Test and Diagnosis for Electronic Systems
Approved 17 June 2010
IEEE-SA Standards Board
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

– viii – IEEE Std 1641-2010
Abstract: This standard provides the means to define and describe signals used in testing. It also
provides a set of common basic signals, built upon formal mathematical specifications so that
signals can be combined to form complex signals usable across all test platforms.

Keywords: ATE, ATLAS, automatic test equipment, IEEE 1641, signal definitions, test
definitions, test requirements, test signals, unit under test, UUT

•
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Engineers, Incorporated.
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

IEEE Std 1641-2010 – ix –
IEEE Introduction
This introduction is not part of IEEE Std 1641-2010, IEEE Standard for Signal and Test Definition.
This signal and test definition (STD) standard provides the ability to unambiguously define test signals. It
includes a rigorous mathematical and definitive foundation for all of its signal components. Any signal
defined using this standard will be the same regardless of the equipment is used to create it. The standard
supports the implementation of new technologies by providing users with the ability to describe their own
signals by combining existing signals. Thus, any desired signal may be described, and there is no limit on
the extensibility of signals supported by this standard.
Signals defined using this standard can be used in a programming environment of the user’s choice
provided that that environment fulfills the minimum requirements defined in this standard. This universality
enables the user to take full advantage of modern program structures and development environments,
including graphical programming environments.
This standard was developed by the Test and ATS Description Subcommittee (of the IEEE Standards
Coordinating Committee 20 (SCC20) on Test and Diagnosis for Electronic Systems), which has prepared a
companion guide, IEEE Std 1641.1™, to explain how to implement signal definitions and test requirements
in conformance with STD.
Notice to users
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Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

IEEE Std 1641-2010 – 1 –
Standard for
Signal and Test Definition
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This standard is not intended to ensure safety, security, health, or
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1. Overview
1.1 Scope
This standard provides the means to define and describe signals used in testing. It provides a set of common
basic signal definitions, built upon formal mathematical specifications, so that signals can be combined to
form complex signals usable across all test platforms. The standard provides support for structural textual
languages and programming language interfaces for interoperability.
1.2 Purpose
This standard provides a common reference for signal definitions, which may be used throughout the life
cycle of a unit under test (UUT) or test system. Such a reference will in turn facilitate information transfer,
test reuse, and broader application of test information—accessible through commercially available
development tools.
1.3 Application
This signal and test definition (STD) standard provides the capability to describe and control signals, while
permitting a choice of operating environment, including the choice of carrier language. STD permits signal
operations to be embedded in any object-oriented environment and thus to be used by the architecture
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

– 2 – IEEE Std 1641-2010
standards of various automatic test systems (ATSs). STD may be used to create truly portable test
requirements. It will allow test information to pass more freely between the design, test, and maintenance
phases of a project and enable the same information to be used directly across project phases. This more
efficient use of information will lead to reduced life-cycle costs.
1.4 Annexes
This standard also contains annexes that describe various elements of the standard in detail. The normative
annexes include definitions of the basic signals (in words and with reference to an extensible markup
language (XML) format), supporting mathematical definitions for these signals, dynamic model
information, interface definition descriptions, and a definition of the requirements of a supporting computer
language.
Informative annexes are provided to present examples of signal libraries together with their associated
XML definition.
2. Definitions, abbreviations, and acronyms
2.1 Definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply. The IEEE Standards
Dictionary: Glossary of Terms & Definitions should be referenced for terms not defined in this clause.
Abbreviated Test Language for All Systems (ATLAS): A stylized, abbreviated English language used in
the preparation and documentation of test requirements and test programs, which can be implemented
either manually or with automatic or semi-automatic test equipment.
argument: Input values that can be passed to a function.
attribute: A property value that is used to define signal characteristics or behavior.
automatic test system (ATS): A system that includes the automatic test equipment (ATE) and all support
equipment, support software, test programs, and interface adapters.
base class: A class from which another class inherits attributes or properties.
basic signal component (BSC): The lowest level of building block used to define signals.
class: A generic set of predefined abstract test objects.
component: A part of a system, which may be hardware or software and which may be subdivided into
other components. Components communicate their functionality through their interface definitions.
connection: The application of a signal to a unit under test (UUT).

The IEEE Standards Dictionary: Glossary of Terms & Definitions is available at http://shop.ieee.org/.
In this standard, the term “ATLAS” refers to any version or subset whether it is a formal standardized version or a project specific
modified subset.
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

IEEE Std 1641-2010 – 3 –
data bus: A signal line or set of signal lines used by a data communication system to interconnect a
number of devices and to communicate information.
dynamic signal: A signal whose definition changes over time, by use of the control interface. These
changes must be initiated with one of the signal method calls or by changing the interconnections of a
signal model.
function: A construct that is a logically separated block of code that operates upon test values (i.e.,
arguments). Another name for a function is method. Syn: method.
interface definition language (IDL): A machine-compilable language that is used to describe the
interfaces that software objects call and object implementations provide. The language provides a neutral
way to define software interfaces.
method: Syn: function.
model: A mathematical or physical representation (i.e., simulation) of system relationships for a process,
device, or concept.
physical: Pertaining to the natural characteristics of the universe according to the natural laws of science.
procedural: The part of an signal and test definition (STD) test requirement that defines the tests in the
manner and order required for testing.
property: The special form of method (or function) that supports the semantics of assignment (l-value) and
reading (r-value).
reserved word: A keyword whose meaning and use are fixed by the semantics of a language. In certain or
all contexts, a reserved word cannot be used for any purpose other than as defined for that language.
semantics: A branch of linguistics concerned with meaning. For the test procedure language (TPL),
semantics is the connotative meaning of words in an TPL statement. For software, semantics is the
relationships of symbols and their meaning, independent of the manner of their interpretation and use. For
meta-languages, semantics is the discipline for expressing the meanings of computer-language constructs in
a meta-language.
sensor: A transducer that converts a test parameter to a form suitable for measurement.
SignalFunction: The name of the base class, for all classes that provide signals.
Subclass: A class that inherits attributes or properties from a base class.
static signal: A signal whose definition does not change over time. All basic signal components (BSCs)
and test signal framework (TSF) models are static signals.
syntax: The grammatical arrangement of words in a language statement.
system: A set of interconnected hardware and/or software components that achieves a defined objective by
performing specified functions.
system architecture: The structure of and relationship between the components of a system. A system
architecture may include the system interface with its operational environment.
template: A pattern or design that establishes the outline, dimensions, or process for subsequent users or
implementers.
Published by IEC under license from IEEE. © 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

– 4 – IEEE Std 1641-2010
test: (A) An action or group of actions that are performed on a unit under test (UUT) to evaluate its
parameter(s) or characteristic(s). (Derived from IEEE Std 771-1989). (B) An observed activity that may be
caused to occur (e.g., stimulus-response) in order to obtain information about the beh
...