Non-invasive software update apparatus

This apparatus makes use of the existing data collection probe connector on the instrumentation as the port through which the software updates are loaded into the programmable memory devices that are used to store the operational software of the instrumentation. Circuitry is provided in the instrumentation to automatically differentiate between software update data being loaded into the instrumentation and the normal monitoring data that is received from the probe. This is accomplished by the use of probe defining circuitry that is able to differentiate between the standard probe used for data collection purposes and the software update probe that is provided to download software into the programmable memory devices.