System and method for displaying simultaneously a main waveform display and a magnified waveform display in a signal measurement system

• US 6,229,536 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, Jay A., Sostheim, Angelica L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THAI, CUONG T
• Application Number:
  US09/035,561
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 345/342, 345/344, 345/345, 345/346, 345/343, 345/970, 345/439, 345/134
• US Class Current: 345/440.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/345 for displaying sampled signals by using digital processors by intermediate A.D. and D.A. convertors (control circuits for CRT indicators)
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

An apparatus and methodology for use in a signal measurement system having a graphical user interface. The apparatus constructed and arranged to simultaneously render on a display of pixels a main waveform display and a magnified waveform display is disclosed. The main waveform display is adapted to have displayed therein one or more waveforms and associated data on a first graticule with a background while the magnified waveform display is adapted to have displayed therein a magnified view of a region of the main waveform display on a second graticule with a background. The region of the main waveform display to be magnified is defined by a graphically-controllable selection window positioned over the main waveform display to encompass the region. Preferably, the operator-controllable selection window has a position and extent that may be graphically manipulated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a signal measurement system, said apparatus constructed and arranged to display simultaneously on a display of pixels a plurality of view windows comprising:

a main view window including a main waveform display adapted to have displayed therein one or more waveforms on a first graticule, and one or more main waveform control displays, displayed on said display of pixels, for enabling an operator to enter direct graphical inputs to adjust said main waveform display; and

a magnified view window including a magnified waveform display adapted to have displayed therein a magnified view of a selected region of said main waveform display on a second graticule, said selected region being that portion of said main waveform display within a boundary of a selection window positioned over said main waveform display, and selection window control displays, displayed on said display of pixels, for enabling an operator to enter direct graphical inputs to adjust said selection window on said main waveform displays,

wherein said selection window has a plurality of sides having resizing handles rendered thereon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selection window has a horizontal position that is adjustable through user graphical input applied to said selection window control display elements.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selection window has a horizontal extent that is adjustable through user graphical input applied to said selection window control display elements.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selection window has a vertical position that is graphically manipulatable.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selection window has a vertical extent that is graphically manipulatable.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a magnification selection window determinator constructed and arranged to determine horizontal and vertical scale and offset values of said magnified waveform display, said horizontal and vertical scale and offset values related to a position and extent of said selection window on said main waveform display.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said magnification selection window determinator comprises:

a selection window boundary determinator for determining pixel boundaries of said selection window on the display; and

a graphical selector for enabling an operator to graphically manipulate said selection window.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said graphical selector comprises:

a selection window manipulation controller for determining whether the operator has graphically selected said selection window for changing either said position and said extent of said selection window.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said graphical selector further comprises:

a hit-tester for determining whether a display element has been graphically selected.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said selection window has a plurality of sides having resizing handles rendered thereon.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein selection of a first resizing handle is interpreted as a scaling adjustment operation such that a subsequent change in a cursor position results in an analogous change in a display location of one or more of said plurality of selection window sides associated with said selected pixel.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein selection of a second resizing handle is interpreted as an offset adjustment operation such that subsequent changes in a cursor position result in analogous changes in location of all of said plurality of selection window sides.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a rendering controller constructed and arranged to control a rendering of said main waveform display, said magnification waveform display and said selection window based upon said horizontal and vertical scale and offset values.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said rendering controller is further constructed and arranged to control said rendering of said main waveform display, said magnification waveform display, and said selection window based upon a graphical mode of the display of pixels.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the signal measurement system further comprises a graphical user interface operationally coupled to the display and said apparatus, and wherein said rendering controller comprises:

a windows rendering unit configured to generate commands to the graphical user interface to generate windows-related displays based upon said selection window boundaries and locations and sizes of said main waveform graticule and said magnified waveform graticule; and

a graticule rendering unit configured to generate commands to cause a rendering of said main waveform graticule and said magnified waveform graticule is based upon said locations and sizes of said main waveform graticule and said magnified waveform graticule.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said selected region of said main waveform display and said magnified waveform display have rendering characteristics that associate graphically said magnified waveform display and said selected region of said main waveform display.

17. The apparatus of claim 16,

wherein said first graticule is rendered with a first background and said second graticule is rendered with a second background, and

wherein said rendering characteristics is background color.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first and second colors are gray scales.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selection window has a plurality of sides,

wherein graphical selection of a pixel within a predetermined region of pixels surrounding said selection window is interpreted as a scaling adjustment operation.

20. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein when a scaling adjustment operation has been detected, subsequent changes in a cursor position result in analogous changes in a display location of one or more of said plurality of selection window sides associated with said selected pixel.

21. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein selection of a pixel within said selection window and not within said predetermined region of pixels is interpreted as a offset adjustment operation.

