IVI instrument driver guided tour

Test engineers are constantly challenged to reduce the costs and time associated with developing new test systems, while they strive to improve throughput, test coverage, and quality. Test software design and development often represents a significant portion of overall test system development time and cost. Therefore, any component, tool, or technique that minimizes the test system development effort required has value in meeting the challenge. Many instrument manufacturers and T&M software vendors now provide IVI instrument drivers designed to help test engineers incorporate their equipment and software into test systems. IVI drivers are the latest industry effort to provide an improved interface between test software and test instruments. Building on SCPI and VXIPnP drivers, IVI drivers offer features and functions with real potential to address test system development challenges. However, IVI drivers aren't appropriate for every situation; realizing the full potential of the improvements incorporated in them requires a good understanding of driver architecture, features, and functions. This paper provides a guided tour of IVI instrument drivers, designed to help test engineers understand how to obtain the maximum benefits from using them. First, the different styles of IVI drivers are described. The basic architecture of drivers is discussed, as well as guidelines for installing, configuring, and using them. Techniques for optimizing performance, evaluating tradeoffs, and troubleshooting are described. The tour concludes with a discussion of more advanced topics, including simulation, multithreading, and extending and modifying driver functionality.