usbtmc-lite-mcp 0.1.0

MCP server for controlling USBTMC (USB Test and Measurement Class) instruments

USBTMC MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for controlling multiple USBTMC (USB Test and Measurement Class) devices simultaneously using SCPI commands.

Features

• Multi-Device Support: Connect and control up to 16 instruments at once.
• Unified Interface: Use standard SCPI commands via a simplified MCP toolset.
• Keysight Support: Includes specialized tools to unlock Keysight modular instruments from firmware mode to USBTMC mode.
• Screenshot Capture: Take screenshots from Keysight/Agilent and Tektronix oscilloscopes.
• State Management: Automatic tracking of device IDs and connection states.

Requirements

• Python >= 3.13

Windows Additional Setup

This project uses libUSB as a backend for USB communication. On Windows, you need to install a compatible USB driver for your device using Zadig.

1. Download and run Zadig
2. Select your target USB device from the dropdown (enable Options → List All Devices if it does not appear)
3. Select WinUSB as the driver and click Replace Driver

Note: Replacing the driver will remove the device's original functionality (e.g., HID recognition). To restore it, uninstall the driver from Device Manager and reconnect the device.

Installation

Using uv (recommended):

uv pip install usbtmc-lite-mcp

Or via pip:

pip install usbtmc-lite-mcp

Or from source:

git clone https://github.com/NaoNaoMe/usbtmc-lite-mcp.git
cd usbtmc-lite-mcp
uv sync

Configuration

Claude Desktop Config

Add the server to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "usbtmc-lite-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "usbtmc-lite-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Tools Overview

Connection

• usbtmc_list_devices: Scan the USB bus for available USBTMC instruments.
• usbtmc_list_connected_devices: List all currently active device connections.
• usbtmc_connect: Establish a connection to a specific device (returns a device_id).
• usbtmc_disconnect: Close the connection to a device.

Communication

• usbtmc_query: Send a SCPI query (e.g., *IDN?) and receive the response.
• usbtmc_send: Send a SCPI command.
• usbtmc_receive: Manually reads the response.
• usbtmc_clear: Clear device buffers and reset communication state.

Keysight / Tektronix Utilities

• usbtmc_unlock_keysight_devices: Switch Keysight modular instruments to USBTMC mode.
• usbtmc_screenshot_keysight_display: Capture a screenshot from a Keysight/Agilent oscilloscope.
• usbtmc_screenshot_tektronix_display: Capture a screenshot from a Tektronix oscilloscope.

Example Workflow

1. List Devices: Call usbtmc_list_devices to find your instrument's serial number.
2. Connect: Call usbtmc_connect with the serial_number. It will return a device_id (e.g., 0).
3. Identify: Call usbtmc_query with device_id: 0 and command: "*IDN?".
4. Configure: Call usbtmc_send to set parameters.
5. Disconnect: Call usbtmc_disconnect when finished.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for details.