National Instruments Corporation

Geoffrey Schmit

Brent C Schwan

Jonathan Brumley

Thomas A Makowski

Jack Levy

Christopher T Bartz

A system and method for performing a measurement task. A node is displayed in a graphical program, and configured to receive a measurement task specification (MTS). The node may be coupled to an MTS node, or to a configuration node which constructs the MTS at run time. When the program executes, the node receives the MTS, invokes an expert system to analyze the MTS, optionally validate the MTS, generates a run-time specification for the task. The node them invokes a run-time builder to analyze the run-time specification and generate a run-time based on the run-time specification, where the run-time is executable to perform the measurement task. The node may be a read node, a write node, or a start node connected to a read or write node. Additional operations may be performed prior to or during the first iteration, and/or during or after the last iteration, of the task.

Graphical program node for generating a measurement program

Graphical program node using a state model, e.g., a task state model, to perform measurement tasks. The node is executable in a graphical program to perform a task operation requiring measurement resources and/or the task to be in a first state. The node is executable to determine state transitions for the resources and/or task from a current state to the first state, perform the determined state transitions to put the resources and/or task in the first state, transitioning through zero or more intermediate states, and perform the operation. The node may be a control node, receiving input specifying a transition, then performing the transition; start node, transitioning the resources and/or task to an Executing state; read node, reading data from a DAQ device; write node, writing data to a signal-generating device, then transitioning the resources and/or task to the Executing state; or stop node, terminating an operation and transitioning the resources and/or task to a specified state.

Graphical program nodes for implementing a measurement state model

System and method for using a task state model to perform measurement tasks. The system includes a computer system, one or more measurement resources, and a task state model. Attributes for performing the measurement task are specified. The task is transitioned from an Initial state to a Deployed state, thereby compiling the attributes to primitive settings and deploying the primitive settings into a run-time for the measurement task. The task is transitioned from the Deployed state to an Executing state, thereby acquiring the measurement resources to perform the task, configuring the measurement resources with the primitive settings to perform the task, and executing the run-time to perform the measurement task using the measurement resources. One or more methods may be invoked which result in explicit state transitions, and which may include one or more implicit state transitions which may be programmatically performed before, during, or after the measurement task.

Measurement system which uses a state model

A measurements expert system and method for generating a high-performance measurements software driver. The measurements expert system translates a user's measurement task specification (MTS) specifying a measurement task into a solution, e.g., a run-time specification (RTS), suitable for the user's measurement system. The expert system includes programs for analyzing and validating the received MTS, and for generating the RTS. The RTS is useable to configure measurement devices to perform the measurement task, and to generate a run-time which is executable to perform the specified measurement task. The expert system includes a plurality of experts, e.g., device, channel, timing, reader/writer, control, and streaming experts, etc., each class of which manages different aspects of the MTS. The expert system creates a device expert call tree of associated experts according to the configuration specified by the user, manages the configuration of the MTS, verifies the MTS, and compiles the MTS into the RTS.

System of measurements experts and method for generating high-performance measurements software drivers

A measurements expert system and method for generating high-performance measurements software drivers. The measurements expert system is able to interpret a customer's measurement task specification (MTS) specifying a measurement task, explore possible solution paths, and generate a solution, e.g., a run-time specification (RTS), optimized for the customer's measurement system. The expert system includes programs for analyzing and validating a received MTS, and a plurality of measurements experts which are operable to analyze all or part of the MTS and populate complete or partial RTSs. The partial RTSs are iteratively populated by other experts to form complete RTSs. Competing RTSs may be assessed and a final RTS selected based upon user preferences. The final RTS is useable to configure one or more measurement devices according to the RTS, and to generate a run-time which is executable to perform the specified measurement task using the one or more measurement devices.

Measurements expert system and method for generating high-performance measurements software drivers

System and method for creating measurement applications. The system includes a measurement task specifier for generating a measurement task specification (MTS) for a measurement task in response to user input; an expert system for analyzing and validating the generated MTS, and generating a run-time specification (RTS) for the measurement task; a run-time builder for analyzing the RTS, configuring one or more measurement devices according to the RTS, and generating a run-time which is executable to perform the measurement task. The system includes a storage system for storing the generated MTS, the generated RTS, and configuration information for one or more measurement devices. The expert system includes one or more measurement experts which analyze all or part of the MTS and populate complete or partial RTSs. The partial RTSs are iteratively populated by other experts to form complete RTSs. Competing RTSs may be assessed and a final RTS selected based upon user preferences.

Measurement system software architecture for easily creating high-performance measurement applications

A system and method for creating composite classes for objects having virtual functions, wherein the composite classes enable avoidance of user mode/kernel mode transitions in the operating system. The method first comprises defining the class A, an empty class, and a composite class of the class A and the empty class. These classes are defined in the software program at compile time. The composite class inherits from the composite class and the empty class. The composite class comprises a first mode interface and a second mode interface, wherein the first mode interface and the second mode interface have an opposite ordering of base classes. During execution, the software program instantiates a composite object from the composite class. The method then modifies the composite object to enable the composite object to be shared directly between the first and second modes with reduced mode transitions.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Geoffrey Schmit