Waveform measuring instrument with resident programmed processor for controlled waveform display and waveform data reduction and calculation

• US 4,072,851 A
• Filed: 03/26/1976
• Issued: 02/07/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norland Corporation
• Original Assignee: Norland Corporation
• Inventors: Rose, Frederick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wise, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US05/670,703
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 235/151.3, 235/151, 235/150, 235/151.31, 340/172.5, 340/347 AD, 340/324 A, 340/324 AD, 444/1, 324/77 R, 324/77 A, 324/77 B, 324/121 R, 324/97
• US Class Current: 702/68
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/02 for displaying measured electric variables in digital form

Abstract

A waveform measuring and display instrument includes a digital memory unit to store digitized waveform samples for display on an X-Y plotting or monitor oscilloscope. A programmed processor includes an integrated interactive keyboard with user operated data reduction and calculating keys which actuate the processor to execute an appropriate one of a plurality of corresponding program routines in the processor memory to do the appropriate data reduction and calculation on the waveform array or related data. The memory unit and display unit include controllers with data communication provided by hardwire interfacing. The processor writes program tables for the controllers, with the memory unit shared by the data acquisition unit, the display unit and the processor. The interactive keyboard has separate keys for the four basic arithmetic functions and for compound mathematical functions, for operation on full arrays in memory and on individual numbers in special registers. The function keys are directly identified by the known arithmetic and compound function symbols employed in scientific analysis and discussion. Numeric entry keys and cursor positioning keys are provided. A pair of cursors are provided with user motion control keys and machine assist control keys. The processor includes a special sequence memory bank in which the processor stores user established sequences of keystrokes. The processor then, upon demand, directly executes the sequence of keystrokes on the appropriate data arrays and registers.

Claims

1. A waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having a visual display means comprising digitized memory array means for storage of the coordinates for the visual display means in digitized form, a data acquisition means connected to said memory means for establishing a digitized representation of a waveform, a programmed processor having a program memory, and an interactive user operated control means having a plurality of keystroke means for each of a plurality of basic arithmetic functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and for each of a plurality of compound mathematical functions for reduction and calculation involving the waveform data signals in the memory array means, said program memory including programs for each of said keystroke means, and said processor including means responsive to actuation of said keystroke means to invoke the corresponding program.

2. In the waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 1 having identifying indicia for each of said keystroke means corresponding to the conventional mathematical symbol for the function executed by the corresponding program.

3. In the waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 1 wherein said data acquisition means, said processor means and said interactive user operated control means are located in a common support housing unit.

4. The waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 1 including a plurality of cursor means, said control means including keystroke means for selective positioning of the cursor on a displayed waveform and second keystroke means for positioning of the cursors on a displayed waveform in accordance with a preselected waveform characteristic.

5. The waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 4 wherein said second keystroke means includes first means programmed to respond to a local maximum point of the waveform and second means programmed to respond to a local minimum point.

6. The instrument of claim 5 including third keystroke means programmed to control cursor set registers and operable for introducing of coordinate values in the set registers and for positioning of the cursors in accordance with the coordinate values in the set registers.

7. In the waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 1 wherein said memory array means includes a plurality of individual arrays, said memory array means includes a controller having a control memory for controlling the connection to said data acquisition means, said controller having logic routing means for selectively introducing of the waveform signals into selected arrays and the logic routing means being controlled by the said controller in accordance with the program table established by said processor, said user operated control means including input means for selectively displaying said individual arrays and for selectively executing programmed mathematical calculations with the data in each location within selected arrays.

8. The waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 1 wherein said user operated control means includes a data acquisition timing control means, a data acquisition mode selection means for selecting one of a plurality of different input modes, and said processor being operable to write program tables for each of said modes, said memory array means including a controller actuated by said program table to correspondingly actuate said data acquisition means.

9. In the instrument of claim 1 wherein said memory array means includes a memory controller for establishing the connection of a memory array means to the data acquisition means, to the processor and to the display means, said display means including a controller for establishing connection of a display driver to the memory array means and to the processor, and said processor writing tables for said memory controller and for said display controller.

10. In the instrument of claim 9 wherein said memory array means includes hardwired connecting means to said data acquisition means and to said display means, said connecting means including logic routing means controlled by said tables.

11. In the instrument of claim 9 wherein said display means includes an alphanumeric generating means for generating the alphanumeric characters for display in accordance with the display controller.

12. In the instrument of claim 1 including individual keystroke means for selection of the stored data in said memory array means and for selection of the arithmetic function and for developing single valued results.

