Patent ID: 8938716
Filing Date: 2015-01-20
Classification: G05B,G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for customizing a test instrument, wherein the test instrument comprises at least a first device with a first programmable hardware element (PHE) and a second device with a second PHE, the method comprising: storing first and second synchronization modules respectively comprising code for implementation on the first and second PHEs, wherein the first and second synchronization modules implement first and second synchronization functionality, respectively, and wherein the first and second synchronization modules each includes a standard interface for interacting with other code; storing first and second user-created code which implement first and second functions, respectively; associating, in response to user input, the first and second synchronization modules with the first and second user-created code, respectively, wherein the first and second user-created code are respectively configured to interact with the first and second synchronization modules using the standard interface, and wherein the standard interface allows swapping out either of the synchronization modules with another synchronization module without requiring modification of the associated user-created code; generating first and second hardware descriptions based respectively on the first synchronization module and first user-created code, and the second synchronization module and second user-created code, wherein the first and second hardware descriptions implement the first and second synchronization functionalities and functions, respectively, such that deploying the first and second hardware descriptions to the first and second PHEs, respectively, configures the first and second PHEs to perform the first and second functions together in synchrony.