Abstract: A virtual driver interface and strategy are presented for interfacing a device driver with an application. Devices connected to a computing device and device drivers capable of communicating with the device are provided on the computing device. The virtual driver interface determines which of the device drivers to use to allow an application to interact with a device based on a strategy.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a test and measurement application executing on a computing device is interfaced with one or more external device coupled to the computing device. A device driver is selected for use with one of the external device from two or more available device drivers that are each compatible with the external device. The device driver is coupled to a virtual driver interface that provides the test and measurement application with a standardized interface to any of the two or more available device drivers. The test and measurement application communicates with the external device through the virtual driver interface.

Abstract: A viewer is disclosed for viewing a multi-dimensional data set. The viewer may be coupled to or included in a test environment and receive data generated in the test environment. The test environment may generate metric data from the multiple test cases of a UUT. The viewer may display the cumulative metric data generated from multiple test cases. The viewer may display the cumulative metric data in a fashion that the user can gain insight into the UUT's characteristics.

Abstract: A viewer is disclosed for viewing a multi-dimensional data set. The viewer may be coupled to or included in a test environment and receive data generated in the test environment. The test environment may generate metric data from the multiple test cases of a UUT. The viewer may display the cumulative metric data generated from multiple test cases. The viewer may display the cumulative metric data in a fashion that the user can gain insight into the UUT's characteristics.

Abstract: A method of creating and using a hardware independent communication interface block for block diagram environments is disclosed. The communication interface block includes user-selectable parameters controlling how a system being modeled by a block diagram communicates with image and data acquisition devices and control instruments or other electronic device interfaced with an external system. Based on the user selected parameters, the communication interface block calls an appropriate constructor to create an instrument object or acquisition device object which is used to enable communication with the control instrument or acquisition device respectively. The instrument object/acquisition device object calls a software driver appropriate for the hardware interface of the control instrument/acquisition device. The use of a common interface block provides scalability and ease of use to the block diagram environment when interacting with control instruments and acquisition devices.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a test and measurement application executing on a computing device is interfaced with one or more external device coupled to the computing device. A device driver is selected for use with one of the external device from two or more available device drivers that are each compatible with the external device. The device driver is coupled to a virtual driver interface that provides the test and measurement application with a standardized interface to any of the two or more available device drivers. The test and measurement application communicates with the external device through the virtual driver interface.

Abstract: A method transfers data from a data source to multiple data sink objects. The data acquired from the data source is encapsulated into a data object. Identification information of the data object is posted to a data server. The data server shares the identification information with the data sink objects that are registered with the data server. The data sink objects access the data object with the identification information at execution time. A counter indicates the number of data sink objects that currently use the data object. The data object is removed from the memory of the computer systems when the counter indicates that the data object is no longer used by the data sink objects. Alternatively, the data object that is no longer used may be stored in a separate memory location of the computer systems for a future use.

Abstract: A communication system for linking users to control instruments. A user may send a first creation command from a user interface and establish a communication channel linking the command interpreter and the control instrument independent of the interface bus standard or interface hardware driver type. The communication system also includes providing a common communication interface between the user and the control instrument in an array-based programming environment. Embodiments provide a concise and powerful communication system for communicating with control instruments independent of the various types of supported interface bus standards, communication protocols, and driver types.

Abstract: An image acquisition facility for linking a user of an application to an image acquisition device independent of an interface protocol of the image acquisition device. The image acquisition facility establishes a communication channel between the user and the image acquisition device and manages communication across the established channel. In this manner, the user of the application is free to select a desired image acquisition device for interfacing with and interacting with the selected image acquisition device independent of the interface bus standard, communication protocol and driver type supported by the selected image acquisition device.

Abstract: A cross-platform interface tool provides a common interface for any hardware or software component having some advertising mechanism listing its features, input, and output requirements. The advertising mechanism can take a number of different forms, including data, a software object definition, or a communications system. The cross-platform interface tool includes a parsing mechanism for parsing through a component description associated with at least one of the plurality of components to gather information relating to the components. A component interface creator automatically generates a component interface based on the information gathered by the parsing mechanism.

Abstract: A cross-platform interface tool provides a common interface for any hardware or software component having some advertising mechanism listing its features, input, and output requirements. The advertising mechanism can take a number of different forms, including data, a software object definition, or a communications system. The cross-platform interface tool includes a parsing mechanism for parsing through a component description associated with at least one of the plurality of components to gather information relating to the components. A component interface creator automatically generates a component interface based on the information gathered by the parsing mechanism.