13. In the instrument of claim 12 including storage register means for storing a single valued result of any one of said sequences, and said processor means being operable to display said registers.

14. In the instrument of claim 12 wherein selected individual keystroke means for said compound mathematical functions, invoke programs including instrument selected data from said memory array means and instrument selected designation storage means to store the results of said calculation and reduction.

15. The waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 14 having a plurality of value storage registers, said user operated control means includes key means for transferring a calculation by said mathematical calculation keystroke means to a storage register, and said processor including means to selectively display the value in said storage registers.

16. In the instrument of claim 1 wherein said memory controller establishes a data memory priority with highest priority to said data acquisition means, and second and third priorities to the processor and display means.

17. In the instrument of claim 16 wherein the processor has the second priority.

18. In the instrument of claim 1 wherein said waveform memory array means includes a plurality of input means defining the division of the memory unit to form a plurality of individual memory arrays, said processor includes storage means for processor calculated data, and said interactive control means includes

a group of numeric entry key inputs covering the digits zero through nine,

a group of keystroke mathematical operator keys for selection of basic arithmetic functions and single and multiple point calculus functions, and including a general transmittal function,

a group of keystroke storage keys operable to select a storage means for the processor calculated data for data inputting or outputting by said processor therewith,

a group of keystroke memory array selection keys for selection of inputting or outputting by said processor with said memory array means for display, and

a group of keystroke display control keys operable conjointly with said memory selection keys for selection and formation of said display of said waveform memory array means.

19. In the instrument of claim 1 wherein said processor includes data storage means, said interactive control means includes

a group of numeric entry keys covering the digits zero through nine,

a group of operator keys including basic mathematical arithmetic functions and single and multiple point calculus functions and including a general transmittal function,

a group of storage keys operable to select a storage means for processor controller calculated values for data inputting or outputting by said processor therewith,

a group of cursor positioning keys for positioning a plurality of cursors,

a group of memory array selection keys for selection of inputting or outputting by said processor means with said memory array means for display and data reduction, and

a group of display control keys operable conjointly with said memory selection keys and said storage keys for selection and formation of said display of said data memory bank means.

20. In the instrument of claim 19 including array registers for storing offset and factor values, said programs for said operator key inputs including means to set said array registers for corresponding modification of the data in each memory location in accordance with the function executed on said data.

21. In the instrument of claim 19 wherein said operator keys include a key to produce point averaging of said waveform, said storage keys and said numeric entry keys being operable to define the point averaging.

22. In the instrument of claim 19 wherein said operator keys include single keys for executing the derivative and integrals of the waveform in said memory means.

23. In the instrument of claim 19 wherein said operator keys include single keys for calculating the square root and the RMS values of memory arrays.

24. In the waveform instrument of claim 21 wherein said operator keys include a definite integral key operable to calculate the integral of the waveform array between the cursor locations.

25. In the waveform instrument of claim 19 wherein said operator keys include a rise time key operable to calculate the rise time of the waveform between the cursor positions.

26. In the waveform instrument of claim 19 wherein said operator keys include a peak-to-peak key operable to calculate the value between the highest and lowest peaks of a waveform.

27. In the waveform instrument of claim 19 wherein said operator keys include a peak area key operable to calculate the area of the waveform enclosed by the waveform and a straight line joining a pair of cursors.

28. In the waveform instrument of claim 19 including cursor coordinate keys for calculating and displaying the coordinates of said plurality of cursors.

29. In the waveform instrument of claim 19 including a delta coordinate key for calculating the difference in the coordinates of a pair of cursors and displaying the calculated difference.

30. In the instrument of claim 19 including a learn memory, a key programming group of keys operable to introduce a series of keystrokes into said learn memory related to data reduction and calculation of said waveform data in said memory means, and a run key to actuate said processor to read and execute the program in said learn memory.

31. In the instrument of claim 30 wherein said key programming group of keys includes statement selection means for directing the processor to any location in said learn memory, whereby a plurality of keystroke programs may be stored in said learn memory and selectively executed.

32. In the instrument of claim 30 wherein said instrument is selectively in a Normal state responsive to the key groups for data acquisition, manipulation and computation and for data display, said Learn state for storing of a series of keystrokes in the learn memory, a Run state in which the processor is executing a program in the learn memory, and a Pause state in which the processor program sequence is interrupted and operator controlled functions can be executed in the same manner as in the Normal state.

