System and method for graphically annotating a waveform display in a signal-measurement system
First Claim
1. An annotation system for graphically annotating measurement waveforms in a signal measurement system having a graphical user interface through which waveforms and measurement results are displayed on a display of the signal measurement system, the annotation system constructed and arranged to enable an operator to graphically generate an annotation label containing operator-generated information and to graphically alter the position of said annotation label such that said annotation label is positionally associated with a desired feature of a waveform displayed on said graphical user interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A real-time annotation system and methodology for annotating measurement waveforms in a signal measurement system that includes a graphical user interface for displaying waveforms and measurement results on a signal measurement system display. Generally, the annotation system enables an operator to generate a graphical annotation label containing any desired data, and to graphically position the annotation label at any desired location on the measurement display, enabling the operator to positionally associate the graphical annotation label with a desired waveform or waveform feature displayed on the graphical user interface. The annotation system is constructed and arranged to enable an operator to graphically generate an annotation label containing operator-generated information and to graphically alter the position of the annotation label such that the annotation label is positionally associated with a desired feature of a waveform displayed on the graphical user interface. The annotation label may be implemented as dialog box, window or other display region in the graphical environment provided by the graphical user interface.
134 Citations
57 Claims
- 1. An annotation system for graphically annotating measurement waveforms in a signal measurement system having a graphical user interface through which waveforms and measurement results are displayed on a display of the signal measurement system, the annotation system constructed and arranged to enable an operator to graphically generate an annotation label containing operator-generated information and to graphically alter the position of said annotation label such that said annotation label is positionally associated with a desired feature of a waveform displayed on said graphical user interface.
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42. A signal measurement system comprising:
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an operating system;
a graphical user interface; and
an annotation system for graphically annotating measurement waveforms displayed in a waveform display of the graphical user interface, said annotation system constructed and arranged to enable an operator to graphically generate an annotation label containing operator-generated information and to position said annotation label to any location on the waveform display. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
wherein one or more of said plurality of annotation labels includes additional graphical elements to facilitate visual association with said desired waveform or waveform feature. -
45. The system of claim 42, wherein said annotation system comprises:
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a plurality of label control units each constructed and arranged to control operator interactivity with an associated annotation label rendered on the graphical user interface, said plurality of label control units providing the operator with the capability to determine content and display location of said associated annotation label; and
an annotation label manager constructed and arranged to provide centralized control over invocation and removal of each of said plurality of label control units and, hence, of said display of said associated annotation labels.
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46. The system of claim 45, wherein said annotation label manager maintains, in a label state data structure, a current state of each of said plurality of associated annotation labels currently rendered on said graphical user interface, said current state including said position, appearance and said content of said displayed annotation labels.
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47. The system of claim 46, wherein said label state data structure is globally accessible to other elements of the signal measurement system.
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48. The system of claim 42, wherein said annotation label manager is constructed and arranged to generate, in response to said creation and deletion function calls generated by said graphical user interface, system calls that cause an operating system to create and destroy specified ones of said label control units.
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49. The system of claim 47, wherein said annotation label manager stores in a memory device default values for said location, said appearance and said content of said displayed annotation labels.
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50. The system of claim 49, wherein said current state comprises:
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a label number uniquely identifying each displayed annotation label;
a label pointer providing an address of said label control unit that generated said annotation label;
location information identifying a current location of said annotation label on the display; and
label content information identifying contents of said annotation label.
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51. The system of claim 50, wherein said current state further comprises:
rendering information identifying an appearance of said annotation label when said annotation label is rendered on the graphical user interface.
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52. The system of claim 45, wherein each said label control unit comprises:
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a display controller constructed and arranged to interoperate with said graphical user interface to display and control said display and operator interactivity with said associated annotation label on said graphical user interface; and
a position controller constructed and arranged to control said location and size of said associated annotation label.
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53. The system of claim 52, wherein each said position controller is constructed and arranged to determine a size and position of said associated annotation label to enable said associated annotation label to be completely rendered within boundaries of a waveform display region.
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54. The system of claim 52, wherein each said label control unit further comprises:
a command processor constructed and arranged to route certain function calls from said graphical user interface to annotation label manager and forwards certain commands to said display controller and to said positional controller.
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55. The system of claim 45, wherein said annotation label manager comprises:
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an annotation label generation control unit constructed and arranged to instantiate and destroy label control units based on said create and delete function calls; and
an annotation label maintenance unit constructed and arranged to maintain said label state data structure, said maintenance unit receiving rendering information from said graphical user interface and updating said label state data structure with such information to maintain said annotation label current state.
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56. The system of claim 55, wherein said annotation label generation control unit is further constructed and arranged to store annotation label default values in a default values data structure.
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57. The system of claim 56, wherein said annotation label generation control unit is further constructed and arranged to determine initial values for rendering an annotation label.
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Specification