Graphical User Interface

• US 20070150819A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Sullivan, Philip, Goodman, Daniel, Toler, Michael, Mindlin, Leonid
• Application Number:
  US11/301,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150819A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

A system for monitoring a sensor includes a GUI (Graphical User Interface) such as a WebPage embedded in the sensor. The GUI is configured to display information relating to the sensor from a user computer connectable to the sensor via an Ethernet connection and having an internet web browser for accessing the WebPage of the sensor. A computer-readable medium is embedded within the sensor and has stored therein computer-usable instructions for a processor. These instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate the GUI.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a sensor, the system comprising;

a GUI (graphical user interface) accessible from a WebPage of the sensor, the GUI configured to display information relating to the sensor from a computer that is connectable to the internet and has an internet web browser for accessing the WebPage of the sensor; and

a computer-readable medium embedded within the sensor, the computer-readable medium having stored therein computer-usable instructions for a processor, wherein said instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to generate said GUI.

2. The GUI of claim 1, wherein the GUI comprises:

a plurality of objects selectable by a user;

a plurality of browser windows each associated with one of the objects,

wherein each of the browser windows are opened upon selection by the user of the associated object; and

wherein each of the browser windows displays, when opened, a corresponding subpage of the WebPage of the sensor, each subpage containing a different type of information relating to the sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a digital manometer configured to measure pressure of gases and vapors.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of user-selectable objects comprises a plurality of user-selectable tabs.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of tabs include at least one of:

a device tab, a plot tab, a diagnostics tab, a configuration tab, a service tab, a factory tab, a sign out tab, and a help tab.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the GUI is further configured to display the information relating to the sensor in one of a plurality of user-selectable display modes.

7. The system of claim 6,

wherein the plurality of display modes comprises at least one of a user mode, a service mode, and a factory mode;

wherein the user mode is a default mode accessible by all users who connect to the WebPage of the sensor; and

wherein the service mode and the factory mode are access-restricted modes that are only accessible to, and selectable by, users who provide an access password.

8. The system of claim 7,

wherein the GUI is configured to display a first interface that includes the device tab, the plot tab, the diagnostics tab, the configuration tab, and the help tab, in response to selection by a user of the user mode;

wherein the GUI is configured to display a second interface that includes the device tab, the plot tab, the diagnostics tab, the configuration tab, the service tab, the signout tab, and the help tab, in response to selection by a user of the service mode; and

wherein the GUI is configured to display a third interface that includes the device tab, the plot tab, the diagnostics tab, the configuration tab, the service tab, the factory tab, the signout tab, and the help tab, in response to selection by a user of the factory mode.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the selection by the user of the user mode comprises connection by the user to the WebPage of the sensor.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the GUI is configured to display at least one of an e-Baratron Status webpage, an e-Baratron Events webpage, and an e-Baratron Information webpage, in response to selection by a user of the device tab.

11. The system of claim 10,

wherein the sensor comprises a DPM (Digital Process Manometer);

wherein the e-Baratron Status webpage contains information relating to at least one of;

an output signal of the DPM, an offset from zero of the DPM, an operating status of the DPM, and a selection of user-selectable units of DPM measurements;

wherein the e-Baratron Events webpage contains information relating to a list of events recorded by a microprocessor within the DPM; and

wherein the e-Baratron Information webpage displays a plurality of attributes of the DPM.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the GUI is configured to display a Plot webpage in response to selection by the user of the Plot tab.

13. The system of claim 12,

wherein the Plot webpage contains pressure data relating to pressure measurements obtained by the DPM, and wherein the Plot webpage allows the user to view the pressure data graphically.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the GUI is configured to display a Diagnostics webpage in response to selection by the user of the diagnostics tab.

15. The system of claim 14,

wherein the Diagnostics webpage contains information relating to one or more diagnostics parameters for the DPM;

and

wherein the diagnostics parameters comprise one or more of;

a device time parameter indicative of the time during which the DPM has been operational;

a drift parameter relating to cumulative zero drift;

a parameter indicative of the number of times when the DPM has been exposed to pressure above its full-scale range; and

parameters relating to the maximum and minimum values of the pressure measurements by the DPM.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the GUI is configured to display at least one of a Configuration webpage, a Configuration Network Settings webpage, a Configuration Limit Settings webpage, a Configuration Zero Adjustment webpage, and a Configuration Display Setup webpage, in response to selection by the user of the configuration tab.