33. In the instrument of claim 32 wherein said Pause state is controlled by a user operated key and is operable in the Run state to halt the program at the next Pause statement in the program, and operable in the Learn state to introduce the Pause statement in the keystroke program.

34. In the instrument of claim 33 including a keylock means operable to operatively disable all of the several keys except a small number of keys, the actuation of which cannot in themselves directly alter the data or the internal program of the instrument.

35. In the instrument of claim 30 wherein said processor displays on the display means logical statements being entered into the learn memory and automatically advances to the next statement line upon completion of each logical statement, said learn programming keys including a cancel key operable to cancel any partial statement prior to the final keystroke in the statement, said programming keys including a "go to" location key for selecting any logical statement location, said statement being presented on the display means, said cancel key being operable to erase said statement.

36. In the instrument of claim 19 including a key programming group of keys including a learn key operable to place the processor in condition to store keystrokes in a learn memory means, said programming keys, a step key actuating the processor to step the next key program line, a pause key establishing a pause condition in said program, a "go to" key operable with said other key inputs to select a location in the key programming, a conditional branch key to place a branching compare statement in the key program, and a cancel key to delete a statement from the key program.

37. In the instrument of claim 19 including a key programming group of keys including a learn key opeable to place the processor in condition to store keystrokes in a learn memory means, a "go to" key operable with said other key inputs to select a location in the key programming, whereby a plurality of keystroke programs are storable in the learn memory means, and are selectively executed by the processor in response to user selection.

38. In the instrument of claim 1 wherein said processor includes a sequence memory means, said user operated control means includes sequence programming keystroke means for conditioning said processor to store a sequence of user actuated keystroke means in said sequence memory means, and including Run keystroke means to actuate said processor to execute the sequence of the keystrokes placed in said sequence memory means. pg,74

39. In the instrument of claim 38 wherein said programming keystroke means includes a learn input means to condition the processor, a series of storage register related input means, a transmittal input means, a conditional branch input means, a step input means, a pause input means and a run input means.

40. In the instrument of claim 38 wherein said programming keystroke means includes a Pause input means, and including keylock control means to selectively deactivate all of the user operated means except the Run key means and the Pause means.

41. A waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having a visual display means and comprising digitized memory array means for storage of the coordinates of the visual display means in digitized form, a data acquisition means connected to said memory means for establishing a digitized representation of a waveform, a programmed processor having a program memory for actuating said display means and said data acquisition means for selective placement of said digitized waveform signal in said memory array means, and an interactive user operated control means having a plurality of keystroke means for calculating with said memory array means and controlling the acquisition and display of the memory array means, and said processor means including offset and factor registers for each array location and storing of the appropriate modifying values for subsequent display and manipulation of such array, said processor modifying the data in the waveform memory array by said offset and factor registers for display and for data reduction.

42. The waveform measuring and analyzing instrument of claim 41 having a data acquisition means connected to the memory array means and having a signal input means, said data acquisition means having logic switch means connected to said signal input means, and said processor means including program means to sequentially activate said switch means to ground and to calculate the internal drift offset and store the value in said offset registers.

43. A waveform measuring and analyzing apparaus having a display means for visual display of information waveforms, comprising means for producing a plurality of cursors on said visual display means, and user operated control means for selectively positioning said cursors on said waveforms at arbitrarily selected positions on said waveform and at selected positions in accordance with the selected characteristic of the wave.

44. The instrument of claim 43 wherein said control means includes user operated keystroke means, and a programmed processing means to detect the relative position of said cursors and to move the cursors in accordance with the actuation of the keystroke means.

45. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein said control means includes first means to separately move the cursors along the waveform of the display means, second means to locate the cursors at a selected one of a first set of coordinates, third means to locate the cursors at a selected level of a second set of coordinates.

46. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein said display means includes a plurality of spaced display portions and means to locate different waveforms on said display portions, and said control means including fourth means to move the cursor between display portions, and thereby from one waveform to another waveform.

47. In a waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having display means for visual display of waveforms, comprising means for producing a plurality of cursors on said visual display means, cursor control means for selectively positioning said cursors on said waveforms at arbitrarily selected positions on said waveform and at selected positions in accordance with a selected characteristic of the waveform, and processing means to detect the relative position of said cursors and to analyze the waveform in accordance with the position of said cursors.

48. The instrument of claim 47 including means operable to analyze the waveform at a cursor coordinate and the waveform between said cursors.

49. In the instrument of claim 47 wherein said control means includes manual control elements for selectively positioning each of said cursors on said waveforms at arbitrarily selected positions and for continuously moving said cursors along said waveform.

