ISO 20242-2:2010

Overview

ISO 20242-2:2010 - “Industrial automation systems and integration - Service interface for testing applications - Part 2: Resource management service interface” defines a generic, operating-system‑independent service interface for managing and operating computing platform resources used in computer‑assisted testing applications. The standard specifies the Resource Management Service Interface (RMSI) that a platform adapter exposes to device drivers and testing applications, enabling consistent control of computer resources, peripherals and special plug‑in hardware across different OS and communication technologies.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and purpose
  • Provide a generic service access point for resource management independent of operating system and communication interfaces.
  • Encapsulate platform details via a platform adapter so device drivers remain portable.
• Service structure
  • Management support services: e.g., get service reference, initiate/conclude periphery interface types (loading/unloading extended service providers).
  • Generic input/output services: open/close interfaces, read/write data, execute operations, reconfigure channels, cancel communications, get interface status, clear buffers, and signal events.
  • Extended services: modular providers that map generic I/O services to specific peripheral interface types (ext_initiate, ext_open, ext_read, ext_write, ext_execute, etc.).
  • Operating support services: services that manage runtime behavior and state transitions (described in the standard).
• Service conventions
  • Uses ISO/IEC 10731 conventions for service primitives (REQ/CNF/IND/RSP), parameter tables and state diagrams.
• Implementation guidance
  • Annex A: mapping RMSI services to example C/C++ function calls.
  • Annex B: cascading device driver arrangements for complex integration scenarios.
• Design goals
  • Independence from OS, device connection technology, and device vendors.
  • Ability to certify device drivers with connected devices in a given platform context.

Practical applications

• Integration of measurement, automation and test equipment into PC‑based test systems.
• Development of portable device drivers and platform adapters for automated test benches, production test rigs and hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) environments.
• Enabling supplier‑agnostic, OS‑independent test application architectures for automotive and industrial testing.
• Facilitating certification and reuse of device drivers across platforms.

Who should use this standard

• Automation engineers and system integrators building test and measurement systems.
• Device driver developers and platform adapter implementers.
• Software architects designing OS‑independent test frameworks.
• Automotive OEMs and suppliers standardizing test equipment integration.

Related standards

• ISO 20242-1: Overview (normative reference)
• Planned parts: Part 3 (Virtual device service interface), Part 4 (Device capability profile), Part 5 (Application program service interface), Part 6 (Conformance test methods)

Keywords: ISO 20242-2, Resource Management Service Interface, RMSI, industrial automation, service interface for testing applications, device driver, platform adapter, peripheral interfaces, input/output services.