SCHEMATIC DISPLAY OF PROTOCOL-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

• US 20080144656A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: FRISHBERG, Leo, BEAR, Eric Gould
• Granted Patent: US 8,837,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A test and measurement instrument for displaying data including an acquisition system configured to receive an input signal, a processor coupled to the acquisition system and configured to generate a schematic from protocol-specific information within the input signal, and a display coupled to the processor and configured to display the schematic.

Claims

1. A method of displaying data, comprising:

receiving data;

extracting protocol-specific information from the data;

converting the protocol-specific information into schematic elements;

assembling schematic elements into a schematic; and

displaying the schematic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the protocol-specific information into the schematic elements comprises:

identifying a device from the protocol-specific information; and

creating a schematic element representing the device in response to the identified device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the protocol-specific information into the schematic elements comprises:

identifying a connection from the protocol-specific information; and

creating a schematic element representing the connection in response to the identified connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the protocol-specific information into the schematic elements comprises:

identifying a function from the protocol-specific information; and

creating a schematic element representing the function in response to the identified function.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a correlation among schematic elements; and

adjusting schematic in response to the correlation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a schematic element in the schematic; and

adjusting the schematic elements in response to the selection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting the schematic element in the schematic includes at least one of:

selecting the schematic element in response to a user input; and

selecting the schematic element in response to an automated process.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a schematic element in the schematic; and

adjusting an additional display of the data in response to the selection.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an element of an additional display of the data; and

adjusting the schematic elements in response to the selection.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying development of the schematic over time in response to the protocol-specific information.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting the development of the schematic in response to at least one of;

a user input; and

an automated process.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

extracting the additional protocol-specific information from the data;

updating the schematic elements with the additional protocol-specific information;

updating the schematic with the updated schematic elements; and

displaying the updated schematic.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a schematic element in response to protocol-specific information associated with the schematic element.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

adjusting the schematic element in response to protocol-specific information associated with the schematic element to indicate an accuracy of the schematic element.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

annotating a schematic element in response to the protocol-specific information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein annotating a schematic element in response to the protocol-specific information further comprises:

annotating a schematic element to indicate process flow.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

annotating a schematic element in response to data-independent information.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initializing the schematic with a previously assembled schematic; and

updating the schematic with the schematic elements.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a schematic element in the schematic; and

highlighting schematic elements associated with the selected schematic element.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a schematic element in the schematic; and

reassembling the schematic elements into the schematic such that schematic elements associated with the selected schematic element are illustrated at a different level of information detail.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a schematic element in the schematic; and

displaying data associated with the selected schematic element.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

removing data not associated with the selected schematic element.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a schematic element in the schematic; and

generating a trigger parameter in response to the selected schematic element.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the schematic includes at least one of:

visually presenting the schematic;

aurally presenting the schematic; and

tactilely presenting the schematic.

25. A test and measurement instrument for displaying data, comprising:

an acquisition system configured to receive an input signal;

a processor coupled to the acquisition system and configured to generate a schematic from protocol-specific information within the input signal; and

a display coupled to the processor and configured to display the schematic.

26. The test and measurement instrument of claim 25, further comprising:

a schematic element manipulation interface configured to receive a selected schematic element input;

wherein the processor is further configured to adjust schematic elements associated with the selected schematic element input in the schematic.

27. The test and measurement instrument of claim 25, further comprising:

a virtual probe interface configured to receive a selected schematic element input corresponding to a selected schematic element;

wherein the processor is further configured to display protocol-specific information from the input signal associated with the selected schematic element.

28. The test and measurement instrument of claim 25, further comprising:

a correlation interface configured to receive a correlation input identifying a first schematic element and a second schematic element of the schematic;

wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the schematic such that the first and second schematic elements are correlated in the schematic.

29. The test and measurement instrument of claim 25, further comprising:

a schematic animation interface configured to control an animation position;

wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the schematic in response to a change in the animation position.

30. The test and measurement instrument of claim 25, further comprising:

a semantic zoom interface configured to control a semantic zoom level;

wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a level of information detail in the schematic in response to the semantic zoom interface.

31. A test and measurement instrument for displaying data, comprising:

means for receiving data;

means for extracting protocol-specific information from the data;

means for converting the protocol-specific information into schematic elements;

means for assembling schematic elements into a schematic; and

means for displaying the schematic.

32. The test and measurement instrument of claim 31, further comprising:

means for identifying a device from the protocol-specific information; and

means for creating a schematic element representing the device in response to the identified device.

33. The test and measurement instrument of claim 31, further comprising:

means for selecting a schematic element in the schematic; and

means for adjusting the schematic elements in response to the selection.

34. The test and measurement instrument of claim 31, further comprising:

means for displaying development of the schematic.

35. The test and measurement instrument of claim 31, further comprising:

means for adjusting a schematic element in response to protocol-specific information associated with the schematic element.