Abstract: System and method for designing a circuit. At least one graphical program comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program is selected in response to user input. At least one pre-defined hardware configuration program (HCP) is selected from a plurality of pre-defined HCPs in response to user input, where the selected at least one pre-defined HCP specifies a fixed functionality, including interface functionality for communicating with the at least one graphical program when implemented on the circuit. At least a portion of a netlist is generated based on the at least one graphical program and the at least one selected pre-defined HCP, where the netlist is usable to configure a circuit, wherein a first portion of the circuit implements the functionality of the graphical program and a second portion of the circuit implements the fixed functionality.

Abstract: System and method for generating a configuration diagram based on user specification of a task. A server computer communicates with a client system, e.g., a measurement system, including a client computer system, over a network. The server receives requirements, e.g., a task specification, for a task, e.g., a measurement task, where the requirements are provided in response to user input. A plurality of products operable to perform the task are determined in response to the requirements, e.g., by programmatically analyzing the requirements. A diagram is displayed on the client computer system iconically representing the plurality of products, including icons representing at least a subset of the products to the user as proposed hardware and/or software products for the client system. Pricing information for the proposed products may be displayed. User input indicating purchase of at least one of the products is received and the purchased products provided to the user.

Abstract: System and method for modifying properties of tasks on a programmable logic controller. Input specifying modification of a property of a task included in a programmable logic controller (PLC) may be received. The property of the task may be modified based on the input, and the task may halt or continue to execute in accordance with the modified property. The modification may enable, disable, modify the rate of, modify the priority of, and/or modify properties of programs included in the task, among others. Modifying the programs may include changing the program execution order. When enabling or disabling the task, the input may be received from another task executing on the PLC. For at least some property modifications, the input may be received from one or more of a program included in the task, another executing task, a host computer system, and a user of the host computer system, among others.

Abstract: A method for performing a simulation of a system. The system includes an FPGA that is configured to implement simulation logic, such as a generic solver. For example, the FPGA device may implement a generic time domain solver or a generic frequency domain solver. The FPGA device is also configured with information representing a system model of the system under simulation. The system also includes input hardware for providing input signals for the simulation to the FPGA device and output hardware for receiving output signals computed by the simulation from the FPGA device. The system may be reconfigured to simulate different systems by changing the system model, without requiring the simulation logic (e.g., the generic solver) to be changed.

Abstract: A first graphical program executing on a first device may execute a first graphical code portion for a plurality of iteration. Various systems and methods for synchronizing the execution of the iterations of the first graphical code portion with graphical code portions executing iteratively in graphical programs on other devices are described. Various systems and methods for synchronizing the execution of the iterations of the first graphical code portion with operation of measurement devices or other devices are also described.

Abstract: System and method for modifying properties of tasks on a programmable logic controller. Input specifying modification of a property of a task included in a programmable logic controller (PLC) may be received. The property of the task may be modified based on the input, and the task may halt or continue to execute in accordance with the modified property. The modification may enable, disable, modify the rate of, modify the priority of, and/or modify properties of programs included in the task, among others. Modifying the programs may include changing the program execution order. When enabling or disabling the task, the input may be received from another task executing on the PLC. For at least some property modifications, the input may be received from one or more of a program included in the task, another executing task, a host computer system, and a user of the host computer system, among others.

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 computer-implemented system and method for generating a hardware implementation of graphical code. The method comprises first creating a graphical program. A first portion of the graphical program may optionally be compiled into machine code for execution by a CPU. A second portion of the graphical program is converted into a hardware implementation according to the present invention. The operation of converting the graphical program into a hardware implementation comprises exporting the second portion of the graphical program into a hardware description, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the second portion of the graphical program, and then configuring a programmable hardware element utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured hardware element. The configured hardware element thus implements a hardware implementation of the second portion of the graphical program.

Abstract: System and method for performing time-bounded execution of a program. A timed program execution process is initiated, and a timeout process is initiated. A timeout condition is configured in the timeout process at a first priority level, and a rollback state determined for the program. Execution of the program is initiated in the timed program execution process at a second priority level below the first priority level. During execution of the program, the timeout process determines if the timeout condition has occurred, and if so, the timeout process restores the execution of the program to the rollback state, and the timed program execution process resumes execution of the program from the rollback state with the timeout condition. The program exits in the timed program execution process in response to the timeout condition, and the timeout event disabled. The timeout process is terminated, and the timed program execution process is terminated.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling a graphical program to receive and respond to programmatic events. The graphical program may include a graphical user interface having various user interface elements and a block diagram having a plurality of nodes indicating functionality of the graphical program. The graphical program may be configured to respond to one or more events. For each event, a portion of graphical source code may be operable to receive and respond to a respective event. The portion of graphical source code may be executable to perform a desired process or action in response to the respective event. In one embodiment, a sub-program node may be associated with each event. In another embodiment, an event structure node may be included in the block diagram, wherein the event structure node includes one or more sub-diagrams, each sub-diagram including graphical source code for responding to one or more events.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to disabling graphical code in a graphical program. A first portion of the graphical program may be disabled, which may include preventing the first portion of the graphical program from being compiled and/or preventing the first portion of the graphical program from being executed. Another embodiment of the invention relates to conditionally compiling graphical code in a graphical program. A first portion of the graphical program may be compiled if one or more associated conditions are true, or may not be compiled otherwise.

