Determination and rendering of scan groups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10462541-B2
Application number	US-201715469379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 24, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

The determination and rendering of scan groups for channels configured to acquire data from test and measurement devices in a data acquisition system is disclosed. Based on the particular scan configuration for the data acquisition system, scan groups may be determined for channels in a scan list based on the channel settings, such as measurement type, for example. The data acquisition system renders a graphical scan summary of the channels in the scan list according to their determined scan groups on a display, allowing a user to quickly review the scan configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for configuring a scan for a test and measurement device, the method comprising:
receiving, into a memory of the test and measurement device, a scan list of channels to be included in the scan;
receiving, into the memory of the test and measurement device, channel settings for each channel in the scan list;
comparing, with a comparator of the test and measurement device, the channel settings for each channel in the scan list;
generating, with a processor of the test and measurement device, a group assignment for each channel in the scan list, the group assignment generated based on the channel settings for each channel; and
rendering a graphical summary of the scan on a display of the test and measurement device, the graphical summary including one or more group icons representing each group assignment for the scan list.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, with the processor of the test and measurement device, a subgroup assignment for each channel in the scan list, the subgroup assignment generated based on the group assignment and the channel settings for each channel; and
rendering the graphical summary of the scan on the display, the graphical summary further including a subgroup icon adjacent each group icon representing channels with differing subgroup assignments.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the subgroup assignment for each channel comprises generating the subgroup assignment based on the channel settings related to maximum, minimum, and label.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein comparing the channel settings for each channel comprises comparing a difference, between non-identical channel settings, against a divergence threshold, and wherein generating the subgroup assignment comprises generating non-identical subgroup assignments when the difference is greater than the divergence threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the group assignment for each channel comprises generating the group assignment based on the channel settings related to measurement type, range, transducer type, and measurement length.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the group assignment for each channel comprises generating the group assignment based on the channel settings related to measurement type.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the scan list of channels comprises receiving the channels from the memory based on manual interactions with the test and measurement device during a debug mode.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the channel settings for each channel comprises receiving the channels settings from the memory based on manual interactions with the test and measurement device during a debug mode.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the scan list of channels comprises receiving the scan list of channels through a remote bus.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the channel settings for each channel comprises receiving the channel settings through a remote bus.

11. A data acquisition system for scanning channels and storing measurements, the data acquisition system comprising:
one or more channel inputs to receive measurement signals according to channel;
a memory to store a scan list of channels selected for a scan, channel settings for each channel in the scan list, and measurements according to the measurement signals received through the one or more channel inputs;
a processor, in communication with the memory, to generate a scan configuration, the scan configuration including:
the scan list of channels, and
a set of groups of channels in the scan list, each group, in the set of groups, generated by the processor based on the channel settings for each channel in the scan list; and

a display, in communication with the processor, to render the set of groups of the scan configuration.

12. The data acquisition system of claim 11 , in which the scan configuration further includes:
a set of subgroups of channels within each group of the scan configuration, each subgroup, in the set of subgroups, generated by the processor based on the channel settings for each channel within the group; and
a subgroup indication, rendered on the display, adjacent each rendered group containing a set of subgroups with multiple subgroups.

13. The data acquisition system of claim 12 , wherein the set of subgroups generated based on the channel settings related to maximum, minimum, and label.

14. The data acquisition system of claim 12 , further comprising a comparator for outputting a divergence signal to the processor upon determining that a difference, between non-identical channel settings, is greater than a divergence threshold, the processor further configured to, upon receiving the divergence signal from the comparator, generate non-identical subgroups for the channels with non-identical channel settings within the group.

15. The data acquisition system of claim 11 , wherein the set of groups is generated based on the channel settings related to measurement type, range, transducer type, and measurement length.

16. The data acquisition system of claim 15 , wherein the set of groups is generated based on the channel settings related to measurement type.

17. The data acquisition system of claim 11 , wherein the scan list of channels is stored in the memory based on manual interactions with the data acquisition system during a debug mode.

18. The data acquisition system of claim 11 , wherein the channel settings for each channel are stored in the memory based on manual interactions with the data acquisition system during a debug mode.

19. The data acquisition system of claim 11 , wherein the scan list of channels is received through a remote bus.

20. The data acquisition system of claim 11 , wherein the channel settings for each channel are received through a remote bus.

Assignees

• Keithley Instruments

Inventors

• Frackelton Brian P
• Polly George J
• Kizlik Lawrence J

Classifications

• H04Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• G06F3/0483

  Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• G01R31/00 Primary

  Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere ({measuring superconductive properties G01R33/1238;} testing line transmission systems H04B3/46; testing or measuring semiconductors or solid state devices during manufacture {H10P74/00}) · CPC title