17. The system of claim 16,

wherein the Configuration webpage contains information about one or more user-configurable parameters, the user-configurable parameters relating to at least one of:

network settings, zero adjustments, warning and alarm limit settings, and display setup;

wherein the Network Settings webpage contains information about one or more network parameters, the network parameters relating to at least one of an IP address and a default gateway, the IP address and the default gateway allowing the DPM to communicates with a network of the user.

18. The system of claim 16,

wherein the Limit Settings webpage contains information about one or more alarm and warning limits, the alarm and warning limits relating to upper and lower limits on alarms and warnings that users can set in units of percentage of the DPM'"'"'s full scale range of pressure values;

and

wherein the Limit Settings webpage is configured to display a corresponding event when a limit is exceeded.

19. The system of claim 16,

wherein the Zero Adjustment webpage contains information that allows the user to zero the DPM through the GUI, and wherein the Zero Adjustment webpage further contains information that allows the user to introduce a user-defined offset in a pressure reading by the DPM when the DPM is zeroed;

and

wherein the Display Setup webpage contains information that allows the user to change a real-time pressure display refresh rate, the real-time pressure display refresh rate representing a frequency with which data in the webpages of the e-Baratron are updated.

20. The system of claim 7, wherein the GUI is configured to display at least one of a Service webpage, a Service Diagnostics webpage, a Service History webpage, a Service Heater Diagnostics webpage, and a Service Calibration Parameters webpage, in response to selection by the user of the service tab.

21. The system of claim 18,

wherein the Service webpage contains information about service parameters, the service parameters relating to one or more of:

service diagnostics, service history, heater diagnostics, and calibration parameters;

wherein the Service Diagnostics webpage contains information about service diagnostics parameters, the service diagnostics parameters relating to at least one of;

device time during which the DPM has been operational;

time elapsed since the DPM was last zeroed;

zero drift values;

number of times the DPM has been zeroed;

number of times the DPM has exceeded is full-scale range of pressure measurement values;

22. The system of claim 18,

wherein the Service History webpage is configured to allow service personnel to store therein data relating to time, date, and description of service action performed on the DPM;

wherein the Service Heater Diagnostics webpage contains information relating to control settings and diagnostic information for a heater of the DPM;

wherein the Service Calibration Parameters webpage contains information relating to calibration parameters of the DPM.

23. The system of claim 8, wherein the GUI is configured to display at least one of a Factory webpage, a Factory Calibration Data webpage, a Factory Heater Diagnostics webpage, and a Factory Uploader-Downloader webpage, in response to selection by the user of the factory tab.

24. The system of claim 23,

wherein the Factory webpage provides factory personnel access to information relating to calibration data parameters and heater diagnostics parameters, and allows the factory personnel to upload the calibration data to the DPM and to download the calibration data from the DPM;

wherein the Factory Calibration Data webpage contains information about DPM calibration parameters, and allows the factory personnel to view and set the DPM calibration parameters;

wherein the Factory Heater Diagnostics webpage contains information about control settings for a heater of the DPM;

wherein the Uploader-Downloader webpage allows the factory personnel to read and write one or more parameters in the DPM, and to update firmware in one or more processors in the DPM.

25. A computer-readable medium having stored therein computer-usable instructions for a processor, wherein said instructions when executed by said processor causes said processor to generate a GUI (graphical user interface) on a user computer connected to a WebPage of a sensor, the GUI configured to display information relating to the sensor and comprising:

a plurality of user-selectable objects;

a plurality of browser windows, each browser window associated with one of the objects;

wherein each of the browser windows are opened on selection by a user of the associated object;

wherein each of the browser windows displays, when opened, a corresponding subpage of the internet WebPage of the sensor, each subpage containing a different type of information relating to the sensor; and

a region within a display screen of the user computer configured to display the plurality of user-selectable objects and the plurality of browser windows.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the computer-readable medium is embedded within the sensor.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of user-selectable objects comprise a plurality of user-selectable tabs.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the GUI further comprises:

a region within a display screen of the user computer configured to display the plurality of user-selectable objects and the plurality of browser windows.