Patent ID: 8812976
Filing Date: 2014-08-19
Classification: G01Q,G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of configuring programmable equipment having hardware devices that can be programmatically interconnected into different hardware configurations that provide excitation and response signal controls for probe equipment of a scanning probe microscope (SPM), comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hardware workspace on a computer display using a program that enables a user to create in the hardware workspace a graphical system hardware configuration that represents a desired configuration of hardware devices, and providing a plurality of hardware icons on the computer display in a hardware device palette positioned adjacent to the hardware workspace, wherein the program enables the user to move the hardware icons from the hardware device palette to the hardware workspace and interconnect the hardware icons into the graphical system hardware configuration; (b) providing a procedure workspace separate from the hardware workspace on a computer display using the program, wherein the program enables the user to create in the procedure workspace a graphical system procedure that represents a desired procedure for the desired configuration of hardware devices, and providing a plurality of procedural icons on the computer display in a procedure palette positioned adjacent to the procedure workspace, wherein the procedural icons represent actions involving one or more of the hardware devices from the graphical system hardware configuration, and wherein the program enables the user to move the procedural icons from the procedure palette to the procedure workspace and interconnect the procedural icons into the graphical system procedure; (c) automatically creating configuration data that represents the graphical system hardware configuration and the graphical system procedure, including: (d) configuring the programmable equipment into the desired configuration of hardware devices to operate according to the desired procedure, wherein the configuring is carried out using the configuration data.