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A system and method for configuring a hardware device to execute a prototype is presented. The hardware device may include a programmable hardware element and/or a processor and memory. The prototype may comprise a software entity operable to perform a plurality of executable operations, wherein the

A system and method for configuring a hardware device to execute a prototype is presented. The hardware device may include a programmable hardware element and/or a processor and memory. The prototype may comprise a software entity operable to perform a plurality of executable operations, wherein the prototype is created by a user without requiring user programming. For example, a prototyping environment may provide a library of operations that are specific to a particular problem domain and may enable the user to select various operations from the library for inclusion in the prototype. The prototyping environment may include a graphical user interface that is streamlined for interactively experimenting with various parameters or properties associated with the selected operations and seeing the effects of adjusting the parameters.

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1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a hardware device, the method comprising: utilizing a computer to perform: displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in a prototyping environment that provides access to a set of operations, wherein the prototyping environment enables the user to cr

1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a hardware device, the method comprising: utilizing a computer to perform: displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in a prototyping environment that provides access to a set of operations, wherein the prototyping environment enables the user to create prototypes without requiring the user to write code in a programming language;receiving user input to the GUI specifying a prototype by selecting a sequence of operations from the set of operations, wherein the prototype comprises the specified sequence of operations, and wherein the prototype does not include programming code;automatically generating a graphical program based on the prototype, wherein, when executed, the graphical program implements functionality specified by the prototype, wherein the graphical program comprises graphical source code in the form of a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate the functionality of the graphical program, wherein said automatically generating the graphical program based on the prototype comprises automatically including the nodes in the graphical program without direct user input selecting and interconnecting the nodes during said generating; andconfiguring the hardware device to execute at least a portion of the generated graphical program by deploying the at least a portion of the graphical program to the hardware device, wherein said configuring comprises configuring the hardware device to implement at least a portion of the specified sequence of operations. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: modifying the generated program in response to user input after generating the graphical program;wherein said deploying comprises deploying at least a portion of the modified graphical program on the hardware device. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hardware device includes a processor and a memory;wherein said deploying at least a portion of the graphical program on the hardware device comprises transferring the at least a portion of the graphical program to the memory on the hardware device;wherein the method further comprises the processor in the hardware device executing the at least a portion of the graphical program from the memory. 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hardware device includes a programmable hardware element;wherein said deploying at least a portion of the graphical program on the hardware device comprises:generating a hardware description based on the at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program; andconfiguring the programmable hardware element in the hardware device utilizing the hardware description, wherein after said configuring, the programmable hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program. 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hardware device includes a processor and a memory and a programmable hardware element;wherein said deploying at least a portion of the graphical program on the hardware device comprises: transferring a first portion of the graphical program to the memory on the hardware device;generating a hardware description based on a second portion of the program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the program; andconfiguring the programmable hardware element in the hardware device utilizing the hardware description, wherein after said configuring, the programmable hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the second portion of the program. 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising: the processor in the hardware device executing the first portion of the graphical program from the memory; andthe programmable hardware element in the hardware device executing the second portion of the graphical program. 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first portion of the graphical program is operable to perform one or more operations of the prototype and wherein the second portion of the graphical program comprises a control portion. 8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first portion of the graphical program comprises a control portion, and wherein the second portion of the graphical program is operable to perform one or more operations of the prototype. 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program includes a user interface;wherein the method further comprises displaying the user interface on a display during execution of the graphical program by the hardware device. 10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising: receiving user input to the user interface on the display to control the hardware device during execution of the graphical program by the hardware device. 11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said displaying the graphical user interface and said receiving the user input to the graphical user interface are performed by a first computer system;wherein the hardware device is coupled to the first computer system over a network; andwherein said configuring the hardware device to execute at least a portion of the prototype comprises the first computer system deploying the at least a portion of the prototype over the network to the hardware device. 