Abstract: A system and method for enabling execution stop and re-start of a test executive sequence or hierarchy of test executive sequences. Execution progress of a test executive sequence or test executive sequence hierarchy may be periodically stored. This may comprise performing or taking “snapshots” of the execution at various points during the execution. Performing a snapshot may comprise saving all data needed to restore and re-start the execution at the respective point. The criteria of when and where to perform the snapshots may be any of various criteria and may be specified in any of various ways.

Abstract: A system and method for performing a hardware-in-the-loop simulation using a plurality of graphical programs that share a single graphical user interface. A first graphical program that models a physical system may be created. The first graphical program may be deployed on a first computer system for execution. A second graphical program that performs a measurement function may be created. A control unit may be coupled to the first computer system. The first graphical program may be executed on the first computer system to simulate operation of the physical system, wherein the control unit interacts with the first computer system. The second graphical program may be executed to measure characteristics of the operation of the control unit. A single graphical user interface comprising a first one or more graphical user interface elements for the first graphical program and a second one or more graphical user interface elements for the second graphical program may be displayed.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a node in a graphical program by programmatically generating graphical source code associated with the node. The node may initially have no functionality or may have default functionality and may be able to take on different functionality in the graphical program, depending on configuration user input received. User input specifying desired functionality for the node may be received via a GUI. Graphical source code may then be programmatically generated for the node, such that the node is operable to implement the specified desired functionality when the graphical program is executed. Since the graphical source code associated with the node is generated programmatically, a “minimal” amount of graphical source code may be generated.

Abstract: A system and various methods for enhancing the readability of a graphical program. In one embodiment, user input specifying desired functionality for a node may be received, and input and/or output terminals for the node may be programmatically created and displayed, based on the user input received. The one or more input/output terminals that are displayed on the node may be a subset of the possible input/output terminals, i.e., a subset that facilitates configuration of the node to accomplish the desired functionality. In another embodiment, an alias may be specified for input/output terminals of a node. For each input terminal or output terminal for which an alias was specified, the aliases may be displayed in the graphical program.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention comprises a system and method for graphically defining a route through one or more switch devices. the user may interact at a high level with a graphical user interface of a visual route editor to graphically create the route. For example, the visual route editor may display icons, diagrams, or other information that visually represents the route, e.g., by displaying information graphically representing the path that the route takes through the one or more switch devices.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and using configuration diagrams for configuring distributed systems. The methods described herein may be used for various types of operations in configuring distributed systems, including creating programs, managing programs in the distributed system, deploying programs to various distributed devices, configuring remote execution or inter-operation of distributed programs, and executing distributed applications. Embodiments of the invention utilize graphical iconic-based techniques for performing the above operations. The configuration diagram may include device icons which represent devices and program icons which represent programs. Device icons and program icons may be associated with each other to accomplish various program creation and deployment operations. Device icons and program icons may also interact with graphical program nodes or icons. Context sensitive device connections and/or program connections are displayed.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a graphical program based on a pre-defined program process. Information indicating a plurality of program processes may be displayed. Each program process may have a corresponding graphical program template, wherein each graphical program template comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes for implementing the program process. The user may select the appropriate template, and the template may be programmatically included in the graphical program. In one embodiment, one or more of the nodes that were specified by the template and programmatically included in the graphical program may initially have no definite functionality or may have default functionality. A method for programmatically generating graphical source code for a node may be employed to specify desired functionality for such a node.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system and method for specifying a computer-implemented process utilizing two or more different program creation methodologies. In one embodiment, the different program creation methodologies may include specifying steps or operations for the process using graphical input panels, e.g., in a “wizard-based” manner, and using graphical programming techniques for other portions, such as to specify decision operations. Thus, optimum program creation methodologies may be used for specifying different respective portions of the process. At least a portion of the process may be dependent on prior execution results determined by a previous portion of the process. As an example, for a machine vision inspection process, the previous portion of the process may analyze images of a product, and a subsequent portion of the process may depend on the results of the image analysis, e.g., may either accept or reject the product depending on prior execution results of the image analysis portion.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring the similarity of multiple-color images and for locating regions of a target image having color information that matches, at least to a degree, the color information of a template image. A color characterization method operates to characterize the colors of an image and to measure the similarity between multiple-color images. For each image pixel, the method determines a color category or bin for the respective pixel based on HSI values of the respective pixel, wherein the color category is one of a plurality of possible color categories in HSI color space. In various embodiments, the weight of the pixel may be fractionally distributed across a plurality of color categories, e.g., as determined by applying fuzzy pixel classification with a fuzzy membership function. The percentage of pixels assigned to each category is then determined. The percentage of pixels in each color category is then used as a color feature vector to represent the color information of the color image.

Abstract: A system and method for online configuration of a measurement device for a measurement system. The user accesses a server with a client computer over a network and specifies a desired measurement task. If the user lacks the hardware required to perform the task, hardware specifications and configuration software and/or data specific to the user's application, i.e., to perform the task, are sent to a manufacturer, who pre-configures the hardware with the configuration software and/or data to perform the task and sends the pre-configured hardware to the user. The hardware may be re-configurable hardware, such as a programmable hardware element or processor/memory based device. Configuration software and/or data for configuring the user's measurement system hardware (and/or software) to perform the desired task may also be sent to the user. The configuration software sent to the user may comprise a graphical program usable by the measurement system to perform the task.

