PC-supervised intelligent VXI instruments used for battery testing

A battery discharge test system designed for Ultralife Batteries Quality Control department used intelligent VXI instrumentation to make the system cost effective, flexible, and easy for operators to use. Four VXI mainframes, each running a paced measurement and storage program internally, are connected to a PC using the IEEE 488 interface (HP-IB). The PC plays a supervisory and display role in this system. It periodically gathers the instruments accumulated data, organizes it into a data base, and displays graphs and status tables for test operators to view the test progress. However, the actual measurement, control, timing, and data storage functions take place entirely within the individual VXI mainframes through the use of internal HP Instrument BASIC programs