Automatic instrumentation system

Abstract

An automatic instrumentation system is presented that enables to eliminate or significantly reduce the effort required in preparing instrument control programs. The system includes at least one instrument, a controller for controlling the instrument and a communication line linking the instrument with the controller. The activities of each instrument are controlled by a control programs, describing the detailed steps to be taken, dedicated to each instrument, and in the present system, a dedicated control programs for an instrument is pre-installed within the instrument. Instrument control is performed by the controller which acquires the control program from the instrument memory and executing the control program, through the communication line. If the present concept is applied to a network-based system of automatic instrumentation, it is possible to construct a system that is least affected by such problems as delays caused by line congestion and line cutoff. In such a system, a user machine and a controller are connected through a network and the controller and the instruments are connected with a high-speed communication line. A first control program for the instrument and a second control program for controlling the first control program are pre-installed in each instrument. The controller acquires both first and second control programs but forwards the second control program to the user machine. Thus, the user machine through the controller can direct the overall operation of the instrumentation system while, concurrently, the detailed activities of each instrument are being controlled by the controller and the user machine.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.