National Instruments Corporation

National Insurance Corporation

Matthew E Novacek

Joseph E Peck

Hugo A Andrade

Newton G Petersen

Brian Sierer

John Pasquarette

Ganesh Ranganathan

David W Fuller, Iii

Brian Keith Odom

Cary Paul Butler

Stephen R Mercer

Akash B Bhakta

Michael L Santori

Duncan G Hudson, Iii

Gregory O Morrow

Rishi H Gosalia

James J Truchard

Dustyn K Blasig

Christopher Frederick Graf

Biren Shah

Matthew C Curtis

Stephen C Thorne

Julian G Valdez

Ariane M Chan-You

Amanda E Cruess

Lukasz T Darowski

A system and method for configuring objects in a system diagram to access interfaces of other objects are described. A first node and a second node may be displayed in the system diagram. The second node may implement one or more interfaces, where each interface includes one or more callable functions. An interface wire connecting the first node to the second node may be displayed in response to user input. The system may automatically configure the first node to access at least one of the one or more interfaces of the second node in response to displaying the interface wire.

Interface wires for a measurement system diagram

System and method for specifying and implementing relative hardware clocking in a high level programming language. User input specifying a program may be received. The program is specified for deployment to a programmable hardware element (PHE), and includes first and second code portions configured to communicate with each other during execution. The user input may further specify a rational ratio of respective execution rates for the first and second code portions. A hardware configuration program (HCP) implementing the specified program is automatically generated, including automatically determining a respective clock rate for at least one of the first and second code portions based on the rational ratio. The HCP may be deployable to the PHE, including implementing first and second clocks for controlling execution of the first and second code portions in accordance with the rational ratio and the automatically determined respective clock rate for the at least one code portion.

Specifying and implementing relative hardware clocking in a high level programming language

System and method for converting a class oriented data flow program to a structure oriented data flow program. A first data flow program is received, where the first data flow program is an object oriented program comprising instances of one or more classes, and wherein the first data flow program is executable to perform a first function. The first data flow program is automatically converted to a second data flow program, where the second data flow program does not include the instances of the one or more classes, and where the second data flow program is executable to perform the first function. The second data flow program is stored on a computer memory, where the second data flow program is configured to be deployed to a device, e.g., a programmable hardware element, and where the second data flow program is executable on the device to perform the first function.

Conversion of a class oriented data flow program to a structure oriented data flow program with dynamic interpretation of data types

System and method for debugging a graphical program deployed to hardware. The graphical program may be received. The graphical program may include a plurality of nodes and connections between the nodes which visually represents functionality of the graphical program. A hardware description may be generated based on the graphical program. The hardware description may describe a hardware implementation of the graphical program. The hardware description may be deployed to the programmable hardware element and the programmable hardware element may be executed. The graphical program may be displayed on a display of a host computer system that is coupled to the programmable hardware element. Debugging information may be received from the programmable hardware element during the executing. The debugging information from the programmable hardware element may be displayed in the graphical program displayed on the display. The displayed debugging information may be used to debug the hardware implementation of the graphical program.

Debugging a graphical program deployed on a programmable hardware element

Generating a hardware description for a programmable hardware element based on a graphical program including multiple models of computation. A graphical program may be received which includes a first portion having a first computational model and a second portion having a second computational model. A hardware description may be generated based on the graphical program. The hardware description may describe a hardware implementation of the graphical program. The hardware description may be configured to configure a programmable hardware element to implement functionality of the graphical program.

Generating a hardware description for a programmable hardware element based on a graphical program including multiple models of computation

Implementing a class oriented data flow program on a programmable hardware element

Generating a hardware description for a programmable hardware element based on a graphical program including multiple physical domains. A graphical program may be received which includes a first portion of a first physical domain for simulating a first portion of a physical system. The graphical program may include a second portion of a second physical domain for simulating a second portion of the physical system. A hardware description may be generated based on the graphical program. The hardware description may describe a hardware implementation of the graphical program. The hardware description may be configured to configure a programmable hardware element to simulate the physical system.

Generating a hardware description for a programmable hardware element based on a graphical program including multiple physical domains

Conversion of a class oriented data flow program to a structure oriented data flow program

Conversion of a class oriented data flow program with inheritance to a structure oriented data flow program

A system and method for online configuration of a measurement system. The user may access a server over a network and specify a desired task, e.g., a measurement task, and receive programs and/or configuration information which are usable to configure the user's measurement system hardware (and/or software) to perform the desired task. Additionally, if the user does not have the hardware required to perform the task, the required hardware may be sent to the user, along with programs and/or configuration information. The hardware may be reconfigurable hardware, such as an FPGA or a processor/memory based device. In one embodiment, the required hardware may be pre-configured to perform the task before being sent to the user. In another embodiment, the system and method may provide a graphical program in response to receiving the user's task specification, where the graphical program may be usable by the measurement system to perform the task.

Network based configuration of a system using software programs generated based on a user specification

A system and method for creating a graphical program utilizing one or more nodes which are statically bound to one or more virtual instruments (VIs). The system and method for static binding provides a way to interact individually with controls and indicators of a VI running asynchronously, wherein the values read and written are strictly typed to the data type of the control. The overhead of dynamic invocation may be substantially eliminated to allow for greater efficiency.

Static binding of nodes to virtual instruments in a graphical program

Network-based system for configuring a programmable hardware element in a measurement system using hardware configuration programs generated based on a user specification

Network-based system for automatically generating a graphical program based on user supplied measurement task requirements

System and method for generating an application domain specific graphical program. A graphical user interface (GUI) for specifying functionality of a graphical program in an application domain is displayed, where the GUI corresponds specifically to the application domain. User input to the GUI specifying the functionality of the graphical program is received, and the graphical program generated in response, where the graphical program is executable to perform the specified functionality, and comprises multiple interconnected graphical program nodes that visually represent the graphical program functionality. The GUI includes graphical interface elements operable to indicate and/or specify, e.g., via user input, respective attributes of the graphical program such as timing, triggering, analog and/or digital input/output (I/O), resource allocation, processing option, inclusion of one or more external files, and one or more target devices, among others, and may determine the graphical interface elements based on the specified one or more target devices.

Automatic generation of application domain specific graphical programs

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Matthew E Novacek