Method, apparatus and computer program product for implementing enhanced notification and control features in oscilloscopes

• US 20050060110A1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pfarr, Kerry Paul, Kubista, Peter Elias, Jones, Steven Paul, Schuelke, Brian Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/67
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/029 Software therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/20 Cathode-ray oscilloscopes

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope. User selected notification options and user selected control options are stored. When a predefined event is identified, the user selected notification options are used for notifying a remote user of the identified predefined event. The user selected control options are used for receiving user selections enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings. The user can be notified with a telephone call, an email or a pager text message and the user can change operational settings using a telephone call or an email containing commands.

Claims

1. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope comprising the steps of:

receiving user selected notification options and user selected control options;

identifying a predefined event;

using said user selected notification options, notifying a remote user of said identified predefined event; and

using said user selected control options, receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

2. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of identifying a predefined event includes the step of identifying a user selected trigger event.

3. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 further includes the steps of identifying a predefined call in event;

and using said user selected control options, receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

4. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 3 includes identifying a user entered password before receiving said user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

5. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 further includes the steps of identifying a predefined email event;

accepting said email and using said user selected control options, executing command requests in said email for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

6. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of receiving user selected notification options includes the steps of receiving user selections of one or more of a predefined set of user selected telephone, email, and pager options, telephone numbers, email addresses, and a list of predefined items to be sent to the user.

7. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of receiving user selected control options includes the steps of receiving user selections of one or more of a predefined set of telephone commands, a predefined set of email commands, a telephone password, and an email password.

8. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of using said user selected notification options, notifying said remote user of said identified predefined event includes the steps of identifying a user selected telephone number, calling said user selected telephone number, and giving a message to the user including a predefined list of items.

9. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of using said user selected notification options, notifying said remote user of said identified predefined event includes the steps of identifying a user selected email option, sending an email to the user including a predefined list of items.

10. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of using said user selected notification options, notifying said remote user of said identified predefined event includes the steps of identifying a user selected pager option, calling a user selected pager telephone number, and sending a text message to the user.

11. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of using said user selected control options, receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings includes the steps of receiving user selections for one or more of a channel selection for the oscilloscope, a trigger level change, and a trigger edge change.

12. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of using said user selected control options, receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings includes the steps of receiving user selections of contact options to change one or more of a telephone number, an email list, and a pager list.

13. A method for implementing enhanced notification and control features as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of using said user selected control options, receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings includes the steps of receiving user selections to change one or more of a plurality of oscilloscope settings including graphics settings and a list of commands with current settings.

14. A computer program product for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope system, said computer program product including instructions executed by the oscilloscope system to cause the oscilloscope system to perform the steps of:

receiving user selected notification options and user selected control options;

identifying a predefined event;

using said user selected notification options, notifying a remote user of said identified predefined event; and

using said user selected control options, receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

15. A computer program product for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope system wherein said instructions executed by the oscilloscope system further cause the oscilloscope system to perform the steps of identifying a predefined call in event;

and using said user selected control options, receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

16. A computer program product for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope system wherein said instructions executed by the oscilloscope system further cause the oscilloscope system to perform the steps of identifying a predefined email event;

and using said user selected control options, executing command requests in said email for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

17. Apparatus for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope comprising:

memory for storing a notification and control program, user selected notification options and notification data and user selected control options and control data;

a processor operatively controlled by said notification and control program for identifying a predefined event;

using said user selected notification options and notification data, for notifying a remote user of said identified predefined event; and

using said user selected control options and control data, for receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings.

18. Apparatus for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope as recited in claim 17 wherein said user selected notification options and notification data includes one or more of a predefined set of user selected telephone, email, and pager options, telephone numbers, email addresses, and a list of predefined items to be sent to the user.

19. Apparatus for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope as recited in claim 17 wherein said user selected control options and control data includes one or more of a predefined set of telephone commands, a predefined set of email commands, a telephone password, and an email password.

20. Apparatus for implementing enhanced notification and control features in an oscilloscope as recited in claim 17 wherein said processor for receiving user selections for enabling the user to remotely control oscilloscope operational settings includes said processor for receiving user selections for one or more contact options to change one or more of a telephone number, an email list, and a pager list;

said processor for receiving user selections for one or more oscilloscope options to change one or more of a plurality of oscilloscope settings including graphics settings and a list of commands with current settings; and

said processor for receiving user selections for one or more trigger options to change one or more of an oscilloscope channel, a trigger level, and a trigger edge.