Abstract: In some embodiments, a user may select an elemental function such as read, write, or configuration from a graphical programming environment. A file may be created that instantiates functionality into a programmable hardware element to allow it to send a command across a serial protocol to peripheral interface circuitry and ultimately to peripheral chips (e.g., network chips on a CAN). The elemental node concept may be generic to any network chip because the node may contain only the general data of a packet (e.g., command type, value of data bytes, etc). The actual interface to a network chip may be handled inside the peripheral interface circuitry. The peripheral interface circuitry may have the details of the network chip in which it interfaces and may abstract details of the network chip from the target programmable hardware element through the serial protocol.

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: System and method for controlling cartridges to perform industrial operation(s). The system may include cartridge controllers coupled to the cartridges, timing and data routing logic coupled to the cartridge controllers, and controlling software coupled to the timing and data routing logic. Each of the cartridge controllers may be operable to detect and establish communications with a respective cartridge based on information retrieved from the cartridge, and adapt input/output signals of the respective cartridge according to instructions specified by the timing and data routing logic. The timing and data routing logic may be operable to synthesize data stream(s) from the adapted input/output signals, wherein each of the data stream(s) includes a respective subset of the adapted input/output signals received from a corresponding subset of the cartridges, and transmit the data stream(s) to the controlling software.

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: System and method for controlling cartridges to perform industrial operation(s). The system may include cartridge controllers coupled to the cartridges, timing and data routing logic coupled to the cartridge controllers, and controlling software coupled to the timing and data routing logic. Each of the cartridge controllers may be operable to detect and establish communications with a respective cartridge based on information retrieved from the cartridge, and adapt input/output signals of the respective cartridge according to instructions specified by the timing and data routing logic. The timing and data routing logic may be operable to synthesize data stream(s) from the adapted input/output signals, wherein each of the data stream(s) includes a respective subset of the adapted input/output signals received from a corresponding subset of the cartridges, and transmit the data stream(s) to the controlling software.

Abstract: A cartridge controller, usable to provide an interface between a cartridge and a controller for performing industrial operations using the cartridge. The cartridge controller may include interface circuitry, operable to provide an interface between a cartridge coupled to the cartridge controller and the cartridge controller, and detection circuitry coupled to the interface circuitry, operable to detect coupling of the cartridge to the cartridge controller via the interface circuitry. The interface circuitry may be further operable to query the cartridge for a cartridge type of the cartridge, determine a communication protocol required to communicate with the cartridge from a plurality of communication protocols based on the cartridge type, and establish communications with the cartridge based on the determined communication protocol.

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: One or more counter units of a data acquisition device used to perform sampling operations. Each of the counter units is configurable to operate in a selected one of a plurality of modes. During operation, at least one of the counter units may receive a measurement signal (or input signal) acquired by the data acquisition device and also a sample clock signal. The counter unit may sample the measurement signal based on the selected operational mode and timing of the sample clock, and at a rate that is independent of the frequency of the measurement signal. Furthermore, the counter unit may sample the measurement signal based on a selected one of a plurality of timing modes associated with the sample clock signal. The counter units may take samples of the measurement signal to perform at least one of the following types of measurements: period, frequency, pulse-width, semi-period, time separation, or event counting.

Abstract: System and method for controlling cartridges to perform industrial operation(s). The system may include cartridge controllers coupled to the cartridges, timing and data routing logic coupled to the cartridge controllers, and controlling software coupled to the timing and data routing logic. Each of the cartridge controllers may be operable to detect and establish communications with a respective cartridge based on information retrieved from the cartridge, and adapt input/output signals of the respective cartridge according to instructions specified by the timing and data routing logic. The timing and data routing logic may be operable to synthesize data stream(s) from the adapted input/output signals, wherein each of the data stream(s) includes a respective subset of the adapted input/output signals received from a corresponding subset of the cartridges, and transmit the data stream(s) to the controlling software.

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 reconfigurable test system including a host computer coupled to a reconfigurable test instrument. The reconfigurable test instrument includes reconfigurable hardware—i.e. a reconfigurable hardware module with one or more programmable elements such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays for realizing an arbitrary hardware architecture and a reconfigurable front end with programmable transceivers for interfacing with any desired physical medium—and optionally, an embedded processor. A user specifies system features with a software configuration utility which directs a component selector to select a set of software modules and hardware configuration files from a series of libraries. The modules are embedded in a host software driver or downloaded for execution on the embedded CPU. The configuration files are downloaded to the reconfigurable hardware. The entire selection process is performed in real-time and can be changed whenever the user deems necessary.

