Data acquisition system which includes remote access to data acquisition devices

摘要

A remote device access (RDA) feature for enabling access and control of remote devices in a data acquisition (DAQ) system. The data acquisition system comprises at least one client computer system executing a client DAQ application. The data acquisition system also comprises one or more server computer systems coupled to the client computer system through a network, wherein each server computer includes a data acquisition device which is controllable by the client DAQ application. The RDA method comprises the client DAQ application making a call to access the remote DAQ device in the server computer. In response to a determination that the call is intended for a remote DAQ device (the identical call could be intended for a local DAQ device), the call is then packaged into one or more packets and transferred to the server computer. The packets are preferably transferred using a remote procedure call (RPC). The server computer receives the one or more packets and unpackages the one or more packets to produce the call. The call is then provided to DAQ driver software executing in the server computer. The DAQ driver software executing in the server computer executes the call, i.e., performs a DAQ function using the DAQ device in response to the call, and generates result data. The result data is then transferred to the client computer, and the client application receives the result data.