National Instruments Corporation

Charles E Crain, Ii

Jeffrey N Correll

Jacob Kornerup

Guang Yu Yang

Kaushik Ravindran

Guoqiang Wang

Rhishikesh Limaye

Michael J Trimborn

Arkadeb Ghosal

Sadia B Malik

Jeffrey L Kodosky

David W Fuller, Iii

Mohammed Kamran Shah

Christopher G Cifra

Timothy J Hayles

Adam K Gabbert

Adam H Dewhirst

Tony Widjaja

Jenifer M Loy

Scott D Postma

Richard M Ashby

Robert L Ortman

Techniques for specifying and implementing programs. A graphical program is created in a graphical specification and constraint language that allows specification of a model of computation and explicit declaration of constraints in response to user input. The graphical program includes a specified model of computation, a plurality of interconnected functional blocks that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program in accordance with the specified model of computation, and specifications or constraints for the graphical program or at least one of the functional blocks in the graphical program. The specified model of computation and specifications or constraints are useable to analyze the graphical program or generate a program or simulation.

Graphical specification and constraint language for developing programs for hardware implementation and use

System and method for specifying and implementing programs. A graphical program is created in a graphical specification and constraint language that allows specification of a model of computation and explicit declaration of constraints in response to user input. The graphical program includes a specified model of computation, a plurality of interconnected functional blocks that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program in accordance with the specified model of computation, and specifications or constraints for the graphical program or at least one of the functional blocks in the graphical program. The specified model of computation and specifications or constraints are useable to analyze the graphical program or generate a program or simulation.

Providing zooming within a system diagram. Initially, a diagram of a system may be displayed. The diagram may include a plurality of icons representing physical components of the system. These plurality of icons may be initially displayed at a first level of magnification. User input to zoom on a first physical component in the diagram may be received. Accordingly, the first physical component may be displayed at a second level of magnification and other ones of the physical components may be displayed at a third level of magnification. The second level of magnification may be greater than the first level of magnification and the third level of magnification may be less than the first level of magnification. Alternatively, or additionally, different representations for various components of the system may be displayed in the diagram during or after the zoom.

Semantic zoom within a diagram of a system

Developing programs for hardware implementation in a graphical specification and constraint language

Various embodiments of a system and method for performing a measurement application are described herein. The system may include a host computer having a processor, and a measurement device having a programmable hardware element. The programmable hardware element may be configured to perform a loop to acquire measurement data from a physical system. The host computer may be configured to perform another loop to read the measurement data from the programmable hardware element and use the measurement data in a measurement and control algorithm. The host computer may be further configured to perform a synchronization algorithm to keep the measurement data acquisition loop performed by the programmable hardware element synchronized with the measurement and control loop performed by the host computer.

Synchronizing a loop performed by a measurement device with a measurement and control loop performed by a processor of a host computer

System and method for performing distributed input/output (I/O). A distributed I/O device (the device) coupled to a controller may read data from a serial port, may determine if the data are framed by time, and if so, may handle the data according to a time-based protocol. If the data are not framed by time, the device may determine if the data are framed by delimiters, and if so, may determine an appropriate delimiter-based protocol for the data from a plurality of delimiter-based protocols, and handle the data according to the appropriate delimiter-based protocol. This process may be repeated in an iterative manner to read a stream of data from the serial port. The device may include or be coupled to one or more I/O modules (e.g., for DAQ, motion control, etc.), which themselves may be coupled to a unit under test or other external device or phenomenon via additional devices.

Serial port that supports multiple protocols

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Charles E Crain, Ii