Instrument based distributed computing systems

• US 20080021951A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Gaudette, Thomas, Lurie, Roy
• Application Number:
  US11/880,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021951A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

An instrument may include a technical computing worker to execute a created task. The instrument may further include an instrumentation functionality unit that may provide functionalities for performing testing or measuring in relation to the technical computing worker, and a network interface that may allow the technical computing worker to communicate with another device.

Claims

1. In an instrument-based distributed computing environment, a method comprising:

receiving, via an instrument that includes a technical computing worker, a test step created by a client;

performing, via the technical computing worker, a technical computing function as defined by the received test step;

pausing the performing the technical computing function to make a measurement;

making the measurement;

resuming the performing the technical computing function to obtain a result; and

returning the result to the client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the test step includes a test step for testing a textual program or a test step for testing a graphical program.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the test step includes a test step for testing software or hardware.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the test step includes a statistics step to obtain statistical analysis for data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the client is implemented within a second instrument

6. An instrument comprising:

a technical computing client to create a first task to be executed;

an instrumentation functionality unit to provide functionalities for performing testing or measuring in relation to the technical computing client; and

a network interface to allow the technical computing client to communicate with another device.

7. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the technical computing client is further configured to:

transmit the created first task to a server, via the network interface, for distribution to a remote technical computing worker.

8. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the technical computing client is further configured to:

transmit the created first task to a technical computer worker implemented in another instrument, via the network interface.

9. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the network interface includes a local area network extension for instrumentation (LXI) interface.

10. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the instrument further includes:

a technical computing worker to execute a created second task.

11. The instrument of claim 6 further comprising:

an operating system to allow a user to install one or more applications on the instrument.

12. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the instrumentation functionality unit verifies at least one characteristic in relation to the technical computing client.

13. An instrument comprising:

a technical computing worker to execute a created task;

an instrumentation functionality unit to provide functionalities for performing testing or measuring in relation to the technical computing worker; and

a network interface to allow the technical computing worker to communicate with another device.

14. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the technical computing worker is further configured to:

receive the created task via the network interface,

execute the task to obtain a result, and

send the result to a remote technical computing client via the network interface.

15. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the instrument further comprises:

one or more hardware components for accelerating the execution of the created task, the one or more hardware components including at least one of a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a digital signal processor (DSP).

16. A computer-readable medium, implemented within an instrument, that stores instructions executable by at least one processor to perform a method, the computer-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for providing a technical computing worker within the instrument;

one or more instructions for receiving, via the technical computing worker, a test step created by a remote client in a distributed computing environment;

one or more instructions for performing, via the technical computing worker, a technical computing function, as defined by the received test step, to obtain a result;

one or more instructions for making a measurement in relation to performing the technical computing function; and

one or more instructions for returning the result to the remote client.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the test step includes a test step for testing a textual program or a test step for testing a graphical program.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the test step includes a test step for testing at least one of software or hardware within the instrument.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the test step includes a statistics step to obtain statistical analysis for data.

20. An instrument comprising:

means for defining a test step to be performed by a remote technical computing worker to obtain a result, the test step includes a test step for testing at least one of a textual program, a graphical program, software within the instrument, or hardware within the instrument;

means for submitting the test step to a network; and

means for receiving the result from the remote technical computing client.

21. The instrument of claim 20 further comprising:

means for receiving a second test step defined by a remote technical computing client;

means for performing a technical computing function, as defined by the received second test step, to obtain a second result;

means for making a measurement in relation to performing the technical computing function; and

means for returning the second result to the remote technical computing client.

22. The instrument of claim 20 further comprising:

means for defining at least one other test step to be performed by a different remote technical computing worker to obtain a second result;

means for submitting the at least one other test step to the network; and

means for receiving the second result from the different remote technical computing worker.