National Instruments Corporation

Deborah E Bryant

Brian M Johnson

Thomas A Makowski

Rajesh Vaidya

Stephen C Thorne

Audrey F Harvey

Louis R Murphy

System and method for accessing properties of a pre-defined object in a graphical program (GP) operable to perform first functionality. A node icon is displayed in the GP and coupled to the pre-defined object in response to user input, and is associated with program instructions executable to only provide access to a plurality of properties corresponding to the object, and specifying configuration of the object, where the object is associated with a subset of the first functionality. Available properties of the object are displayed, and user input indicating the plurality of properties received. The GP is executed, including executing the property node to: receive input specifying modification of a property, and modify the property to configure the object to perform the subset of the first functionality; and/or to read the property from the pre-defined object, and provide the property to a graphical program element of the GP, e.g., for display.

Function specific property nodes for graphical programs

A task based polymorphic graphical program node system and method. A node is displayed in a graphical program. First user input is received invoking display of a plurality of function type options for the node, and the function type options for the node displayed. Second user input is received specifying a function type from the function type options. Based on the second user input, program instructions executable to provide functionality in accordance with the specified function type are determined and associated with the node, after which the node is executable in the graphical program to provide the functionality in accordance with the specified function type. Associating the program instructions with the node may include configuring the (possibly generic) node with the program instructions, replacing default program instructions of the node implementing default node functionality with the program instructions, and/or replacing the node with another node that includes the program instructions.

Task based polymorphic graphical program function nodes

System and method for programmatic creation of a task specification in a graphical program. A graphical program is programmatically analyzed. The graphical program implements a task, and includes a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, including a function node that requires a task specification as input. The task specification includes hardware and/or software specifications for performing the task. The task specification is programmatically generated in response to the analyzing, and programmatically provided to the function node as input, where the function node operates to execute in accordance with the generated task specification to perform at least a portion of the task. The analyzing, generating, and providing are performed at run-time of the graphical program, e.g., during execution of the graphical program, and may be invoked or performed by a graphical program execution system, by a node in the graphical program, or both.

Programmatic creation and management of tasks in a graphical program

Function specific graphical program property nodes

A palette of graphical program nodes, including a display window displaying a plurality of graphical program nodes for use in a graphical program. The graphical program nodes form a hierarchy, and include a first plurality of function nodes, each corresponding to a respective functionality; and a second plurality of property nodes, each corresponding to a respective function node and each specifically providing access to properties of the respective function node. The function nodes are arranged according to typical use in program development, and each property node is displayed proximate to the respective function node. Respective node icons for each function node and corresponding property node may include respective corresponding images indicating the functionality of the nodes. Each function node is preferably a polymorphic function node corresponding to a respective generic functionality, and is type-switchable between each of a plurality of function node types, each corresponding to a respective specific functionality.

Palette of graphical programs nodes

A data acquisition configuration system and method for facilitating the creation of data acquisition applications. The present invention enables the user to create channel configurations which include information for a respective DAQ hardware channel, such as the physical phenomena being measured and how the phenomena is being measured. The user then assigns a name to each respective channel configuration. This channel configuration name is then usable in a data acquisition application to specify the channel configuration, thus simplifying application development. After specifying a channel configuration and assigning a name, the user then constructs a program which controls the data acquisition system. The program construction includes providing the assigned name which specifies the channel configuration for the selected channel of the data acquisition device. The program can then be executed to perform a data acquisition operation, wherein the executing includes using the channel configuration referenced by the assigned name in performing the data acquisition operation. The user is thus not required to create code to specify the channel configuration. Further, the program can execute in units of the physical quantity being measured/generated according to the channel configuration, and the user is not required to create code to operate in the units of the physical quantity being measured/generated.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Deborah E Bryant