US 4,947,315 A · System for controlling instrument using a levels data structure and concurrently running compiler task and operator task

A method of controlling an instrument which performs a cyclic process under control of a programmed computer, said computer including input means, comprising the steps of:

defining two tasks concurrently running in said computer:
an operator task for running an instrument control program, and a compiler task for receiving and compiling instrument control programs;
defining a levels data structure for storing a reference to each instrument control program compiled by said compiler task, said levels data structure denoting the order in which said referenced programs were compiled;
performing, in said compiler task, the steps of:
receiving and compiling instrument control programs input by a user of said instrument via said input means;
denoting the existence of unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs generated via said receiving and compiling step, including adding a reference to each successfully compiled instrument control program to said levels data structure;
performing, in said operator task, the steps of:
whenever a currently running instrument control program performs a jump back at the end of an instruction loop and said compiler task has denoted in said levels data structure the existence of at least one unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program, automatically suspending said currently running instrument control program and then automatically beginning execution of one of said unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs;
resuming execution of the last suspended instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there are no unexecuted, compiled user input instrument control programs denoted in said levels data structure by said compiler task
deleting the reference to said currently running instrument control program from said levels data structure when said instrument control program is finished executing;
and
beginning execution of another successfully compiled user input instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there is at least one more unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program denoted by said compiler task in said levels data structure.

9 more elements

A method of controlling an instrument which performs a cyclic process under control of a programmed computer, said computer including input means, comprising the steps of:

defining two tasks concurrently running in said computer;
an operator task for running an instrument control program, and a compiler task for receiving and compiling instrument control programs;
defining a kernel instrument control program that contains an unending instruction loop;
performing, in said compiler task, the steps of:
receiving and compiling instrument control programs input by a user of said instrument via said input means;
denoting the existence of unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs generated via said receiving and compiling step;
performing, in said operator task, the steps of:
beginning execution of said kernel program when said instrument is turned on and when said instrument is reset;
whenever a currently running instrument control program performs a jump back at the end of an instruction loop and said compiler task has denoted the existence of at least one unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program, automatically suspending said currently running instrument control program and then automatically beginning execution of one of said unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs;
resuming execution of the last suspended instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there are no unexecuted, compiled user input instrument control programs denoted by said compiler task;
and
beginning execution of another successfully compiled user input instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there is at least one more unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program denoted by said compiler task;
performing, in said compiler task, the step of setting a predefined abort flag if one of said instrument control programs received by said compiler task from a user of said instrument contains an abort statement;
and
performing, in said operator task, the step of testing said abort flag when initiating the execution of each said instrument control program, and, when said abort flag is set, ending execution of said currently running instrument control program, ending execution of all currently suspended instrument control programs except said kernel program, and resuming execution of said kernel program.

12 more elements

A method of controlling an instrument which performs a cyclic process under control of a programmed computer, said computer including input means, comprising the steps of:

defining two tasks concurrently running in said computer:
an operator task for running an instrument control program, and a compiler task for receiving and compiling instrument control programs;
defining a kernel instrument control program that contains an unending instruction loop;
performing, in said compiler task, the steps of:
receiving and compiling instrument control programs input by a user of said instrument via said input means;
denoting the existence of unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs generated via said receiving and compiling step;
performing, in said operator task, the steps of:
beginning execution of said kernel program when said instrument is turned on and when said instrument is reset;
whenever a currently running instrument control programs performs a jump back at the end of an instruction loop and said compiler task has denoted the existence of at least one unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program, automatically suspending said currently running instrument control program and then automatically beginning execution of one of said unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs;
resuming execution of the last suspended instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there are no unexecuted, compiled user input instrument control programs denoted by said compiler task;
and
beginning execution of another successfully compiled user input instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there is at least one more unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program denoted by said compiler task;
performing, in said compiler task, the step of setting a predefined cancel flag when one of said instrument control programs received by said compiler task from a user of said instrument contains a cancel statement;
and
performing, in said operator task, the step of testing said cancel flag prior to initiating the execution of each said instrument control program, when said cancel flag is set, ending execution of said currently running instrument control program and resuming execution of the last suspended instrument control program.

12 more elements

A method of controlling an instrument which performs a cyclic process under control of a programmed computer, comprising the steps of:

defining an operator task in said computer for running an instrument control program;
defining a compiler task in said computer, running as a separate task from said operator task, for receiving and compiling instrument control programs;
defining a levels data structure for storing a reference to each instrument control program compiled by said compiler task, said levels data structure denoting the order in which said referenced programs were compiled;
performing in said compiler task the step of adding a reference to each successfully compiled instrument control program to said levels data structure;
preforming in said operator task the steps of:
deleting the reference to an instrument control program from said levels data structure when said instrument control program is finished executing;
whenever a currently running instrument control program performs a jump back at the ned of an instruction loop and said levels data structure contains a reference to at least one instrument control program which was compiled more recently than said currently running instrument control program;
(a) automatically suspending operation of said currently running instrument control program, and then automatically initiating execution of the least recently compiled instrument control program denoted in said levels data structure as being compiled after said currently running instrument control program;
and otherwise (b) resuming execution of said currently running instrument control program at the beginning of said instruction loop.

