Abstract: Provided in some embodiment is a computer system, including a first peripheral device, having a first external data input, a first peripheral storage device to store the measurement data, a first peripheral device output to couple to a system interconnect of the computer system. The first peripheral device capable of receiving measurement data via the external data input the first peripheral device capable of transferring at least a portion of the measurement data to a second peripheral device of the computer system via the system interconnect, and where the second peripheral device is capable of processing at least a portion of the measurement data transferred to the second peripheral device.

Abstract: A counter module may include a first set of registers configured to store respective sets of first control data, a second set of registers configured to store respective sets of second control data, a first counter and a second counter. The first counter may be coupled to the first set of registers and may receive counter input signals and an internal control signal, and generate a first count output and a first terminal count output according to one of the respective sets of the first control data, the internal control signal, and the counter input signals. The second counter may be coupled to the first counter and to the second set of registers, and may receive the counter input signals, generate the internal control signal, and generate a second count output and a second terminal count output according to one of the respective sets of the second control data and the counter input signals.

Abstract: A system may include a processing unit executing program instructions (SW), a data acquisition (DAQ) hardware device for acquiring sample data and/or generating control signals, and host memory configured to store data samples and various data associated with the DAQ and processor operations. The DAQ device may push HW status information to host memory upon being triggered by predetermined events taking place in the DAQ device, e.g. timing events or interrupts, to avoid or reduce SW reads to the DAQ device. The DAQ device may update dedicated buffers in host memory with status data on any of these events. The status information pushed to memory may be read in a manner that allows detection of race conditions. Interrupts generated by the DAQ device may be similarly handled. Upon generating an interrupt, the DAQ device may gather information required to handle the interrupt, and push the information into system memory, along with information identifying the interrupt.

Abstract: The present invention is a SEO suite comprising several modules that in combination or alone may are novel and non-obvious. These modules are: smart tools that provide isolation and workflow collaboration of tools in an SEO suite; using log files for key-wordless rank checking in an SEO tool; using log files for hyperlink analysis in an SEO tool; identifying web authorities for competitive analysis in an SEO tool; live relevancy metrics in on-page optimization editor (SEO tool); and a rotating authorization code to prevent the use of a software license in more than one machine.

Abstract: A protection circuit for protecting a device from destructive electrical conditions, such as ESD, over-voltage, and over-current, while keeping the output impedance of the device's I/O lines to a minimum, and self-regulating power dissipation. The device may comprise a first protection circuit and a second protection circuit coupled to each of one or more I/O lines for providing a primary and a secondary level of protection, respectively, for the I/O lines. The first protection circuit of the device may combine the use of Schottky diodes for voltage clamping, with a current limiting device for self-regulating the power dissipation. The current limiting device may be operable to function as a small, low impedance resistor in a normal operating range and as a controlled power dissipater outside the normal operating range. The device may be a data acquisition device comprised in a data acquisition system.

Abstract: An isolated data acquisition device including a plurality of data acquisition channels, an isolated system management unit coupled to the data acquisition channels, a host system management unit, a serial bus coupled to the host system management unit and the isolated system management unit, and isolation circuitry coupled to the serial bus. The isolation circuitry electrically isolates the host system management unit from the isolated system management unit and the data acquisition channels. During operation, the isolated system management unit and the host system management unit may each store data associated with one or more pending bus transactions. Each of the system management units may select at least one of the pending bus transactions according to a predetermined priority scheme, encode and serialize the data associated with the selected bus transaction, and transmit the serialized data across the isolation circuitry to the other system management unit via the serial bus.

Abstract: The present invention is a SEO suite comprising several modules that in combination or alone may are novel and non-obvious. These modules are: smart tools that provide isolation and workflow collaboration of tools in an SEO suite; using log files for key-wordless rank checking in an SEO tool; using log files for hyperlink analysis in an SEO tool; identifying web authorities for competitive analysis in an SEO tool; live relevancy metrics in on-page optimization editor (SEO tool); and a rotating authorization code to prevent the use of a software license in more than one machine.

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 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 flexible converter interface for interfacing with ADCs or DACs. The flexible converter interface may be comprised in a data acquisition device and may be a programmable ADC interface or a programmable DAC interface. The flexible converter interface may be programmed with a converter type parameter, a converter resolution parameter, and a converter data type parameter, among others, to interface with various types of ADCs or DACs and to allow for future expandability. The flexible converter interface may function as either a programmable parallel converter interface or a programmable serial converter interface depending upon the programmed converter type parameter. Additionally, functions associated with I/O pins corresponding to the flexible converter interface may vary depending upon the programmed converter resolution parameter and the programmed converter type parameter.

