Programmed calculating input signal module for waveform measuring and analyzing instrument
First Claim
1. A waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having a visual display output means and a digital memory array means for storage of the coordinates of a digital representation of a waveform, a data acquisition means connected to said memory array means for establishing digitized waveform signals of a waveform, a programmed processor having a program memory and an interactive user operated control means for the processor for programmed data reduction of the data in the memory array means, the improvement in the data acquisition means comprising a releasably connected signal coupling unit in said instrument having a first bus connection means including a hardware bus connector and a software bus connector connected to the processor and to the data acquisition means, plug-in modules having a single integrated support having second connection means including a hardware bus connector and a software bus connector for connection to said first bus connection means, said integrated support being insertable as a unit into said coupling unit and establishing the interconnection of said corresponding connectors, said plug-in unit including a resident software program means connected to the software bus connector of said plug-in module and a hardware signal processing means connected to the hardware bus connector of said plug-in module, said hardware bus connector and said software bus connector of said first connection means establishing transmission of signals between said processor and said module resident software program memory means and said hardware signal processing means for processing of data in said hardware signal processing means and for executing a software program resident in said module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A waveform measuring and analyzing instrument includes a pair of plug-in receptacles adapted to receive signal acquisition and/or processing plug-in units. Each of the receptacles is wired to a waveform data memory and to a programmed processor. The program memory for the processor includes addresses assigned to the plug-in units for addressing a memory in the plug-in units which include plug-in type and status data and may include a plug-in resident programmed memory array in which a data calculation program is stored. The processor is connected to execute the software program in the plug-in unit. The plug-in resident calculating capability significantly expands the power and capability of the instrument to analyze and process particular waveform signals. The software programmed plug-in units may be formed with a pre-programmed, read-only memory or may employ a read-write memory with means for interfacing to a still larger external storage or memory. The instrument housing has an upper front control panel and a lower inter-active keyboard panel. The receptacles and plug-in units are rectangularly shaped and the receptacles are oriented horizontally in the housing to require sidewise placement or insertions of the plug-in units. A circuit board chamber is formed in the upper housing portion within which a stack of circuit boards are conveniently housed.
57 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having a visual display output means and a digital memory array means for storage of the coordinates of a digital representation of a waveform, a data acquisition means connected to said memory array means for establishing digitized waveform signals of a waveform, a programmed processor having a program memory and an interactive user operated control means for the processor for programmed data reduction of the data in the memory array means, the improvement in the data acquisition means comprising a releasably connected signal coupling unit in said instrument having a first bus connection means including a hardware bus connector and a software bus connector connected to the processor and to the data acquisition means, plug-in modules having a single integrated support having second connection means including a hardware bus connector and a software bus connector for connection to said first bus connection means, said integrated support being insertable as a unit into said coupling unit and establishing the interconnection of said corresponding connectors, said plug-in unit including a resident software program means connected to the software bus connector of said plug-in module and a hardware signal processing means connected to the hardware bus connector of said plug-in module, said hardware bus connector and said software bus connector of said first connection means establishing transmission of signals between said processor and said module resident software program memory means and said hardware signal processing means for processing of data in said hardware signal processing means and for executing a software program resident in said module.
- 5. A waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having a visual display means, comprising a digitized memory array means for storage of the coordinates of waveform data in digitized form for display by said display means, data receptacle means connected to said memory means for transmitting digitized waveform signals of a waveform, a programmed processor having a program memory and connected to said memory means and to said data receptacle means for selectively entering said digitized waveform signal in said memory array means, an interactive user operated control means having a plurality of keystroke means for programmed basic arithmetic and compound mathematic functions for reduction and calculation with at least one of the waveform data signals in the memory array means being read by the processor as an argument of the function of the keystroke means, said data receptacle means including a first part of a two part releasable signal connector unit, data modules each having a single integrated support and a complementing part of the two part connector unit for connection to said first part and having a resident memory and resident signal processing hardware on said support, said programmed processor including addresses assigned to a software program memory resident in a module and being operable to execute the software program in such software program memory upon command and to transmit and receive signals from said signal processing hardware.
- 7. A waveform measuring and analyzing instrument having a visual display means comprising digitized waveform memory means for storage of coordinates of a visual display in digitized form, signal coupling modules each having waveform signal processing hardware and a resident software program means for reduction and calculation with the signal data as an entry, said modules each having one part of a two part circuit connector unit including a data bus connector to the hardware and a software bus connector to the resident program means, a data acquisition input means connected to said waveform memory means, the second part of said two part connector unit including a data bus connector coupled to the first part and to the data acquisition input for entering the digitized representation of a waveform, a programmed processor having a program memory for actuating said display means and said data acquisition input means for selective entry of said digitized waveform signal in said waveform memory means, said processor being constructed to execute software programs in said module and to transmit signals to and from said resident hardware.
- 17. A waveform signal coupling component for releasable mounting within a receptacle in a waveform measuring and analyzing instrument, said instrument including a programmed processor having a processor bus means connected to a processor bus connection means, said coupling component comprising a unitary support means for releasable insertion into said receptacle, signal processing hardware mounted on said support means, functional identifying memory means mounted on said support means for identifying the function of the component, a software program memory array means mounted on said support means, and bus connection means connected to said hardware and to said identifying memory and to said memory array means and having a plurality of terminal means complementing said processor bus connection means of said instruments for releasable coupling thereto and thereby connecting of the hardware and identifying memory and memory array means to said processor.
Specification