Abstract: A test instrument and method for operating the same are disclosed. The data acquisition system within the instrument generates signals and couples the signals to a device and/or receives signals from the device. The data processor within the instrument includes measurement specific software that generates measurements from the received signals, a restricted software application that utilizes the measurement data, and a physics API that interfaces the measurement specific software with the data acquisition system. The physics API provides a plurality of internal physics functions that are used by the measurement specific software to access the measurement data. The instrument includes an external API that maps the physics functions to an external set of physics functions that are available to the restricted software application and that hide the internal physics functions from the restricted software while providing access to a portion of the measurement data.

Abstract: A test instrument and method for operating the same are disclosed. The data acquisition system within the instrument generates signals and couples the signals to a device and/or receives signals from the device. The data processor within the instrument includes measurement specific software that generates measurements from the received signals, a restricted software application that utilizes the measurement data, and a physics API that interfaces the measurement specific software with the data acquisition system. The physics API provides a plurality of internal physics functions that are used by the measurement specific software to access the measurement data. The instrument includes an external API that maps the physics functions to an external set of physics functions that are available to the restricted software application and that hide the internal physics functions from the restricted software while providing access to a portion of the measurement data.

Abstract: A synthetic instrument and method for operating the same is disclosed. The synthetic instrument includes a plurality of component modules and a controller. Each component module includes signal processing circuitry that processes input signals thereto to provide output signals that are coupled to a device external to that component module. Each module also includes a memory for storing information specifying the manner in which the input signals are processed to provide the output signals and a network interface that connects the component module to a network within the apparatus. A component download manager within that module loads information into the memory in response to messages received on the network, the component module executing a function that is specified by that information. The controller generates messages on the network specifying data that is to be loaded into at least one of the component modules.