Operating instructions

Status Reporting System R&S ESCI
1166.6004.12 5.16 E-1
Command Recognition
The command recognition analyses the data received from the input unit. It proceeds in the order in
which it receives the data. Only a DCL is serviced with priority, a GET (Group Execute Trigger), e.g., is
only executed after the commands received before as well. Each recognized command is immediately
transferred to the instrument data base but without being executed there at once.
Syntactical errors in the command are recognized in the command recognition and supplied to the
status reporting system. The rest of a command line after a syntax error is analysed further if possible
and serviced.
If the command recognition recognizes a delimiter (<PROGRAM MESSAGE SEPARATOR> or
<PROGRAM MESSAGE TERMINATOR>) or a DCL, it requests the instrument data base to set the
commands in the instrument hardware as well now. Subsequently it is immediately prepared to process
commands again. This means for the command servicing that further commands can already be
serviced while the hardware is still being set ("overlapping execution").
Instrument Data Base and Instrument Hardware
Here the expression "instrument hardware" denotes the part of the instrument fulfilling the actual
instrument function - signal generation, measurement etc. The controller is not included.
The instrument data base is a detailed reproduction of the instrument hardware in the software.
IEC-bus setting commands lead to an alteration in the data set. The data base management enters the
new values (e.g. frequency) into the data base, however, only passes them on to the hardware when
requested by the command recognition.
The data are only checked for their compatibility among each other and with the instrument hardware
immediately before they are transmitted to the instrument hardware. If the detection is made that an
execution is not possible, an "execution error" is signalled to the status reporting system. The alteration
of the data base are cancelled, the instrument hardware is not reset.
IEC-bus queries induce the data base management to send the desired data to the output unit.
Status Reporting System
The status reporting system collects information on the instrument state and makes it available to the
output unit on request. The exact structure and function are described in Section 3.8