Instrument-based distributed computing systems

Abstract

An instrument-based distributed computing system is disclosed that accelerates the measurement, analysis, verification and validation of data in a distributed computing environment. A large computing work can be performed in a distributed fashion using the instrument-based distributed system. The instrument-based distributed system may include a client that creates a job. The job may include one or more tasks. The client may distribute a portion of the job to one or more remote workers on a network. The client may reside in an instrument. One or more workers may also reside in instruments. The workers execute the received portion of the job and may return execution results to the client. As such, the present invention allows the use of instrument-based distributed system on a network to conduct the job and facilitate decreasing the time for executing the job.

1 . A method for executing a technical computing job in a distributed fashion in an instrument-based distributed computing system, the method comprising:
 providing, using a technical computing client, a technical computing job, the technical computing client being a first instrument;   distributing the technical computing job to a plurality of technical computing workers, the plurality of technical computing workers including a first technical computing worker and a second technical computing worker, the distributing comprising:
 sending a first portion of the technical computing job to the first technical computing worker for execution, and 
 sending a second portion of the technical computing job to the second technical computing worker for execution; and 
   receiving a first execution result from the first technical computing worker and a second execution result from the second technical computing worker.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of technical computing workers is a second instrument. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second instrument has a technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second instrument comprises test equipment and the technical computing job comprises a test for testing a unit under test. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the test equipment accelerates execution of a measurement, analysis, verification or validation of the test. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the test includes one or more test steps for testing a textual program, a graphical program a function provided in a software tool, or a hardware device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first instrument includes technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a local area network interface for the first instrument, the local area network interface allowing the first instrument to communicate with the plurality of technical computing workers over the local area network.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distributing comprises:
 sending the first portion of the technical computing job to the first technical computing worker using a distributed array, and   sending the second portion of the technical computing job to the second technical computing using the distributed array.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first technical computing worker or the second technical computing worker performs an operation on the portion of the distributed array. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second instrument performs technical computations using a graphics processing unit (GPU). 
     
     
         12 . A method for executing a technical computing job in a distributed fashion in an instrument-based distributed computing system, the method comprising:
 receiving, using a technical computing worker, a portion of a technical computing job, the technical computing worker being a first instrument;   executing the received portion of the technical computing job, the executing generating an execution result; and   sending the execution result to a technical computing client.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first instrument has a technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 providing a local area network interface for the first instrument, the local area network interface allowing the first instrument to communicate with the technical computing client over the local area network.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first instrument performs technical computations for executing the received portion of the technical computing job using a graphics processing unit (GPU). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the technical computing client is a second instrument. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second instrument has a technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first instrument comprises test equipment and the technical computing job comprises a test for testing a unit under test. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the test equipment accelerates execution of a measurement, analysis, verification or validation of the test. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the test includes one or more test steps for testing a textual program, a graphical program a function provided in a software tool or a hardware device. 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable in an electronic instrument for executing a technical computing job in a distributed fashion in an instrument-based distributed computing system, the medium storing one or more instructions for:
 providing, using a technical computing client, a technical computing job, the technical computing client being a first instrument;   distributing the technical computing job to a plurality of technical computing workers, the plurality of technical computing workers including a first technical computing worker and a second technical computing worker, the distributing comprising:
 sending a first portion of the technical computing job to the first technical computing worker for execution, and 
 sending a second portion of the technical computing job to the second technical computing worker for execution; and 
   receiving a first execution result from the first technical computing worker and a second execution result from the second technical computing worker.   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the plurality of technical computing workers is a second instrument. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 22 , wherein the second instrument has a technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 22 , wherein the second instrument comprises test equipment and the technical computing job comprises a test for testing a unit under test. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 24 , wherein the test equipment accelerates a measurement, analysis, verification or validation of the test. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 24 , wherein the test includes one or more test steps for testing a textual program, a graphical program a function provided in a software tool or a hardware device. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the first instrument has a technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 21 , further storing one or more instructions for:
 providing a local area network interface for the first instrument, the local area network interface allowing the first instrument to communicate with the plurality of technical computing workers over the local area network.   
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more instructions of distributing comprises one or more instructions for:
 sending the first portion of the technical computing job to the first technical computing worker using a distributed array, and   sending the second portion of the technical computing job to the second technical computing worker using the distributed array.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 29 , wherein the first technical computing worker or the second technical computing worker performs an operation on the portion of the distributed array. 
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the second instrument performs technical computations using a graphics processing unit (GPU). 
     
     
         32 . A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable in an electronic instrument for executing a technical computing job in a distributed fashion in an instrument-based distributed computing system, the medium storing one or more instructions for:
 receiving, using a technical computing worker, a portion of a technical computing job, the technical computing worker being a first instrument;   executing the received portion of the technical computing job, the executing generating an execution result; and   sending the execution result to a technical computing client.   
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 32 , wherein the first instrument has a technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 32 , further storing one or more instructions for:
 providing a local area network interface for the first instrument, the local area network interface allowing the first instrument to communicate with the technical computing client over the local area network.   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 32  wherein the first instrument performs technical computations for executing the received portion of the technical computing job using a graphics processing unit (GPU). 
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 32 , wherein the technical computing client is a second instrument. 
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 36 , wherein the second instrument has a technical computing functionality and an instrumentation functionality for making a measurement. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 32 , wherein the first instrument comprises test equipment and the technical computing job comprises a test for testing a unit under test. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 38 , wherein the test equipment accelerates a measurement, analysis, verification or validation of the test. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 38 , wherein the test includes one or more test steps for testing a textual program, a graphical program a function provided in a software tool or a hardware device. 
     
     
         41 . An instrument for executing at least a portion of a technical computing job in a distributed fashion, the instrument comprising:
 a processor for:
 receiving at least a portion of the technical computing job from a technical computing client, 
 executing the received portion of the technical computing job, the executing generating an execution result, and 
 sending the execution result to the technical computing client over a network. 
   
     
     
         42 . An instrument for processing a technical computing job in a distributed fashion, the instrument comprising:
 a processor for:
 providing the technical computing job, 
 sending a first portion of the technical computing job to a first technical computing worker for execution, 
 sending a second portion of the technical computing job to a second technical computing worker for execution; and 
 receiving a first execution result from the first technical computing worker and a second execution result from the second technical computing worker.