Abstract: A system and method for transferring data over an external transmission medium. A host computer is coupled to a device through a serial bus. A transfer object is configurable to encapsulate data transfer-related functionality, providing a generic interface for transmission of data over a variety of external transmission media and protocols. A user makes one or more transfer requests. Transfer objects corresponding to each request are built and linked together to form a sequential chain. The requests of the transfer objects are executed sequentially. If the current transfer object is the first in the chain, the request is executed on a current thread at passive level or higher, otherwise the request is executed on a system (kernel) thread at dispatch level. When a response to the request returns, control is returned to the current transfer object. The process is repeated until all transfer objects are processed.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying multiple views of a diagram of a measurement system. A first view of the diagram of the measurement system may be displayed at a first scale. The first view may illustrate a first portion, but not all, of the diagram. A second view of the diagram of the measurement system may be displayed at a second scale, where the second scale is a reduced scale relative to the first scale. The second view may illustrate all of the diagram, e.g., may provide an overview of the entire measurement system. The second view may be displayed on a substantially smaller area of the display than the first view of the diagram. For example, in the first view of the diagram, components of the measurement system may be displayed at a scale large enough to enable the user to interact with the components. On the other hand, the second view of the diagram may not be intended for editing the diagram, and components of the measurement system may be displayed at a small scale in the second view.

Abstract: A scanning front end of a measurement device using single-pole, double-throw switches (SPDT) to multiplex input signals into signal conditioning circuitry. The scanning front end may also include N input channels and N input resistors, which may be connected to the conditioning circuitry via N SPDT switches. The signal conditioning circuitry may include an inverting amplifier. The first output terminal of each of the SPDT switches is connected to the summing node of the inverting amplifier. The summing node of the inverting amplifier may remain at zero volts and an amplifier side of each of the N input resistors may remain at zero volts, which may eliminate large common mode voltage swings and reduce a settling time of the amplifier when switching from one channel to another. Also, a voltage drop across each of the N input resistors may be equal to an input voltage of a corresponding input channel.

Abstract: System and method for programmatically generating a second graphical program associated with a second programming development environment based on a first graphical program associated with a first programming development environment. The second graphical program may be generated programmatically, without relying on user input, or may prompt for user input to determine various options to use in generating the second graphical program. The second graphical program may implement the functionality of, or a portion of the functionality of, the first graphical program. The method preferably generates the second graphical program such that the second programming development environment is operable to treat the second graphical program identically to a graphical program interactively developed by a user using the second programming development environment.

Abstract: A system and method for executing multiple graphical programs, in which program output from each graphical program is displayed in a single graphical user interface. Program output from a first graphical program and program output from a second graphical program may be displayed in a single graphical user interface on a display. The single graphical user interface may also be used for specifying program input for the first and/or the second graphical program. Any number of graphical programs may share the single graphical user interface. In one embodiment different graphical program development environments may be used to create the separate graphical programs.

Abstract: A system and method for locating regions in a target image matching a template image with respect to color and pattern information. The template image is characterized with regard to pattern and color. A first-pass search is made using color information from the color characterization of the template image to find color match candidate locations preferably via a hill-climbing technique. For each color match candidate location, a luminance pattern matching search is performed, optionally using a hill-climbing technique, on a region proximal to the location, producing final match regions. For each final match region a hue plane pattern match score may be calculated using pixel samples from the interior of each pattern. A final color match score may be calculated for each final match region. A final score is calculated from luminance pattern match, color match, and possibly hue pattern match, scores, and the scores and sum output.

Abstract: System and method for user configuration of an autotuning algorithm for a controller in a motion control system. A desired trajectory in one or more dimensions for the motion control system is received. Values of one or more gains for a controller are initialized. A response trajectory of the controller and motion control system in response to the desired trajectory is received, and an error determined between the response trajectory and the desired trajectory. A gain space is then experimentally searched to determine final values of the one or more gains for the controller that minimize the error (e.g., Euclidean norm) between the response trajectory and the desired trajectory, e.g., via simulated annealing, or other stochastic, quasi-random, and/or deterministic approaches. After experimentally searching, the controller is operable to control the motion control system substantially in accordance with the desired trajectory using the determined values of the one or more gains.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a curve in a region, e.g., a Low Discrepancy Curve. The method may generate an unbounded Low Discrepancy Point (LDP); apply one or more boundary conditions to the unbounded LDP to generate a bounded LDP located within the region; repeat said generating and said applying one or more boundary conditions one or more times, generating a Low Discrepancy Sequence (LDS) in the region; store the LDS; and generate output comprising the LDS, wherein the LDS defines the curve in the region. The method may scan the region according to the defined curve. In generating the unbounded LDP, the method may select two or more irrational numbers, a step size epsilon (?), and a starting position; initialize a current position to the starting position; and increment components of the current position based on ? and the irrational numbers to generate the unbounded LDP.

Abstract: A system and method for performing syntax and/or semantic analysis for a graphical program based on an intended target device for deployment of the graphical program. User input indicating an intended target device for deployment of the graphical program may be received. In one embodiment, the method may operate to determine whether any of the graphical program elements are unsupported for the intended target device of the graphical program. An invalid condition may be indicated for any unsupported elements in the graphical program or to indicate semantic problems.