22. The apparatus of claim 21,

wherein when an offset adjustment operation has been detected, a subsequent change in a cursor position results in an analogous change in location of said selection window sides.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein scale and offset values of said magnified waveform display are determined by a position of said selection window on said magnified waveform display, and wherein said graphical manipulation of said selection window effects a change in said scale and offset values of said magnified waveform display.

24. An apparatus, for use in a signal measurement system, constructed and arranged to display simultaneously on a display operationally coupled to the signal measurement system, a main waveform display adapted to have displayed therein one or more waveforms, and a magnified waveform display adapted to have displayed therein a magnified view of a selected region of said main waveform display,

wherein said selected region of said main waveform display and said magnified waveform display have rendering characteristics that graphically associate with each other said magnified waveform display and said selected region of said main waveform display,

wherein said rendering characteristics is background color.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the signal measurement system is a digital oscilloscope.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said selected region is defined by a selection window rendered over said main waveform display so as to surround said selected region.

27. The apparatus of claim 24,

wherein said main waveform display comprising a first graticule rendered with a first background, said first background including a first background region within said selected region that is rendered in a first color, and a second background region not within said selected region that is rendered in a second color not equal to said first color, and

wherein said magnified waveform display comprises a second graticule rendered with a second background rendered in said first color.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said selected region of said main waveform display is defined by a graphically-controllable selection window positioned over said main waveform display to encompass said selected region.

29. A method for magnifying a selected region of a main waveform display in a signal measuring system having a display device and a graphical user interface that controls a waveform display region on the display device, comprising the step of:

(a) displaying a main view window including a main waveform display adapted to have displayed therein one or more waveforms and associated data on a first graticule, and one or more main waveform control displays, displayed on said display device, for enabling an operator to adjust through direct graphical inputs horizontal scale and offset of said main waveform display; and

(b) displaying a magnified view window concurrently with said main view window, said magnified view window including a magnified waveform display adapted to have displayed therein a magnified view of selected region of said main waveform displayed on a second graticule, said selected region being that portion of said main waveform display within a boundary of a selection window positioned over said main waveform display, and selection window control displays, displayed on said display device, for enabling an operator to adjust through direct graphical inputs a horizontal scale and offset of said selection window on said main waveform display; and

(c) graphically associating said magnified waveform display and said selected region of said main waveform display;

wherein said step (c) comprises the step of;

(1) rendering a background of said main waveform graticules within said selection window in a first color;

(2) rendering a main waveform background not within said selection window in a second color not substantially the same as said first color; and

(3) rendering a background of said magnified view window in said first color.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of:

(1) rendering said first and second graticules on the waveform display region; and

(2) rendering a main view supporting window and a magnified view supporting window.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said first and second graticules have a size based upon a current graphical mode of the waveform display region.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said main view supporting window and said magnified view supporting window each include display elements associated with control and display of information provided in said associated waveform displays.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein said step (b) comprises the steps of:

(1) determining scale and offset settings for said main waveform display and said magnified waveform display;

(2) determining main and magnified window display ranges and said scale and offset values based upon said scale and offset settings and a graphical mode of the waveform display region;

(3) determining boundaries of said selection window; and

(4) rendering said selection window.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein said second color is rendered such that a contrast between said main waveform background and waveforms rendered in said main waveform display is reduced from a normal operational display.

35. An apparatus for use in a signal measurement system, said apparatus constructed and arranged to display simultaneously, on a display of pixels operationally coupled to the signal measurement system, a main waveform display comprising a first graticule rendered with a first background and a magnified waveform display comprising a second graticule rendered with a second background,

wherein said main waveform display is adapted to have displayed therein one or more waveforms, and said magnified waveform display is adapted to have displayed therein a magnified view of a selected region of said main waveform display,

wherein said selected region of said main waveform display is defined by a graphically-controllable selection window positioned over said main waveform display to encompass said selected region, said selection window having a size and a position on said main waveform display, and

wherein scaling and offset of said magnified waveform display is configured to be altered by graphically manipulating said size of said selection window and said position of said selection window on said main waveform display, respectively

wherein graphical selection of a pixel within a predetermined region of pixels surrounding said selection window is interpreted as a scaling adjustment operation.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein graphical selection of a pixel within said selection window and not within said predetermined region of pixels invokes a selection window offset adjustment operation.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein changes in a cursor position subsequent to said invocation of said scaling adjustment operation causes an analogous change in location of sides of selection window associated with the cursor position, while changes in a cursor position subsequent to said invocation of said offset adjustment operation causes an analogous change in position of all of said plurality of selection window sides.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said selection window has a plurality of sides having resizing handles rendered thereon,

wherein selection of a first resizing handle is interpreted as a selection window scaling adjustment operation such that subsequent changes in a cursor position result in analogous changes in a display location of only one or more of said plurality of selection window sides associated with said selected pixel, and

wherein selection of a second resizing handle is interpreted as a selection window offset adjustment operation such that subsequent changes in a cursor position result in analogous changes in location of all of said plurality of selection window sides.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said selected region and said magnified waveform display included rendering features that graphically associate said magnified waveform display and said selected region.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said rendering features that graphically associate said magnified waveform display and said selected region include background color of said region of said main waveform display encompassed by said selection window, background color of said main waveform display excluding said region encompassed by said selection window, and background color of said magnified waveform display.