12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving user input to the graphical user interface for configuring one or more of the operations in the prototype. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said receiving user input to the graphical user interface for configuring one or more of the operations in the prototype does not include receiving user input specifying programming language code to configure the operations. 14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising: for each operation to be configured, displaying a graphical panel including graphical user interface elements for setting properties of the operation and receiving user input to the graphical panel to set one or more properties of the operation. 15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of operations comprises a sequence of image processing operations that implement an image processing function;wherein the hardware device is an image acquisition device;wherein said configuring comprises configuring the image acquisition device to perform the image processing function. 16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of operations comprises a sequence of motion control operations that implement a motion control function;wherein the hardware device is a motion control device;wherein said configuring the hardware device to execute at least a portion of the prototype comprises configuring the motion control device to perform the motion control function. 17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising: the motion control device executing the motion control function to control movement of an object. 18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising: the motion control device acquiring an image of the object;the motion control device analyzing the image;wherein the motion control device controlling movement of the object is based on said analyzing the image. 19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of operations comprises a sequence of data acquisition (DAQ) operations that implement a data acquisition function;wherein the hardware device is a DAQ device;wherein said configuring the hardware device to execute at least a portion of the prototype comprises configuring the DAQ device to perform the data acquisition function. 20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising: the DAQ device executing the data acquisition function to acquire measurement data from an object. 21. A non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium that stores instruction executable by a processor to: display a graphical user interface (GUI) in a prototyping environment that provides access to a set of operations, wherein the prototyping environment enables the user to create prototypes without requiring the user to write code in a programming language;receive user input to the GUI specifying a prototype by selecting a sequence of operations from the set of operations, wherein the prototype comprises the specified sequence of operations, and wherein the prototype does not include programming code;automatically generate a graphical program based on the prototype, wherein, when executed, the graphical program implements functionality specified by the prototype, wherein the graphical program comprises graphical source code in the form of a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate the functionality of the graphical program, wherein to automatically generate the graphical program based on the prototype, the program instructions are operable to automatically including the nodes in the graphical program without receiving direct user input selecting and interconnecting the nodes during generation; andconfigure the hardware device to execute at least a portion of the generated graphical program by deploying the at least a portion of the graphical program to the hardware device, wherein said configuring comprises configuring the hardware device to implement at least a portion of the specified sequence of operations. 22. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 21, wherein the hardware device includes a processor and a memory;wherein to deploy at least a portion of the graphical program on the hardware device, the program instructions are operable to transfer the at least a portion of the graphical program to the memory on the hardware device;wherein the processor in the hardware device is operable to execute the at least a portion of the graphical program from the memory. 23. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 21, wherein the hardware device includes a programmable hardware element;wherein to deploy at least a portion of the graphical program on the hardware device, the program instructions are operable to:generate a hardware description based on the at least a portion of the program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the program; andconfigure the programmable hardware element in the hardware device utilizing the hardware description, wherein after said configuration, the programmable hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the program. 24. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 21, wherein the generated graphical program implements the sequence of operations in the prototype. 25. A system comprising: a computer system comprising a processor, memory, and a display;a hardware device coupled to the computer system, wherein the hardware device includes a functional unit that is configurable based on a program;wherein the memory of the computer system stores prototyping software that enables the user to create prototypes without requiring the user to write code in a programming language, wherein the prototyping software is operable to: receive user input specifying a prototype; andstore the prototype, wherein the prototype comprises a sequence of operations, and wherein the prototype does not include programming code;wherein the memory of the computer system also stores software executable to automatically generate a graphical program based on the prototype, wherein, when executed, the generated graphical program implements functionality of the prototype, wherein the graphical program comprises graphical source code in the form of a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate the functionality of the program, wherein the software executable to automatically generate the graphical program based on the prototype does not require receiving direct user input selecting and interconnecting the nodes during generation;wherein the memory of the computer system also stores software executable to configure the functional unit of the hardware device based on the generated graphical program. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein the generated graphical program implements the sequence of operations in the prototype.