Keysight Technologies, Inc.
System for discovering the capabilities of instruments connected to a data processing system

Abstract:

A method for operating a data processing system to discover the attributes of instruments in a set of instruments connected thereto is disclosed. The method causes the data processing system to determine all instruments in the set of instruments connected thereto by sending a first query on each communication link connected to the data processing system. The data processing system receives a response that identifies one of the instruments and a model identification code for that instrument. The data processing system retrieves model configuration information from an instrument catalog database attached to the data processing system based on the manufacturer's catalog information. The model configuration information includes an option that is available on the one of the instruments having the manufacturer's catalog information and a query that will cause that instrument to provide information on whether that option is installed on the one of the instruments.