Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-01
2002-05-28
Dela Torre, Crescelle N. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C702S057000, C702S066000, C702S067000, C702S068000, C702S117000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06396517
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to signal measurement systems and, more particularly, to generating trigger definitions in a signal measurement system.
2. Related Art
Analyzers and testers are commonly available to assist in the development, manufacturing and troubleshooting of complex digital electronic/software devices and integrated circuits having incorporated therein microprocessors, random-access memories (RAM), read-only memories (ROM), and other circuits. Such analyzers and testers, generally referred to as signal measurement systems include logic analyzers, digital oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, microprocessor emulators, bit error rate testers, network analyzers, among other instruments. Logic analyzers in particular have emerged for this purpose and are commercially available from a number of vendors, such as Hewlett-Packard Company, Tektronix, Inc., and others.
Logic analyzers are digital data acquisition instruments that allow an operator to acquire and display digital signal data from a large number of logic signals (“signals”), such as those that travel over address, data and control lines of a device under test (DUT). A device under test may include one or more separately packaged devices such as those noted above as well as other circuits and devices.
The signals are acquired from the device under test on hardwired lines referred to as channels. The channels may be physically assembled into groups commonly referred to as pods. The received signals are sampled and digitized to form signal data. Digitizing typically includes comparing a voltage magnitude of each logic signal sample to a reference voltage to determine the logic state of the signal. Sampling may occur at one of a number of selectable rates, depending on the frequency at which the sampled signals change logic states. The resultant signal data are stored, under the control of a sampling clock, in a signal data memory generally having a fixed size. The data are typically stored in a sequential manner such that consecutive signal samples are stored in consecutive memory locations. Due to the quantity of signal data, signal data memory is commonly implemented as a wrap-around buffer.
Selection of the signal data to be subsequently presented on a display is determined by an operator-defined trigger specification. The trigger specification (also referred to as a trigger set-up) is specified generally by a trigger definition, and a number of parameters collectively referred to herein as trigger control parameters or, simply, trigger controls. The trigger definition identifies the occurrences that result in signal data being stored. The trigger controls identify the characteristics of the captured signal data including, for example, the relative position of the occurrence defined by the trigger definition and the signal data to be stored. A predetermined quantity of signal data occurring before and after the specified occurrence is then stored in memory for subsequent analysis.
A trigger definition, also referred to as a trigger sequence, is comprised of one or more trigger sequence levels. Each sequence level may include any number of trigger branches each of which sets forth a branch condition that causes the logic analyzer to execute the action defined in that trigger branch. Such execution results in the storage of signal data or further processing of a subsequent sequence level. The final branch condition that causes the acquisition of signal data is commonly referred to as a trigger condition.
Branch conditions are specified by the occurrence of one or more events. An event is defined as an occurrence of certain characteristics or properties of a signal, such as a rising or falling edge of a signal, a logic high or logic low signal state, etc. Events may also be defined based on internal resources, such internal timers, counters, etc. Typically, a branch condition specifies a number of events that occur simultaneously or in a relative time sequence.
After the trigger specification is specified, the operator can perform a measurement; that is, initiate acquisition of signal samples. When signal data capture is initiated, the signal data is compared to the specified trigger definition. When the trigger definition is satisfied, signal data is captured in accordance with the specified trigger controls and stored in signal data memory. Subsequently, the signal data memory may be sequentially accessed and signal data memory displayed.
Constructing a trigger definition can be very complicated and time consuming. Conventionally, trigger definitions are expressed in an esoteric trigger programming language. Learning such a programming language is often difficult; proficiency often requires many years of practice. However, even with such proficiency and knowledge, formulation of even simple trigger definitions still requires considerable time and effort due to the complexity of the programming language. In other words, such programming languages, although suited for development of complicated trigger definitions, are burdensome to developing simple and complicated trigger definitions alike.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an integrated trigger function display system and methodology for trigger definition development in a signal measurement system having a graphical user interface. The present invention contemporaneously displays one or more trigger function names and an associated trigger function descriptor describing a trigger function identified by the associated trigger function name. The trigger name is displayed in a trigger name display region of a display window that concurrently displays a plurality of trigger function names. The descriptor is contemporaneously displayed in a trigger descriptor region of the display window so as to be visually-associated with the associated trigger name by the operator.
A trigger definition is comprised of one or more trigger functions. Each trigger function is a graphical representation of an underlying one or more trigger primitives. A trigger primitive is translated into a form suitable for controlling the signal measurement system. Trigger primitives comprise one or more trigger branches used to form a sequence level of the trigger definition. For a selected trigger function, either the trigger function or its underlying trigger primitives are displayed in a trigger definition region of the display window for editing by the operator. Preferably, multiple such trigger functions or primitives may be selected and displayed in a trigger definition region on the display window simultaneously or sequentially to form a desired trigger definition.
A number of aspects of the invention are summarized below, along with different embodiments of each of the summarized aspects. It should be understood that the embodiments are not necessarily inclusive or exclusive of each other and may be combined in any manner that is non-conflicting and otherwise possible, whether they be presented in association with a same or different aspect of the invention. It should also be understood that these summarized aspects of the invention are exemplary only and are considered to be non-limiting.
In one aspect of the invention, an integrated trigger function display system for trigger definition development in a signal measurement system having a graphical user interface is disclosed. The trigger function display system is constructed and arranged to contemporaneously display in a visually-associated manner a trigger function name and an associated trigger function descriptor. The trigger function name identifies an associated trigger function while the descriptor provides additional description of the trigger function identified by the associated trigger function name. The trigger name is displayed in a trigger name region of a display window that concurrently displays a plurality of trigger function names. The descriptor is displayed in a trigger descriptor region of display window. In one embodiment, a trigge
Beck Douglas James
Griggs Clarence Keith
Haeffele Jeffrey John
Roeca Jeffrey Erickson
Samuels Mason Bradfield
Agilent Technologie,s Inc.
Dela Torre Crescelle N.
Nguyen Thomas T.
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