System and method for converting graphical programs into hardware implementations which utilize probe insertion

A computer-implemented method for generating a hardware implementation of a graphical program, the method comprising:

• creating a graphical program in the memory of a computer system, wherein said creating includes:
• inserting one or more probes at one or more locations into the graphical program, wherein the one or more probes are operable to display data generated at said one or more locations during execution of the graphical program;
• generating a hardware description in response to the graphical program, wherein the hardware description indicates use of a time stamp generation circuit;
• configuring a hardware element utilizing the hardware description, wherein the configured hardware element includes at least one time stamp generation circuit for implementing probing in the configured hardware element.

A computer-implemented method for configuring an instrument to perform measurement functions, wherein the instrument includes a programmable hardware element, the method comprising:

• creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program implements a measurement function, wherein said creating includes:
• inserting a probe at a location in the graphical program, wherein the probe is operable to display data generated at the location during execution of the graphical program;
• generating a hardware description based on at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein the hardware description indicates use of a probe element;
• configuring the programmable hardware element in the instrument utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured hardware element, wherein the configured hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein the configured hardware element includes the probe element for implementing probing in the configured hardware element;
• the instrument acquiring a signal from an external source after said configuring;
• the configured hardware element in the instrument executing to perform the measurement function on the signal, wherein the probe element executes to implement probing.

A memory medium comprising program instructions for generating a hardware implementation of a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer to implement:

• creating a graphical program in the memory of a computer system, wherein said creating includes:
• inserting a probe at a location in the graphical program, wherein the probe is operable to display data generated at the location during execution of the graphical program;
• generating a hardware description in response to the graphical program, wherein the hardware description indicates use of a probe element;
• configuring a programmable hardware element utilizing the hardware description, wherein the configured programmable hardware element includes the probe element for implementing probing in the configured programmable hardware element.

A memory medium comprising program instructions for generating a hardware implementation of a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer to implement:

• creating a graphical program in the memory of a computer system, wherein said creating includes:
• inserting one or more probes at one or more locations into the graphical program, wherein the one or more probes are operable to display data generated at said one or more locations during execution of the graphical program;
• generating a hardware description in response to the graphical program, wherein the hardware description indicates use of a time stamp generation circuit;
• configuring a programmable hardware element utilizing the hardware description, wherein the configured programmable hardware element includes at least one time stamp generation circuit for implementing probing in the configured programmable hardware element.

A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring an instrument to perform measurement functions, wherein the instrument includes a programmable hardware element, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer to implement:

• creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program implements a measurement function, wherein said creating includes:
• inserting a probe at a location in the graphical program, wherein the probe is operable to display data generated at the location during execution of the graphical program;
• generating a hardware description based on at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein the hardware description indicates use of a probe element;
• and
• configuring the programmable hardware element in the instrument utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured programmable hardware element, wherein the configured programmable hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein the configured programmable hardware element includes the probe element for implementing probing in the configured programmable hardware element.