Virtual machine programming system
DCFirst Claim
1. An instrumentation system comprising:
- a computer;
a plurality of instruments selectively controlled by input data and producing output data;
bus means connecting said instruments to said computer for conveying input data and output data to and from selected instruments;
a screen controlled by said computer; and
software controlling operation of said computer implementing a plurality of virtual machines each comprising a set of computer instructions, said virtual machines being associated with respective ones of said instruments for providing input thereto or receiving output therefrom, a virtual machine controlling display on said screen of a virtual front panel depicting an instrument and able to display a representation of data associated with an instrument represented by a virtual front panel;
said software further comprising;
software responsive to operator input for enabling a selection of ones of said virtual front panels,said computer being responsive to said selection for generating a new virtual machine comprising a combined set of the computer instructions which comprises the virtual machines associated with the selection of ones of said virtual front panels, said new virtual machine controlling display of a new virtual front panel on said screen including representation of values conveyed on said bus with respect to instruments represented by said selection of ones of said virtual front panels,said new virtual machine initiating transmission of input data to one of said instruments in response to changes in values of input data represented by said new virtual front panel and for portraying an output data value as represented by the new virtual front panel in response to output data received from another one of said instruments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for programming a computer provides a set of software-based virtual machines each for instructing a computer to carry out a selected operation. Each virtual machine is represented by a virtual front panel displayed on a screen and each virtual front panel graphically displays operator controllable values of input and output parameters utilized by the virtual machine it represents. The system is adapted to synthesize a new virtual machine for instructing the computer to perform a sequence of operations wherein each operation is carried out by the computer according to the instructions of an operator selected one of the existing virtual machines. The system also creates a new virtual front panel for displaying input and output parameters associated with the new virtual machine. The system permits the operator to program the computer by directing synthesis of a hierarchy of virtual machines.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An instrumentation system comprising:
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a computer; a plurality of instruments selectively controlled by input data and producing output data; bus means connecting said instruments to said computer for conveying input data and output data to and from selected instruments; a screen controlled by said computer; and software controlling operation of said computer implementing a plurality of virtual machines each comprising a set of computer instructions, said virtual machines being associated with respective ones of said instruments for providing input thereto or receiving output therefrom, a virtual machine controlling display on said screen of a virtual front panel depicting an instrument and able to display a representation of data associated with an instrument represented by a virtual front panel; said software further comprising; software responsive to operator input for enabling a selection of ones of said virtual front panels, said computer being responsive to said selection for generating a new virtual machine comprising a combined set of the computer instructions which comprises the virtual machines associated with the selection of ones of said virtual front panels, said new virtual machine controlling display of a new virtual front panel on said screen including representation of values conveyed on said bus with respect to instruments represented by said selection of ones of said virtual front panels, said new virtual machine initiating transmission of input data to one of said instruments in response to changes in values of input data represented by said new virtual front panel and for portraying an output data value as represented by the new virtual front panel in response to output data received from another one of said instruments.
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2. An instrumentation system for carrying out a procedure with respect to equipment being tested by the instrumentation system, comprising:
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a computer; bus means coupled to said computer wherein said bus means carries data to and from said computer; instrumentation also coupled to said bus means, at least a portion of said instrumentation receiving data from said computer via said bus means and at least a portion of said instrumentation supplying data to said computer via said bus means; means for coupling at least a portion of said instrumentation to equipment under test; and a screen controlled by said computer; wherein said computer is controlled by software for displaying on said screen at least one virtual front panel representing at least a said portion of said instrumentation, wherein said software implements a first virtual machine comprising a first set of computer instructions corresponding to a said at least one virtual front panel for controlling coupling of data with a said portion of said instrumentation; wherein said software provides at least one second virtual machine comprising a second set of computer instructions for bringing about performance of a computer operation as well as display on said screen of another virtual front panel representing a said computer operation; and wherein said software is operable in response to operator designation of virtual machines by selection of front panels to generate a combined instruction set from said first and second instruction sets which provides a further front panel, said combined instruction set conjointly controlling said instrumentation for carrying out said procedure.
