Test or measurement instrument and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11388204-B2
Application number	US-202016821027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2020
Priority date	Apr 30, 2019
Publication date	Jul 12, 2022
Grant date	Jul 12, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a test or measurement instrument, comprising a test unit, a memory, a display, a network interface and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to generate a machine-readable representation of data such as a QR code which comprises encoded address information of the data file stored in the memory. The processing unit is further configured to display the generated QR code on the display for enabling an external network device to download the stored data file via the network interface after having scanned the displayed QR code and decoded the address information encoded therein. The invention further relates to a method for enabling a network device to downloaded data stored in a test or measurement instrument.

First claim

I claim:

1. A test or measurement instrument, the test or measurement instrument comprising:
a test unit configured to test a device under test and further configured to provide at least one data file which is derived front the testing of the device under test,
a memory configured to store the at least one data file;
a display configured to display a machine-readable representation of data;
a network interface for connecting the test or measurement instrument to another network device; and
a processing unit connected to the display, the memory and the network interface, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a machine-readable representation of data which comprises encoded address information of the data file stored in the memory and wherein the processing unit is further configured to display the generated machine-readable representation of data on the display for enabling the network device to download the stored data file via the network interface after having scanned the displayed machine-readable representation of data and decoded the address information.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable representation of data is a barcode.

3. The instrument according to claim 2 wherein the machine-readable representation of data is a QR code.

4. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable representation of data contains address information of a web server.

5. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the network interface is a wireless interface.

6. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the processing unit is configured to setup a web server for establishing a network connection to the network device via the network interface.

7. The instrument of claim 6 wherein at least one of the web server or the client comprises a compression module and wherein the compression module is configured to compress the data to be uploaded via the network interface.

8. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the processing unit is configured to setup a client for establishing a network connection to an external web server via the network interface.

9. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the processing unit further comprises a timer and wherein the processing unit is further configured to display the generated machine-readable representation of data on the display only for a predetermined time.

10. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the stored data file comprises at least one of:
a graphical representation of a measurement or test signal;
test or measurement data derived from the measurement or test signal;
a test report;
reference waveforms;
setup information of the test or measurement instrument.

11. A method for enabling a network device or an external web service to downloaded data stored in a test or measurement instrument, the method comprising the steps of:
testing a device under:
providing at least one data file which is derived from the testing of the device under test, storing the at least one data file in the test or measurement instrument;
generating a machine-readable representation of data which comprises encoded address information of the stored data file;
displaying the generated machine-readable representation of data on a display of the test or measurement instrument;
scanning the displayed machine-readable representation of data using a separate optical scanning device;
decoding the address information contained in the scanned machine-readable representation of data by the scanning device; and
downloading the stored data file from the test or measurement instrument via a network interface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the separate optical scanning device is a smart phone.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the machine-readable representation of data is a barcode or a QR code.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the data file comprises at least one of:
a graphical representation of a measurement or test signal;
test or measurement data derived from the measurement or test signal;
setup information of the test or measurement instrument.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the machine-readable representation of data contains address information of a web server.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
setting up a web server for establishing a network connection to the network device via the network interface.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
setting up a client for establishing a network connection to the network device via the network interface.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the generated machine-readable representation of data is displayed only for a predetermined time.

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Mayet Ferdinand

Classifications

• G06K19/06028

  using bar codes · CPC title

• H04L65/1069 Primary

  Session establishment or de-establishment · CPC title

• G06K7/1417 Primary

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title