The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 09, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 24, 2000
National Instruments Corporation, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A system and method for controlling an instrumentation system, wherein the present invention includes an improved instrument driver software architecture. The instrument driver software architecture of the present invention provides a number of features, including improved simulation features. The system may comprise a computer system comprising a CPU and memory. The memory of the computer system may store a user application, a class driver, and a class simulation driver. The user application is operable to perform an application using an instrument, wherein the instrument is of a first class. The class driver is operable to receive calls from the user application, wherein the class driver is common to a plurality of instruments of the first class. The class driver may then call a class simulation driver, wherein the class simulation driver is operable to simulate operation of the instrument. For example, the class simulation driver may be operable to simulate output values and return values of function calls. The class simulation driver is preferably operable to simulate operation of the plurality of instruments of the first class. The memory may also store a specific driver which is specific to the respective instrument. The class simulation driver may be operable to simulate operation of at least a portion of the specific driver. The class simulation driver may also be operable to simulate operation of at least a portion of the specific driver for each of the plurality of instruments of the first class.