System and method for interactive instrument operation and automation

1. A method, comprising:

providing a user interface to a user via a display device and a user input device associated with a computer, the user interface displaying one or more objects representing a corresponding one or more instruments that are connected to the computer;

receiving from a user a selection of one of the one or more instruments, the selection being made via the user interface;

obtaining at the computer a file that describes commands to which the selected instrument responds; and

presenting to the user via the user interface an indication of the commands to which the selected instrument responds;

receiving from the user a selection of one of the commands via the user interface;

sending the selected command from the computer to the selected instrument to instruct the selected instrument to perform some operation;

receiving a response generated by the selected instrument in response to the selected command; and

displaying to the user via the user interface an indication of the response to the selected command.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining at the computer a file that describes commands to which the selected instrument responds comprises:

sending a standard command from the computer to the selected instrument to request the file describing commands to which the selected instrument responds;

receiving at the computer from the selected instrument the file that describes the commands to which the selected instrument responds.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining at the computer a file that describes commands to which the selected instrument responds comprises retrieving the file from a mass storage system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the file is in an extended markup language (XML) format, and wherein the file describes Standard Commands for Programmable Instrumentation (SCPI) commands to which the selected instrument responds.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving from the user a selection of one of the commands via the user interface includes:

displaying to the user via the user interface a description of the selected command and at least one field for entering a parameter value for a parameter of the selected command; and

receiving from the user via the user interface the parameter value for the at least one parameter of the selected command.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one field for entering the parameter value for the parameter of the selected command is determined from parameter information for the selected command that is included in the file that describes the commands to which the selected instrument responds.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising checking a validity of the parameter value received from the user against validity rules for the parameter that are included in the file that describes the commands to which the selected instrument responds, and informing the user of an error when the parameter value received from the user is determined to be invalid.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from the user via the user interface a series of selections of the commands;

sending the selected commands from the computer to the selected instrument to instruct the selected instrument to perform some operations;

receiving one or more responses generated by the selected instrument in response to the selected commands;

displaying to the user via the user interface an indication of the one or more responses to the selected command; and

saving a list of the selected commands in a selected command file at the computer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two instruments are connected to the computer, the method further comprising:

receiving from the user a selection of a second one of the one or more instruments, made via the user interface;

sending the standard command from the computer to the second selected instrument to request a second file describing commands to which the second selected instrument responds;

receiving at the computer from the second selected instrument the second file that describes the commands to which the second selected instrument responds; and

presenting to the user via the user interface an indication of the commands to which the second selected instrument responds.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving from the user via the user interface a series of selections of the commands, including at least one command corresponding to the first selected instrument and at least one command corresponding to the second selected instrument;

sending each of the selected commands from the computer to the corresponding selected instrument to instruct the corresponding selected instrument to perform some operation;

receiving responses generated by the selected instruments in response to the selected commands;

displaying to the user via the user interface an indication of the responses to the selected commands; and

saving a list of the selected commands in a selected command file at the computer.

11. A system, comprising:

a display device;

a user input device;

a communication port; and

a processor configured to execute an algorithm comprising:

displaying on the display device indications of one or more Objects representing one or more corresponding instruments that are connected to the system via the communication port;

receiving from the user input device a user-selection of one of the one or more instruments;

obtaining at the system a file that describes commands to which the selected instrument responds;

displaying on the display device an indication of the commands to which the selected instrument responds;

receiving from the user input device a user selection of one of the commands;

sending the selected command via the communication port to the selected instrument to instruct the selected instrument to perform some operation;

receiving at the communication port front the selected instrument a response generated by the selected instrument in response to the selected command; and

displaying on the display device an indication of the response to the selected command.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system further includes a memory device, and wherein algorithm is embodied in processor-executable instructions stored in the memory device.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein receiving from the user a selection of one of the commands via the user interface includes:

displaying on the display device a description of the selected command and at least one field for entering a parameter value for a parameter of the selected command; and

receiving from the user input device the parameter value for the parameter of the selected command.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one field for entering the parameter value for the parameter of the selected command is determined from parameter information for the selected command that is included in the file that describes the commands to which the selected instrument responds.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein receiving from the user a selection of one of the commands via the user interface includes checking a validity of the parameter value received from the user against validity rules for the parameter that are included in the file that describes the commands to which the selected instrument responds, and informing the user of an error when the parameter value received from the user is determined to be invalid.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system further includes a memory device, and wherein the algorithm further comprises:

receiving from the user input device a series of user-selections of the commands;

sending the selected commands via the communication port to the selected instrument to instruct the selected instrument to perform some operations;

receiving at the communication port from the selected instrument one or more responses generated by the selected instrument in response to the selected commands;

displaying via the display device an indication of the one or more responses to the selected command; and

saving a list of the selected commands in a selected command file in the memory device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least two instruments are connected to the system, and wherein the algorithm further comprises:

receiving from the user input device a selection of a second one of the one or more instruments, made via the user input device;

sending the standard command via the communication port to the second selected instrument to request a second file describing commands to which the second selected instrument responds;

receiving at the communication port from the second selected instrument the second file that describes the commands to which the second selected instrument responds; and

displaying on the display device an indication of the commands to which the second selected instrument responds.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the system further includes a memory device, and wherein the algorithm further comprises:

receiving from the user input device a series of selections of the commands, including at least one command corresponding to the first selected instrument and at least one command corresponding to the second selected instrument;

sending each of the selected commands via the communication port to the corresponding selected instrument to instruct the corresponding selected instrument to perform some operation;

receiving at the communication port from the selected instrument responses generated by the selected instruments in response to the selected commands;

displaying on the display device an indication of the responses to the selected commands; and

saving a list of the selected commands in a selected command file in the memory device.