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3. An instrumentation system comprising:
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a computer; an instrument; bus means connecting the instrument to the computer to provide data interchange therebetween; a screen controlled by said computer; means conveying user input including input commands to said computer; and memory means storing software in execution by said computer implementing a collection of virtual machines, each virtual machine of said collection of virtual machines comprising a set of instructions, said collection of virtual machines including; a first virtual machine responsive to data on said bus means and displaying on said screen a first virtual front panel representing said instrument; and a plurality of second virtual machines, each producing designated operation output data in response to operation input data, and displaying a separate second virtual front panel on said screen, wherein said first and second virtual machines respond to input commands by generating output computer instructions corresponding to the sets of instructions of said first and second virtual machine; said software further implementing software generation responding to user input selecting ones of said virtual machines by combining the output computer instructions generated by said first and second virtual machines in response to input commands to form new software implementing a third virtual machine performing operations corresponding to the operations of selected first and second virtual machines. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. For an instrumentation system comprising a computer, an instrument, bus means connecting the instrument to the computer, a screen controlled by said computer, and means conveying user input including input commands to said computer, a method for controlling said instrument and displaying values relating thereto, the method comprising the steps of:
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executing software implementing a first virtual machine comprising a first set of computer instructions corresponding to said instrument and displaying on said screen a first virtual front panel representing said instrument, and implementing a plurality of second virtual machines comprising second sets of computer instructions, each for producing operation output data in response to operation input data and displaying a second virtual front panel on said screen representing an operation controlled by the second virtual machine, wherein said first and second virtual machines respond to input commands for selecting said first and second virtual machines by generating output computer instructions representative of the respective instruction sets of the selected first and second virtual machines; transmitting said input commands to said software pertaining to ones of said first and second virtual machines selected in response to user input; combining output computer instructions generated by said ones of said first and second virtual machines in response to said input commands to form new software implementing a third virtual machine executing a sequence of operations synthesizing the operations of said first and second virtual machines selected in response to user input and displaying on said screen a third virtual front panel representing said third virtual machine, wherein said user input further defines the sources and destinations of input and output data for said first and second virtual machines as synthesized by said third virtual machine; and executing said new software implementing said third virtual machine. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. An instrumentation system for conducting a procedure with respect to a device under test, comprising:
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a computer; a plurality of instruments adapted for coupling to said device under test; and bus means connecting said instruments to said computer for providing data communication between said instruments and said computer; said computer being controlled by software implementing a plurality of selectable virtual machines, said virtual machines being associated with said plurality of instruments, a said virtual machine comprising a set of instructions controlling a corresponding instrument and display on said screen of a corresponding virtual front panel; said software further comprising; software responsive to operator input for enabling selection of ones of said virtual front panels; said computer being responsive to said selection for generating a new virtual machine, said new virtual machine controlling display of a new virtual front panel on said screen; said new virtual machine initiating data transmission with ones of said instruments in response to operator interaction with said new virtual front panel.
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8. An instrumentation system comprising:
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computer means; instrumentation which operates according to input data for producing output data; bus means connecting the instrumentation to the computer means for carrying said input data from said computer means to said instrumentation and for carrying said output data from said instrumentation to said computer means; and a screen controlled by said computer means; wherein said computer means is controlled by software for displaying on said screen at least a first virtual front panel graphically depicting said instrumentation; wherein said computer software implements a first virtual machine comprising a first set of computer instructions for controlling the receipt by said computer means via said bus means of said output data from said instrumentation and a second virtual machine comprising a second set of computer instructions for bringing about a computer operation; said computer software controlling display on said screen of a second virtual front panel associated with said second virtual machine; wherein said computer software implements operator controlled selection of ones of said first and second virtual machines to carry out a programmed process involving said instrumentation; and wherein said computer software further implements synthesizing a new virtual machine wherein said new virtual machine is defined by the selected virtual machine and operator selected interrelationship between said selected virtual machines.
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Specification