Abstract: A system and method for user configuration of an autotuning algorithm for a PID controller. User input is received via a Graphical User Interface (GUI) indicating a desired characteristic of a PID controller, such as stiffness or response time. The system is excited via a proportional controller to characterize the intrinsic behavior of the system, i.e., to calculate a system transfer function. An autotuning algorithm is configured in accordance with the user input. The configured autotuning algorithm is applied to the transfer function to generate gain values for the PID controller resulting in the PID controller characteristic specified by the user. The PID controller gains are loaded into the PID controller hardware or software, thereby configuring the PID controller to operate according to the desired characteristic specified by the user. The user may trigger and view a step response of the system to review the results of the tuning process.

Abstract: System and method for measurement, DAQ, and control operations which uses small form-factor measurement modules or cartridges with a re-configurable carrier unit, sensors, and a computer system to provide modular, efficient, cost-effective measurement solutions. The measurement module includes measurement circuitry, e.g., signal conditioner and/or signal conversion circuitry, and interface circuitry for communicating with the carrier unit. The module communicates interface information to the carrier unit, which informs the computer system how to program or configure a functional unit on the carrier unit to implement the communicated interface, or sends the information directly to the computer system. The computer system programs the carrier unit with the interface, and the programmed carrier unit and measurement module together function as a DAQ, measurement, and/or control device.

Abstract: A dimensionally flexible sparse matrix comprising multiple ports connected to a plurality of interconnected universal switches is disclosed. Each universal switch has at least three terminals and is switchable to connect any pair or all three terminals together. The plurality of interconnected universal switches are independently switchable to connect any one or more ports of the sparse matrix to any subset of the other ports. The sparse matrix may also be configurable to duplicate the connectivity of a variety of dimensionally different switch matrices by designating a first subset of the multiple ports as row ports and a second subset of the remaining ports as column ports with the added flexibility of connecting row-to-row and/or column-to column. The small physical size of signal stubs in the universal switches results in a signal path between any pair of terminals that may be suitable for the transmission of signal frequencies greater than approximately 500 mega-hertz.

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 smart camera with modular expansion capabilities, including a housing, a camera directly attached to the housing for acquiring an image of an object, a functional unit comprised in the housing and coupled to the camera, where the functional unit is configurable to implement an image processing function, a backplane comprised in the housing and coupled to the functional unit to provide electrical communication, and one or more slots comprised in the housing, where each slot includes a connector that is electrically coupled to the backplane, and where each slot is adapted for receiving a function module. An inserted function module provides modular functionality to the smart camera, such as dedicated image processing functionality, pattern recognition, analysis, communication, sensor, sensor I/O, signal conditioning and/or conversion, control, measurement, and synchronization, among others. The function module may communicate a protocol to the functional unit which may be configured to implement the protocol.

Abstract: System and method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for selected parameters of a graphical program, e.g., a model. The program is analyzed to determine a plurality of parameters, which are displayed, e.g., in a list, tree diagram, palette, etc. User input is received selecting one or more of the plurality of parameters. A GUI for the one or more parameters is generated, comprising one or more GUI elements, e.g., controls and/or indicators, corresponding respectively to the one or more parameters, e.g., the one or more parameters are analyzed with respect to data type, and the one or more GUI elements determined based on the analysis, e.g., by user selection from a plurality of GUI elements presented in response to the analysis, added to the GUI and associated with the one or more parameters. During execution of the graphical program, the one or more GUI elements access corresponding parameters.

Abstract: System and method for creating and executing a graphical program. A first plurality of graphical program elements (GPEs) having a first model of computation (MoC), e.g., homogenous dataflow, are assembled in a graphical program in response to first input. A structure, including an interior portion, is displayed in the graphical program, indicating use of a second MoC, e.g., multi-rate dataflow, for GPEs within the interior portion. A second plurality of GPEs having the second MoC are assembled within the interior portion of the structure in response to second input. The second plurality of GPEs are converted into a new third plurality of GPEs having the first MoC, e.g., by parsing the second plurality of GPEs to determine multiple primitives according to the second MoC, determining the third plurality of GPEs based on the primitives, and assembling the third plurality of GPEs in the graphical program.

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: System and method for implementing a synchronous reactive system in a graphical program. A loop structure is included in the graphical program in response to first user input, and is operable to execute iteratively in a synchronous manner, where the loop structure performs each iteration subject to a time constraint. A plurality of graphical program nodes is included in the loop structure in response to second user input. The loop structure includes at least one synchronization register, comprising an input and an output. During execution of the graphical program, for each iteration, the input to the synchronization register stores the state information for the current iteration, and the output of the synchronization register provides the state information for use in a next iteration of the loop, where the loop structure executes the plurality of graphical program nodes in the loop structure using stored state information from an immediately previous iteration.