Hewlett-packard Company

Lee A Atchison

Gregory A Hill

Raymond A Purcell

Glen Atkins

Charles D Platz

Methods and associated apparatus for using a dual-boot capable programmable device and for updating programmed information in such a dual-boot capable programmable device. The apparatus of the present invention includes a primary boot memory device, a secondary boot memory device, and means for selecting between the two memory devices for purposes of 'booting' the dual-boot mode device. In particular, a reset switch of the apparatus of the present invention resets devices in the dual-boot capable programmable device and is coupled to a selection device. The selection device multiplexes signals from the two boot memory devices onto the corresponding bus signals of the dual-boot capable programmable device. When a 'long' reset switch activation is sensed, the selection device selects a first of the two boot memory devices for coupling to the programmable device. A 'short' activation of the reset switch selects the other boot memory device. The present invention also includes methods for updating the contents of the two boot memory devices so as to avoid an inoperable state encountered due to failure of the update process in a single boot memory device. In particular, both boot memory devices are updated in sequence. The second memory update is prevented if the first memory update is determined to have failed.

Methods and apparatus for dual-boot memory selection, update, and

A system that defines a programming interface between a computer system and a test instrument independently of the electronic interface or operating system being used. This independence is accomplished by building a data structure, from a configuration system, which contains the operating system and electronic interface information that allows the system to perform different commands to different electronic interfaces or different operating systems. The system implements all commands that will be used by all operating systems and performs these commands even in operating systems where they are not necessary. The system also provides a formatted input/output capability for the instrument control functions. In addition to commonly understood formatting capability, such as conversion and printing of integer numbers, the interface provides instrument specific formatting capability, such as creating numbers that are compatible with the IEEE 488 interface.

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Ft. Collins, CO, United States of America

Lee A Atchison