Patents Assigned to National Instruments
  • Patent number: 8615673
    Abstract: At least one radio frequency (RF) instrument may be configured according to a plurality of RF measurement configurations for performing a plurality of tests on a device under test (DUT). A list of RF measurement configurations may be stored in a computer memory. The list of RF measurement configurations comprises a plurality of parameters for configuring operation of the at least one instrument. Information regarding the list of RF measurement configurations (e.g., a data stream) may be provided to the at least one RF instrument. The at least one RF instrument may perform the plurality of tests on the DUT, including the at least one RF instrument configuring itself according to the RF measurement configurations based on processing of the information. Configuring enables the at least one RF instrument to perform the plurality of tests on the DUT in a deterministic manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Vincent A. Shouba
  • Patent number: 8611470
    Abstract: System and methods and memory media for identifying a rogue base station. A receiver captures an input signal that includes a mixture of the rogue station's transmission and the transmission of a victim base station. The victim station's transmission is removed from the mixture. A plurality of channel signals are extracted from the residual signal. The channel signals are analyzed which of them are “valid”, i.e., contain a GMSK-modulated GSM signal. The “valid” channel signals are low pass filtered and then analyzed to determine which of them corresponds to the beacon channel. Information identifying the rogue base station is extracted from the beacon channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Utkarsh Gupta, Sartaj Chaudhary, Baijayanta Ray
  • Patent number: 8612637
    Abstract: Configuring a buffer with timing information. Initially, a buffer for transferring data from a first device to a second device may be configured, e.g., in response to user input. For example, configuring the buffer may include specifying a size of the buffer, specifying timing for delivery of data of the buffer, and/or specifying transfer of the data from a first device to a second device. In response to the configuration of the buffer, code may be automatically generated which implements the transfer of the data from the first device to the second device according to the specified timing for delivery of the data of the buffer. Accordingly, the automatically generated code may be executable to transfer the data according to the specified timing from the first device to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corportion
    Inventor: Sundeep Chandhoke
  • Patent number: 8612871
    Abstract: Configuring wires/icons in a diagram. The diagram may be an executable diagram such as a graphical program or a system diagram. The diagram may include a plurality of icons that are connected by wires, and the icons may visually represent functionality of the diagram. The diagram may be executable to perform the functionality. Displaying the diagram may include displaying a first wire in the diagram, where the first wire connects a first icon and a second icon. Data transfer functionality may be specified for the first wire and/or the first or second icon in the diagram. The data transfer functionality may be visually indicated in the diagram, e.g., by appearances of the first icon, the second icon, the first wire, and/or icons displayed proximate to these components of the diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Correll, David W Fuller, III, Timothy J. Hayles, John R. Breyer, Jacob Kornerup
  • Patent number: 8611410
    Abstract: A system, method and memory medium for performing blind equalization. A block {un} of the baseband samples is received. A function J of a vector f is minimized to determine a minimizer fMIN. The function J depends on vector f according to J(f)=?(|yn|2??)2. The summation ? corresponds to a sequence {yn} of equalized samples. The sequence {yn} of equalized samples is related to the block {un} according to a convolution relation {yn}={un}*f. Parameter ? is a current modulus value. The current modulus value ? is updated to equal a ratio of a fourth moment of the sequence {yn} to a second moment of the sequence {yn}. The minimization and parameter update operations are repeated for a series of received blocks of baseband samples. The minimizer fMIN from a last of the repetitions is used to determine final equalized samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Pratik Prabhanjan Brahma, Baijayanta Ray
  • Patent number: 8612870
    Abstract: System and method for distributed execution of a graphical program. A graphical program is displayed on a display of a computer system. Targeted execution of a first graphical program portion of the graphical program on an execution target is graphically specified. The graphical specification includes displaying a visual indication of the specified targeted execution on the display of the graphical program. During execution of the graphical program, the first graphical program portion executes on the specified execution target and a remainder of the graphical program executes on a default execution target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Kodosky, David W Fuller, III, Timothy J. Hayles, Jeffrey N. Correll, John R. Breyer, Jacob Komerup, Darshan K. Shah, Aljosa Vrancic
  • Patent number: 8605774
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating a time delay introduced by an envelope tracking amplifier (ETA) of a transmitter. The ETA receives a first baseband signal that is generated by the transmitter and operates on the first baseband signal to produce an output signal. The receiver receives a second baseband signal in response to the transmitter's transmission of the output signal. The receiver generates a model signal that represents an estimate of the first baseband signal. The receiver computes a first time delay between the amplitude envelopes of the second baseband signal and the model signal. The receiver computes a second time delay between phase signals derived respectively from the second baseband signal and the model signal. The receiver estimates the time delay that is introduced by the ETA of the transmitter by subtracting the second time delay from the first time delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Craig E. Rupp, Gerardo Orozco Valdes, Abram H. Rose, IV