Abstract: A system and method for buffering bidirectional digital input/output (I/O) lines. The system (e.g., data acquisition system) may comprise a device including circuitry for buffering bidirectional digital lines. A first integrated circuit (IC) of the device includes a first and a second bidirectional buffer coupled to a first bidirectional digital I/O line, and a second IC of the device includes a third bidirectional buffer. The first IC and the second IC each include a control unit to control the driving direction of the corresponding bidirectional buffers independently to change the direction of the data flow through the first bidirectional digital I/O line from the output direction to the input direction or vice versa. The driving direction of the bidirectional buffers are changed at different times in a particular sequence, and the order depends on whether the direction change is from the output direction to the input direction or vice versa.

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: An isolated data acquisition device including a plurality of data acquisition channels, an isolated system management unit coupled to the data acquisition channels, a host system management unit, a serial bus coupled to the host system management unit and the isolated system management unit, and isolation circuitry coupled to the serial bus. The isolation circuitry electrically isolates the host system management unit from the isolated system management unit and the data acquisition channels. During operation, the isolated system management unit and the host system management unit may each store data associated with one or more pending bus transactions. Each of the system management units may select at least one of the pending bus transactions according to a predetermined priority scheme, encode and serialize the data associated with the selected bus transaction, and transmit the serialized data across the isolation circuitry to the other system management unit via the serial bus.

Abstract: A measurement and data acquisition system including a real-time monitoring circuit for implementing control loop applications. The system control loop may include the real-time monitoring circuit, a data acquisition device, a processing unit, and a plurality of subsystems. The subsystems may be comprised in the data acquisition device or may be external to the data acquisition device. The real-time monitoring circuit may receive a plurality of timing signals from the plurality of subsystems and may select a control loop timing signal out of the plurality of timing signals. The real-time monitoring circuit may determine whether the operations of the control loop are performed within a particular period of time by monitoring the control loop timing signal and communicating with the processing unit. In response to an error notification, the processing unit may take appropriate action, such as shutting down the system and/or reporting an error or warning.

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 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 measurement and data acquisition system including a real-time monitoring circuit for implementing control loop applications. The system control loop may include the real-time monitoring circuit, a data acquisition device, a processing unit, and a plurality of subsystems. The subsystems may be comprised in the data acquisition device or may be external to the data acquisition device. The real-time monitoring circuit may receive a plurality of timing signals from the plurality of subsystems and may select a control loop timing signal out of the plurality of timing signals. The real-time monitoring circuit may determine whether the operations of the control loop are performed within a particular period of time by monitoring the control loop timing signal and communicating with the processing unit. In response to an error notification, the processing unit may take appropriate action, such as shutting down the system and/or reporting an error or warning.

Abstract: A flexible converter interface for interfacing with ADCs or DACs. The flexible converter interface may be comprised in a data acquisition device and may be a programmable ADC interface or a programmable DAC interface. The flexible converter interface may be programmed with a converter type parameter, a converter resolution parameter, and a converter data type parameter, among others, to interface with various types of ADCs or DACs and to allow for future expandability. The flexible converter interface may function as either a programmable parallel converter interface or a programmable serial converter interface depending upon the programmed converter type parameter. Additionally, functions associated with I/O pins corresponding to the flexible converter interface may vary depending upon the programmed converter resolution parameter and the programmed converter type parameter.

Abstract: A system and method for buffering bidirectional digital I/O lines. The system (e.g., data acquisition system) may comprise a device including circuitry for buffering bidirectional digital lines. A first IC of the device preferably includes a first and a second bidirectional buffer coupled to a first bidirectional digital I/O line, and a second IC of the device preferably includes a third bidirectional buffer. The first IC and the second IC may also each include a control unit to control a driving direction of the corresponding bidirectional buffers independently to change the direction of a data flow through the first bidirectional digital I/O line from a first direction to a second direction. The driving direction of the bidirectional buffers may be changed at different times in a particular sequence, and the order may depend on whether the direction change is from the output direction to the input direction or vice versa.

Abstract: A protection circuit for protecting a device from destructive electrical conditions, such as ESD, over-voltage, and over-current, while keeping the output impedance of the device's I/O lines to a minimum, and self-regulating power dissipation. The device may comprise a first protection circuit and a second protection circuit coupled to each of one or more I/O lines for providing a primary and a secondary level of protection, respectively, for the I/O lines. The first protection circuit of the device may combine the use of Schottky diodes for voltage clamping, with a current limiting device for self-regulating the power dissipation. The current limiting device may be operable to function as a small, low impedance resistor in a normal operating range and as a controlled power dissipater outside the normal operating range. The device may be a data acquisition device comprised in a data acquisition system.