Remote interface to logical instruments
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a custom modular measurement system, comprising:
- receiving, by an editor, user input specifying one or more system definitions, wherein each system definition maps message based commands, parameters, variables and/or metadata accordant with a control protocol for standalone instruments to functions and data in a programming language;
generating, by the editor, the one or more system definitions based on the user input, wherein each system definition is used by a client application to interface with a custom modular measurement system that includes multiple logical instruments via the message based commands, parameters, variables, and/or metadata, each logical instrument providing custom measurement or analysis functionality for at least one physical measurement device;
deploying at least one of the system definitions onto the custom modular measurement system;
accepting, by a run-time engine of the custom modular measurement system, a message based command from the client application;
calling, by the run-time engine, a function that corresponds to the message based command, based on the at least one of the one or more system definitions; and
performing, by the run-time engine, said accepting and said calling a plurality of times, wherein at least one called function invokes operation of at least one of the logical instruments, wherein each of the multiple logical instruments is configured to lock the measurement device during an exclusive phase of operation of the measurement device, the exclusive phase including an acquire portion of a measure phase, wherein during the measure phase, data are acquired via the measurement device.
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Abstract
System and method for controlling a custom modular measurement system. An editor may receive user input specifying one or more system definitions, each mapping message based commands, parameters, variables and/or metadata (“information”) accordant with a control protocol for standalone instruments to functions and data in a programming language, and generates the definitions accordingly, each being useable by a client application to interface with a custom modular measurement system that includes multiple logical instruments via the message based information. At least one of the definitions may be deployed onto the measurement system. A run-time engine of the measurement system may accept a message based command from the application, and call a corresponding function, which may invoke operation of at least one of the logical instruments. The logical instruments may be operated concurrently, including sharing use of a single physical measurement device by at least two of the logical instruments.
15 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a custom modular measurement system, comprising:
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receiving, by an editor, user input specifying one or more system definitions, wherein each system definition maps message based commands, parameters, variables and/or metadata accordant with a control protocol for standalone instruments to functions and data in a programming language; generating, by the editor, the one or more system definitions based on the user input, wherein each system definition is used by a client application to interface with a custom modular measurement system that includes multiple logical instruments via the message based commands, parameters, variables, and/or metadata, each logical instrument providing custom measurement or analysis functionality for at least one physical measurement device; deploying at least one of the system definitions onto the custom modular measurement system; accepting, by a run-time engine of the custom modular measurement system, a message based command from the client application; calling, by the run-time engine, a function that corresponds to the message based command, based on the at least one of the one or more system definitions; and performing, by the run-time engine, said accepting and said calling a plurality of times, wherein at least one called function invokes operation of at least one of the logical instruments, wherein each of the multiple logical instruments is configured to lock the measurement device during an exclusive phase of operation of the measurement device, the exclusive phase including an acquire portion of a measure phase, wherein during the measure phase, data are acquired via the measurement device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer readable memory medium that stores program instructions that are executable to implement:
an editor, configured to; receive user input specifying one or more system definitions, wherein each system definition maps message based commands, parameters, variables, and/or metadata accordant with a control protocol for standalone instruments to functions and data in a programming language; generate the one or more system definitions based on the user input; wherein each system definition is used by a client application to interface with a custom modular measurement system that includes multiple logical instruments via the message based commands, parameters, variables, and/or metadata, each logical instrument providing custom measurement or analysis functionality for at least one physical measurement device; deploy at least one of the system definitions onto the custom modular measurement system; accepting, by a run-time engine of the custom modular measurement system, a message based command from the client application; call, by the run-time engine, a function that corresponds to the message based command, based on the at least one of the one or more system definitions; and perform, by the run-time engine, said accepting and said calling a plurality of times, wherein at least one called function invokes operation of at least one of the logical instruments, wherein each of the multiple logical instruments is configured to lock the measurement device during an exclusive phase of operation of the measurement device, the exclusive phase including an acquire portion of a measure phase, wherein during the measure phase, data are acquired via the measurement device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system, comprising:
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a client application; and a custom modular measurement system, coupled to the client application, wherein the custom modular measurement system comprises; a controller, comprising; one or more system definitions, wherein each system definition maps message based commands, parameters, variables, and/or metadata accordant with a control protocol for standalone instruments to functions and data in a programming language; and a run-time engine; and a plurality of logical instruments, coupled to or comprised in the controller, each logical instrument providing custom measurement or analysis functionality for at least one physical measurement device; wherein the client application is configured to receive, via an editor of the client application, user input specifying the one or more system definitions, and wherein the client application is further configured to send one or more message based commands, parameters, variables, and/or metadata accordant with the control protocol to the custom modular measurement system; and
wherein the run-time engine is configured to;accept a message based command from the client application; call a function that corresponds to the message based command, based on at least one of the one or more system definitions; and perform said accepting and said calling a plurality of times, wherein at least one called function invokes operation of at least one of the logical instruments, wherein each of the multiple logical instruments is configured to lock the measurement device during an exclusive phase of operation of the measurement device, the exclusive phase including an acquire portion of a measure phase, wherein during the measure phase, data are acquired via the measurement device.
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Specification