  • Patent number: 8607081
    Abstract: A PXI Express controller may be configured to support at least three different conditions under which the controller may be turned on. If a chassis (e.g. a PXI Express chassis) interfacing with the controller has a power button, the first condition (which may be considered normal operation) may be met when the power button is being pressed at a time auxiliary power is present. When the chassis does not have a power button, the second condition may be met when the power is switched on at a time auxiliary power is present, and the third condition may be met when the power is switched on at a time auxiliary power is not present. A state-machine comprised in the PXI Express controller may be configured to interface with a chipset equally comprised in the PXI Express controller, to perform the control functions required to provide the support for the three different conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Keith D. Peterson, Jeffrey L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8605828
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for blind demodulation of an offset QPSK input signal, involving repeatedly performing a set of operations, including: (a) applying a phase correction to the input signal based on an estimate of a carrier phase offset of the input signal to obtain a first modified signal; (b) shifting a quadrature component of the first modified signal by half a symbol period relative to an inphase component to obtain a second modified signal; (c) extracting a first sequence of symbols from the second modified signal, where the extraction includes estimating a symbol timing offset from the second modified signal; (d) performing hard-decision demodulation on the first sequence of symbols to obtain a second sequence of reference symbols; (e) computing a phase difference between the first sequence of symbols and second sequence of reference symbols; and (f) updating the carrier phase offset estimate using the phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Sartaj Chaudhary, Vijaya Yajnanarayana, I Zakir Ahmed
  • Patent number: 8605830
    Abstract: Systems and methods and memory media for performing modulation type detection. An attempt is made to estimate an underlying symbol rate of a received signal. The received signal is compensated for carrier frequency offset. Two candidates for symbol timing offset are estimated from the compensated signal. The compensated signal is downsampled using each offset candidate. A set of features is computed for each of the two downsampled signals. For each downsampled signal, the set of features is compared to a corresponding set of thresholds to obtain a corresponding set of comparison results. The two sets of comparison results are used to determine the modulation type of the received signal. A second method for estimating symbol rate may be performed if the modulation type is found to be FSK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Ankit Sethi, Baijayanta Ray
  • Patent number: 8607189
    Abstract: System and method for performing program-related operations over a network via a web browser. A network connection is established between a server computer and a client computer over a network. A universal resource identifier (URI) is sent from the client computer to the server computer over the network, where the URI indicates a program, e.g., a graphical program (GP), or at least a portion of a graphical program interactive development environment (GPIDE), e.g., a graphical program editor, an execution engine, a static or dynamic analyzer, and/or compiler. The at least a portion of the GPIDE is received from the server computer over the network in response to the URI, and executed in a web browser of the client computer to perform some specified functionality with respect to the GP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Paul F. Austin, Ramprasad Kudukoli
  • Patent number: 8604765
    Abstract: A source-measure unit (SMU) may be implemented with digital control loops. The output voltage and output current may be measured with dedicated ADCs (analog-to-digital converters), and the readings obtained by the ADCs may be compared to a setpoint in a digital loop controller, which may produce an output to drive a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to maintain the output voltage and/or output current at a desired setpoint. The digital loop controller may also digitally implement simulated resistance with high resolution, accuracy, and range, using Thévenin and Norton power supply models. Simulated resistor values may range from 10? to 10? for output currents in the 100 mA range, with a sub-200?? resolution. The range may be expanded up to 100 k? for output currents in the 10 ?A range. The Norton and Thévenin implementations may be combined, and a “pure resistance” mode may be created for simulating any desired resistance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher G. Regier, L. Rolando Ortega-Pohlenz
  • Patent number: 8588344
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the modulation type and constellation order of an input signal given that the modulation type and constellation order are known to belong to set of possible types/orders. A computer operates on samples of the input signal to compute signal features. The computer classifies the modulation type and the constellation order by comparing each feature to one or more corresponding threshold values. The results of the comparisons are used to determine the modulation type and constellation order of the input signal from the set of possible types/orders. The classification may be performed based on a decision tree, each leaf node of the decision tree corresponding to a type/order combination, and each non-leaf node corresponding to one or more of the comparisons. The set of possible types/order may include PSK with a number of different constellation orders and QAM with a number of different constellation orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Baijayanta Ray, Abhay Samant
  • Patent number: 8582706