41. An apparatus for use in a signal measurement system, said apparatus constructed and arranged to display simultaneously on a display of pixels a main waveform display and a magnified waveform display,

wherein said main waveform display is adapted to have displayed therein one or more waveforms and associated data on a first graticule, and

wherein said magnified waveform display is adapted to have displayed therein a magnified view of a selected region of said main waveform display on a second graticule,

wherein said selected region of said main waveform display is defined by a graphically-controllable selection window positioned over said main waveform display to encompass said selected region

wherein said first graticule is rendered with a first background and said second graticule is rendered with a second background, and

wherein said first background includes a first background region within said selection window that is rendered in a first color, and a second background region not within said selection window is rendered in a second color not equal to said first color, and wherein said second background is rendered in said first color.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

a magnification selection window determinator constructed and arranged to determine horizontal and vertical scale and offset values of said magnified waveform display, said horizontal and vertical scale and offset values related to a position and extent of said selection window; and

a rendering controller constructed and arranged to control a rendering of said main waveform display, said magnification waveform display and said selection window based upon said horizontal and vertical scale and offset values.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said rendering controller is further constructed and arranged to control said rendering of said main waveform display, said magnification waveform display, and said selection window based upon a graphical mode of the display of pixels.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said selected window of said main waveform display and said magnified waveform display include graphical elements that graphically associate said magnified waveform display and said selected region.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said selection window has a plurality of sides,

wherein graphical selection of a pixel within a predetermined region of pixels surrounding said selection window is interpreted as a scaling adjustment operation.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said selection window has a plurality of sides having resizing handles rendered thereon.

47. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein scale and offset values of said magnified waveform display are determined by a position of said selection window on said magnified waveform display, and wherein said graphical manipulation of said selection window effects a change in said scale and offset values of said magnified waveform display.

48. An apparatus, for displaying concurrently on a display operationally coupled to a signal measurement system, a main waveform display adapted to have displayed therein one or more waveforms, and a magnified waveform display adapted to have displayed therein a magnified view of a selected region of said main waveform display,

wherein said main waveform display and said magnified waveform display are rendered with graphical features that graphically associate with each other,

wherein said main waveform display comprises a first graticule rendered with a first background that includes a first background region within said selected region that is rendered in a first color, and a second background region not within said selected region that is rendered in a second color different than said first color, and

wherein said magnified waveform display comprises a second graticule rendered with a second background rendered in said first color.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the signal measurement system is a digital oscilloscope.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said selected region is defined by a selection window rendered over said main waveform display so as to surround said selected region.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said selected region of said main waveform display is defined by a graphically-controllable selection window positioned over said main waveform display to encompass said selected region.

52. A method for magnifying a selected region of a main waveform display in a signal measuring system having a display device and a graphical user interface that controls a waveform display region on the display device, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying simultaneously a main waveform display and a magnified waveform display in said waveform display region, wherein said main waveform display includes a first graticule on which one more waveforms are displayed and said magnified waveform display includes a second graticule on which a magnified view of said selected region of said main waveform display is displayed;

(b) displaying a graphically controllable selection window over said main waveform, wherein said selection window encompasses said selected region of said main waveform display, the magnified view of which appears in said magnified waveform display; and

(c) graphically associating said magnified waveform display and said selected region of said main waveform display, comprising the steps of;

(1) rendering a background of said main waveform graticule within said selection window in a first color;

(2) rendering a main waveform background not within said selection window in a second color not substantially the same as said first color; and

(3) rendering a background of said magnified view window in said first color.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said second color is rendered such that a contrast between said main waveform background and waveforms rendered in said main waveform display is reduced from a normal operational display.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of:

(1) rendering said first and second graticules on the waveform display region; and

(2) rendering a main view supporting window and a magnified view supporting window.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein said step (b) comprises the steps of:

(1) determining scale and offset settings for said main waveform display and said magnified waveform display;

(2) determining main and magnified window display ranges and said scale and offset values based upon said scale and offset settings and a graphical mode of the waveform display region;

(3) determining boundaries of said selection window; and

(4) rendering said selection window.