50. In the instrument of claim 47 including a local maximum cursor element operable to move a cursor to the most adjacent maximum point of the waveform.

51. In the instrument of claim 47 including a local minimum cursor element operable to move a cursor to the most adjacent minimum point of the waveform.

52. The instrument of claim 47 wherein said control means includes a horizontal set element to locate a cursor at a selected horizontally defined coordinate of the waveform.

53. The instrument of claim 47 wherein said control means includes a vertical level element to locate a cursor at a selected vertically defined coordinate of the waveform.

54. The instrument of claim 47 wherein said display means includes a multiple array memory operable to display a plurality of different waveforms of the different arrays on said display means, said cursor control means include means to position said cursors on said waveforms and means to move the cursor from one waveform array to the same relative location on another waveform, and said processing means being operable to compare the data at said cursor locations.

55. In the instrument of claim 55 consisting of a pair of said cursors, said plurality of keystroke means including two groups of correspondingly operable keystroke means, each group being operable to control the positioning of one of said cursors.

56. In the instrument of claim 55 wherein said keystroke means include individual pushbutton keys for each selected cursor motion.

57. The instrument of claim 55 wherein said third keystroke means select a cursor register adapted to store a coordinate of a cursor, said instrument including numeric data register keystroke means and calculated data register keystroke means, and transmittal keystroke means to enter the data register value into said cursor register, operation of the cursor keystroke means automatically positioning said cursor to said coordinate value.

58. In the instrument of claim 57 wherein said third keystroke means includes a vertical set keystroke means and a horizontal set keystroke means.

59. In the instrument of claim 55 including keystroke means programmed to move the cursors to the absolute maximum and minimum vertical points on said waveform.

60. In a waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having a memory means for storing a digitized waveform signal and having display means for visual display of the digitized waveform signal, comprising means for producing a plurality of keystroke cursors, a plurality of means for selectively positioning said cursors on said display means including first keystroke means positioning said cursors in opposite directions on said waveform,

second keystroke means for moving said cursor to positions in accordance with a selected characteristic of the waveform, third keystroke means for setting said cursors at selected memory locations on said display means, operator keystroke means for executing compound mathematical functions, and programmed processing means having programs for each of said keystroke means and programs for each operator keystroke means, means to establish a keystroke program to detect the relative position of said cursors and to position said cursors and to analyze the waveform as delimited by said cursors including programmed analysis of the waveform in accordance with the location of the cursors on said waveform.

61. The instrument of claim 60 wherein said memory means includes a plurality of arrays, said display means being operable to simultaneously display a plurality of different arrays in different portions of said display means, said control means including keystroke means to automatically position said cursors on one waveform array to the corresponding location on another, and said processing means being operable to compare said cursor located relative to a common reference.

62. In the instrument of claim 60 wherein said first keystroke means is operable from a first to a second position for moving said cursors from one memory location to an adjacent location on said waveforms, said first keystroke means continuously moving said cursors along said waveform in response to holding the first keystroke means in said second position.

63. In the instrument of claim 60 wherein said second keystroke means actuates the processor to invoke a program which searches for a local peak waveform point and moves a cursor to said point.

64. The instrument of claim 60 wherein said processing means include a keystroke memory means for storing the sequence of user operation of said keystroke means and defining an executable keystroke program of said processing means, and user operated keystroke means to actuate said processing means to execute said keystroke program for successive analysis of the displayed waveform.

65. A waveform measuring the analyzing instrument having a high speed monitoring CRT tube, digital memory array means for storage of the coordinates of waveform data in digitized form, a data acquisition means connected to said memory means for establishing digitized waveform signals of a live waveform, a programmed processor having a program memory for actuating said display means and said data acquisition means for selective placement of said digitized waveform signal in said memory array means, said processor including input data scaling registers, and an interactive user operated control means having a plurality of input means for each of a plurality of basic mathematical functions for reduction and calculation involving the data signals in the memory array means, a cursor means having input means for selective positioning on said display means, cursor register means, storage registers for storing single valued results of the operated controlled input means, learn means to generate a keystroke program of said input means, said processor being operable to execute said keystroke program, said program memory including programs for each of said inputs, and said processor including means responsive to actuation of said inputs to invoke the corresponding program, said processor including a main sequence loop including responding to execute arithmetic and operator function commands, demand register updates, sample the cursor registers and format for other program segments, update cursor display, update storage register display, update data transfer mode, execute internal keystroke program, establish learn mode.