Abstract: An instrumentation system may include a base card that is configurable to perform multiple instrumentation tasks. The base card includes a programmable logic device (PLD) that is configured according to a hardware description. One of a plurality of possible daughter cards, e.g., a first daughter card or a second daughter card, may be coupled to the base card. One or more of: 1) providing a selected hardware description to the PLD; or 2) coupling of a selected daughter card to the base card may configure the reconfigurable instrumentation card to perform a desired instrumentation function. Thus, by selecting which of the daughter cards is coupled to the base card and/or by selecting which hardware description is used to configure the PLD, the base card may be reconfigured to perform different sets of instrumentation tasks.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a device to perform a function, where the device includes a programmable hardware element and one or more fixed hardware resources. A program is stored which represents the function. A hardware configuration program is generated based on the program, specifying a configuration for the programmable hardware element that implements the function, and usage of the fixed hardware resources by the programmable hardware element in performing the function. A deployment program deploys the hardware configuration program onto the programmable hardware element, where, after deployment, the device is operable to perform the function, where the programmable hardware element directly performs a first portion of the function, and the programmable hardware element invokes the fixed hardware resources to perform a second portion of the function. An optional measurement module couples to the device and performs signal conditioning and/or conversion logic on an acquired signal for the device.

Abstract: A system and method for debugging a program which is intended to execute on a reconfigurable device. A computer system stores a program that specifies a function, and which is convertible into a hardware configuration program (HCP) and deployable onto a programmable hardware element comprised on the device. The HCP is generated based on the program, specifies a configuration for the programmable hardware element that implements the function, and further specifies usage of one or more fixed hardware resources by the programmable hardware element in performing the function. A test configuration is deployable on the programmable hardware element by a deployment program, where, after deployment, the programmable hardware element provides for communication between the fixed hardware resources and the program. The program is executable by a processor in the computer system, where during execution the program communicates with the one or more fixed hardware resources through the programmable hardware element.

Abstract: A method for operating a system that includes several subsystems may involve establishing one or more synchronized timelines for the system; allocating timeslots within each of the timelines for operation of one or more devices in the system; detecting an input event asynchronously to the timeline; generating a timestamp indicative of the time at which the input event is detected relative to the timeline; performing a processing task in response to the input event during a time slot allocated to the processing task; and inhibiting generation of an output event until a second time relative to the timelines. Performing the processing task may generate data representative of the output event as well as data representative of the second time. The second time may be a pre-determined time interval after the input event detection time.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for deploying a graphical program onto an image acquisition (IMAQ) device. The method may operate to configure an image acquisition (IMAQ) device to perform image processing or machine vision functions, wherein the device includes a programmable hardware element and/or a processor and memory. The method comprises first creating a graphical program which implements the image processing or machine vision function. A portion of the graphical program may be converted into a hardware implementation on a programmable hardware element, and a portion may optionally be compiled into machine code for execution by a CPU. The programmable hardware element is thus configured utilizing a hardware description and implements a hardware implementation of at least a portion of the graphical program. The CPU-executable code may be executed by a computer coupled to the IMAQ device, or by a processor/memory on the IMAQ device.

Abstract: A system for generating waveforms may include a memory configured to store a plurality of waveform segments, a plurality of waveform segment queues each coupled to receive waveform segments output by the memory, and a selection unit coupled to each of the waveform segment queues and configured to read waveform segments out of a selected one of the waveform segment queues. Each of the waveform segment queues may be configured to store a series of one or more waveform segments. The selection unit may be configured to access the first waveform segment queue during a first time period and to access the second waveform segment queue if a first trigger occurs.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for configuring a set of DMA resources as multiple virtual DMA channels are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system may include a context memory configured to store context parameters for each of the virtual DMA channels, a set of DMA resources, a DMA controller coupled to the context memory, and several I/O resources. The DMA controller is configured to configure the set of DMA resources as different virtual DMA channels using context parameters associated with different respective ones of the virtual DMA channels. Each virtual DMA channel corresponds to one of the I/O resources.

Abstract: System and method for measurement, DAQ, and control operations. A measurement module includes measurement circuitry for performing signal conditioning and/or signal conversion, and interface circuitry which provides an interface for the measurement circuitry. A carrier unit couples to the interface circuitry of the module. A computer system couples to the carrier unit and stores one or more hardware configuration programs. The interface circuitry communicates an interface protocol describing the interface, e.g., to the carrier unit or the computer system. The computer system provides a hardware configuration program in response to the communicated interface protocol, and programs one or more programmable hardware elements on the carrier unit with the hardware configuration program. After being configured, the programmable hardware elements interface with the measurement module in accordance with the communicated interface protocol.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for generating a hardware implementation of graphical code. The method may operate to configure an instrument to perform measurement functions, wherein the instrument includes a programmable hardware element. The method comprises first creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program may implement a measurement function. A portion of the graphical program may optionally be compiled into machine code for execution by a CPU, and another portion of the graphical program may be converted into a hardware implementation on a programmable hardware element. The programmable hardware element is configured utilizing a 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.