Network-based system for selecting or purchasing hardware products

• US 20060009944A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Correll, Jeffrey N., Shah, Mohammed Kamran, Sierer, Brian H., Fuller, David W. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/123
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/28 adapted for measuring in circuits having distributed constants
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

System and method for receiving purchase information for a client system, e.g., a measurement system. A configuration diagram visually representing a current configuration of the client system is displayed. Multiple product icons are displayed representing products (hardware and/or programs) available for use in the client system. User input is received graphically associating at least one first product icon with the configuration diagram, where the first product icon represents a first product, and the user input indicates a desire to purchase the first product. An updated configuration diagram is displayed representing the configuration of the client system after receiving the user input, including the first product icon. Pricing information for the first product is displayed in response to receiving the user input. User input initiating purchase of the first product may be received in response to displaying the pricing information, and the product may be provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a measurement system, the method comprising:

displaying a configuration diagram on a display that iconically represents a measurement system;

receiving user input selecting at least one device icon for inclusion in the configuration diagram, wherein the device icon corresponds to a measurement device;

providing information over a wide area network (WAN) based on the user input selecting the at least one device icon, wherein the information specifies the measurement device; and

providing the measurement device to the user in response to said information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to said receiving user input, modifying the configuration diagram to include the at least one device icon; and

displaying the modified configuration diagram on the display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment information from the user for purchase of the measurement device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing the measurement device to the user comprises:

determining if the user does not have the measurement device by;

determining installed measurement devices in the measurement system over the wide area network;

comparing the determined installed measurement devices to the measurement device to determine if the measurement device is not installed in the measurement system; and

if the user does not have the at least one measurement device, providing the measurement device to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying the configuration diagram on the display comprises:

displaying one or more device icons corresponding respectively to one or more measurement devices in the measurement system; and

displaying connections between the one or more device icons, wherein the displayed connections correspond to couplings between the one or more measurement devices in the measurement system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration diagram is comprised in a graphical user interface (GUI), the method further comprising:

receiving user input to the GUI specifying purchase of the measurement device; and

modifying the configuration diagram to reflect the purchase.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the modified configuration diagram reflecting the purchase comprises a virtual device icon representing the purchased measurement device, the method further comprising:

deploying the at least one measurement device to the measurement system; and

modifying the display of the configuration diagram representing the at least one measurement device to reflect said deploying.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said modifying the display of the configuration diagram comprises replacing the virtual device icon with the device icon.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said modifying the display of the configuration diagram representing the at least one measurement device to reflect said deploying comprises:

animating the configuration diagram to visually illustrate to the user the deployment of the at least one measurement device to the measurement system.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the measurement system includes a client computer system, the method further comprising:

prior to the manufacturer sending the at least one measurement device to the user, providing a simulation program to the client system, wherein the software program simulates operation of the at least one measurement device;

wherein the simulation program is executable by the client computer system to perform at least a portion of the functionality of the at least one measurement device; and

wherein use of the simulation program is discontinued when the at least one measurement device is deployed in the measurement system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said displaying the configuration diagram further comprises:

displaying a device icon representing said simulation program, wherein the device icon is modified to indicate that functions of the at least one measurement device are performed by the simulation program, wherein after said at least one measurement device is deployed in the measurement system, the modified device icon is replaced with a device icon representing the at least one measurement device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing information over a wide area network (WAN) based on the user input selecting the at least one device icon comprises:

a client computer receiving the user input; and

the client computer providing the information to a server in response to the received user input to the client computer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said providing the measurement device to the user in response to the information comprises;

the server computer initiating said providing the measurement device in response to the information.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically determining the at least one measurement device based on the information.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving user input selecting at least one device icon specifying inclusion of the at least one measurement device in the measurement system comprises receiving user input to the configuration diagram.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving user input selecting at least one device icon specifying inclusion of the at least one measurement device in the measurement system comprises receiving user input dragging and dropping the user-selected at least one device icon onto the configuration diagram.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing the at least one measurement device to the user comprises:

storing information indicating the at least one measurement device; and

sending the at least one measurement device to the user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one measurement device comprises a programmable hardware element, the method further comprising:

providing one or more hardware configuration programs to the user which are usable to configure the programmable hardware element to perform a measurement function.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said providing one or more hardware configuration programs comprises:

configuring the programmable hardware element of the at least one hardware device with at least one of the one or more hardware configuration programs; and

sending the configured at least one hardware device to the user.

20. The method of claim 18,

wherein the measurement system includes a client computer system;

wherein said at least one software product comprises a hardware configuration program, the method further comprising;

prior to said providing the at least one software product to the measurement system, providing a simulation program to the client system which simulates operation of the hardware configuration program;

wherein the simulation program is executable by the client computer system to perform the function of the hardware configuration program in the measurement system; and

wherein use of the simulation program is discontinued when the hardware configuration program is deployed in the measurement system.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one measurement device comprises a CPU and a memory, the method further comprising:

providing at least one program file which is executable by the at least one measurement device to perform a measurement function.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the at least one measurement device with the at least one program file.

23. A system for configuring a measurement system, comprising:

a server; and

a client computer system, coupled to the configuration server over a wide area network;

wherein the client computer system is operable to;

display a configuration diagram on a display that iconically represents a measurement system;

receive user input selecting at least one device icon for inclusion in the configuration diagram, wherein the device icon corresponds to a measurement device;

provide information over a wide area network (WAN) based on the user input selecting the at least one device icon;

wherein the information specifies the measurement device

wherein the server is operable to;

receive the information over the WAN; and

initiate provision of the at least one measurement device to the user.

24. A system for configuring a measurement system, comprising:

means for displaying a configuration diagram on a display that iconically represents a measurement system;

means for receiving user input selecting at least one device icon for inclusion in the configuration diagram, wherein the device icon corresponds to a measurement device;

means for providing information over a wide area network (WAN) based on the user input selecting the at least one device icon; and

means for providing the measurement device to the user in response to said information.

25. A method for configuring a measurement system, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of device icons on a display, wherein each of the device icons represents a respective measurement device;

receiving user input selecting a first device icon, wherein the first device icon corresponds to a first measurement device;

providing information over a wide area network based on the user input selecting the first device icon, wherein the information specifies the first measurement device;

providing the first measurement device to the user in response to said information.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

in response to said receiving user input, modifying the configuration diagram to include the at least one device icon; and

displaying the modified configuration diagram on the display.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving payment information from the user for purchase of the measurement device.