6 more elements

A method of controlling an instrument which performs a cyclic process under control of a programmed computer, comprising the steps of:

defining an operator task in said computer for running an instrument control program;
defining a compiler task in said computer, running as a separate task from said operator task, for receiving and compiling instrument control programs;
defining a levels data structure for storing a reference to each instrument control program compiled by said compiler task, said levels data structure denoting the order in which said referenced programs were compiled;
defining a kernel instrument control program that contains an instruction loop and is permanently referenced in said levels data structure;
performing in said compiler task the step of adding a reference to each successfully compiled instrument control program to said levels data structure;
preforming in said operator task the steps of:
deleting the reference to an instrument control program from said levels data structure when said instrument control program is finished executing;
whenever a currently running instrument control program performs a jump back at the end of an instruction loop and said levels data structure contains a reference to at least one instrument control program which was compiled more recently than said currently running instrument control program;
(a) automatically suspending operation of said currently running instrument control program, and then automatically initiating execution of the least recently compiled instrument control program denoted in said levels data structure as being compiled after said currently running instrument control program;
and otherwise (b) resuming execution of said currently running instrument control program at the beginning of said instruction loop;
when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and said levels data structure contains a reference to at least one instrument control program which was compiled more recently than said instrument control program, initiating execution of the least recently compiled instrument control program denoted in said levels data structure as being compiled after said currently running instrument control program;
and otherwise resuming execution of the least suspended instrument control program;
wherein
the steps performed in said compiler task includes setting a predefined abort flag when one of said instrument control programs received by said compiler task from a user of said instrument contains an abort statement;
the steps performed in said operator task include testing said abort flag when initialing the execution of each said instrument control program, and, if said abort flag is set, (a) resetting said abort flag, (b) deleting all program references from said levels data structure except the reference to said kernel program, and (c) resuming execution of said kernel program.

12 more elements

A method of controlling an instrument which performs a cyclic process under control of a programmed computer, comprising the steps of:

defining an operator task in said computer for running an instrument control program;
defining a compiler task in said computer, running as a separate task from said operator task, for receiving and compiling instrument control programs;
defining a levels data structure for storing a reference to each instrument control program compiled by said compiler task, said levels data structure denoting the order in which said referenced programs were compiled;
defining a kernel instrument control program that contains an instruction loop and is permanently referenced in said levels data structure;
performing in said compiler takes the step of adding a reference to each successfully compiled instrument control program to said levels data structure;
preforming in said operator task the steps of:
deleting the reference to an instrument control program from said levels data structure when said instrument control program is finished executing;
whenever a currently running instrument control program performs a jump back at the end of an instruction loop and said levels data structure contains a reference to at least one instrument control program which was compiled more recently than said currently running instrument control program:
(a) automatically suspending operation of said currently running instrument control program, and then automatically initiating execution of the least recently compiled instrument control program denoted in said levels data structure as being compiled after said currently running instrument control program;
and otherwise (b) resuming execution of said currently running instrument control program at the beginning of said instruction loop;
when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and said levels data structure contains a reference to at least one instrument control program which was compiled more recently than said currently running instrument control program, initiating execution of the least recently compiled instrument control program denoted in said levels data structure as being compiled after said currently running instrument control program;
and otherwise resuming execution of the last suspended instrument control program;
wherein
said compiler task is programmed to set a predefined cancel flag if one of said instrument control programs received by said compiler task from a user of said instrument contains a cancel statement;
said operator task is programmed to test said cancel flag prior to initiating the execution of each said instrument control program, and, if said cancel flag is set, to (a) reset said cancel flag, (b) delete all program references from said levels data structure to said currently running instrument control program, unless said currently running instrument control program is said kernel program, and to program more recently compiled, and (c) resume execution of the most recently compiled program denoted by said levels data structure.

12 more elements

Apparatus for controlling an instrument which performs a specified cyclic process comprising:

computer means coupled to said instrument including
processing means for executing predefined programs;
interface means for sending control signals generated by said processing means to said instrument;
an operator task for running an instrument control program in said processing means;
input means for receiving input from a user of said instrument;
a compiler task, running concurrently in said processing means as a separate task from said operator task, for receiving and compiling instrument control programs including new instrument control programs input by a user of said instrument via said input means,
a levels data structure for storing a reference to each instrument control program compiled by said compiler task, said levels data structure denoting the existence of unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs, and the order in which said instrument control programs were compiled;
said operator task including means for:
whenever a currently running instrument control program performs a jump back at the end of an instruction loop and said compiler task has denoted in said levels data structure the existence of at least one unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program, automatically suspending said currently running instrument control program and then automatically beginning execution of one of said unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control programs;
resuming execution of the last suspended instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there are no unexecuted, compiled user input instrument control programs denoted in said levels data structure by said compiler task;
deleting the reference to said currently running instrument control program from said levels data structure when said currently running instrument control program is finished executing;
and
beginning execution of another successfully compiled user input instrument control program when said currently running instrument control program finishes executing and there is at least one more unexecuted, successfully compiled user input instrument control program denoted in said levels data structure by said compiler task.

10 more elements