    Abstract: A system and method for training a data path for parallel data transfer are presented. A first part of the method includes determining a delay setting for each coupling of a plurality of parallel couplings between a first device and a second device. The delay setting for each coupling may substantially align reception of signals transmitted from the first device to the second device on each coupling with a system clock. A second part of the method includes determining the alignment of the plurality of parallel couplings relative to each other. A timing adjustment for one or more of the plurality of parallel couplings may then be determined, whereby after the timing adjustment, signals transmitted from the first device to the second device on the plurality of couplings are received by the second device in alignment with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Craig M. Conway
  • Patent number: 8583957
    Abstract: System and method for synchronizing devices. A device reads a first counter coupled to and associated with a master clock and a second counter coupled to and associated with the device, where the device is one of one or more devices coupled to the master clock and each other via a switched fabric, where each device includes a respective clock, and is coupled to and associated with a respective second counter. Each of the first counter and the second counters is accessible by each of the one or more devices. The device determines a difference between the device's associated second counter and the first counter, and determines and stores a time reference for the device relative to the master clock based on the determined difference, where the time reference is useable to timestamp events or synchronize future events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Sundeep Chandhoke, Lee E. Mohrmann, Adam C. Ullrich, Rodney D. Greenstreet
  • Patent number: 8568149
    Abstract: Connector block for connecting a panel mount coaxial connector to a circuit board. The connector block is electrically conductive, and includes one or more connector slots, each configured to receive a respective coaxial connector that includes an external connection for electrically connecting to a respective complementary coaxial connector of a coaxial cable, and an internal connection for electrically connecting to a trace on a circuit board. The connector block further includes one or more ground pads, each proximate to a respective connector slot. For each of the one or more ground pads, when the panel mount coaxial connector is inserted into the connector slot, the ground pad provides a ground connection to a panel mount coaxial connector, and when the connector block is installed on the circuit board, the ground pad connects to a respective specified ground point on the circuit board, thereby grounding the corresponding panel mount coaxial connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Vackar, Bruce R. Perry
  • Patent number: 8560592
    Abstract: A system for processing sample sequences, that may include an input, a sequence of coupled registers, including an accumulator register, and first circuitry that may be coupled to the accumulator register and to the input. The input may be configured to receive a first number of sample sequences having two or more samples. To process the first number of sample sequences, the first circuitry may be configured to generate a current effective sample corresponding to the sample for each sample in each sample sequence, write the current effective sample to the accumulator register, and shift the contents of each register into a successive register in the sequence of registers. After processing, each register of at least a subset of the sequence of registers may hold a respective final effective sample that may correspond to a different position in a processed sample sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Hector Rubio, Garritt W. Foote
  • Patent number: 8559560
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring transmitter and/or receiver I/Q impairments are disclosed, including iterative methods for measuring transmitter I/Q impairments using shared local oscillators, iterative methods for measuring transmitter I/Q impairments using intentionally-offset local oscillators, and methods for measuring receiver I/Q impairments. Also disclosed are methods for computing I/Q impairments from a sampled complex signal, methods for computing DC properties of a signal path between the transmitter and receiver, and methods for transforming I/Q impairments through a linear system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen L. Dark, Christopher J. Behnke
  • Patent number: 8555243
    Abstract: System and method for specifying and implementing programs. A graphical program is created in a graphical specification and constraint language that allows specification of a model of computation and explicit declaration of constraints in response to user input. The graphical program includes a specified model of computation, a plurality of interconnected functional blocks that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program in accordance with the specified model of computation, and specifications or constraints for the graphical program or at least one of the functional blocks in the graphical program. The specified model of computation and specifications or constraints are useable to analyze the graphical program or generate a program or simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey N. Correll
  • Publication number: 20130243059
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring transmitter and/or receiver I/Q impairments are disclosed, including iterative methods for measuring transmitter I/Q impairments using shared local oscillators, iterative methods for measuring transmitter I/Q impairments using intentionally-offset local oscillators, and methods for measuring receiver I/Q impairments. Also disclosed are methods for computing I/Q impairments from a sampled complex signal, methods for computing DC properties of a signal path between the transmitter and receiver, and methods for transforming I/Q impairments through a linear system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen L. Dark, Christopher J. Behnke