Communication test set with a graphical user interface that can simultaneously present and update test results of a communication signal at multiple levels

• US 6,556,223 B1
• Filed: 08/12/1999
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TTC (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TTC (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Tran, Minh L., Brozenick, Chris F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Mylinh T
• Application Number:
  US09/372,878
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 345/771, 345/781, 345/792, 345/804, 345/965, 345/959, 345/733, 345/738, 345/805, 702/108, 702/117, 702/120, 702/124, 371/22, 379/21, 709/220, 709/223, 709/224, 709/249
• US Class Current: 715/804
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A programmable graphical user interface (GUI) for use in a communication test set which conducts line tests at different communication levels for both a primary signal and a secondary signal. The GUI includes four screens. The first screen displays test results for a first communication level. The second screen for displays test results for a second communication level. The third screen displays test results for a third communication level. And, the fourth screen displays test results for a fourth communication level. The GUI simultaneously displays the first screen, second screen, third screen and fourth screen to provide the user with a comprehensive view of the testing.

Claims

1. A programmable graphical user interface (GUI) for use in a communication test set which conducts line tests at different communication levels for a primary signal representing a first communication line, with each communication level representing a communication format at a predetermined speed, said GUI comprising:

a first screen for displaying test results for a first communication level contained in the first communication line;

a second screen for displaying test results for a second communication level contained in the first communication line;

a third screen for displaying test results for a third communication level contained in the first communication line; and

a fourth screen for displaying test results for a fourth communication level contained in the first communication line;

wherein, said GUI simultaneously displays the first screen, second screen, third screen and fourth screen.

2. The programmable GUI of claim 1, wherein said first screen, second screen, third screen and fourth screen display test results for the primary signal and a secondary signal representing a second communication line.

3. The programmable GUI of claim 2, wherein the test results presented in said first screen represent one group of test results that are selected from a plurality of groups of test results.

4. The programmable GUI of claim 2, wherein the test results presented in said second screen represent one group of test results that are selected from a plurality of groups of test results.

5. The programmable GUI of claim 2, wherein the test results presented in said third screen represent one group of test results that are selected from a plurality of groups of test results.

6. The programmable GUI of claim 2, wherein the test results presented in said fourth screen represent one group of test results that are selected from a plurality of groups of test results.

7. The programmable GUI of claim 2, wherein said first communication level, second communication level, third communication level and fourth communication level can be selected from a group of communication levels.

8. The programmable GUI of claim 2, wherein any one of said first, second third and fourth screens display certain colors when said screens contain tests results that have errors.

9. A programmable graphical user interface (GUI) for use in a communication test set which conducts tests of a signal at different communication levels, the signal representing a first communication line and each communication level representing a communication format at a predetermined speed, said GUI comprising:

a primary screen for simultaneously displaying tests of a first communication level contained in the first communication line, a second communication level contained in the first communication line, a third communication level contained in the first communication line, and a fourth communication level contained in the first communication line; and

a plurality of secondary screens which allow a user of the communication test set to select test results that are displayed on the primary screen.

10. The programmable GUI of claim 9 wherein said primary screen further comprises:

a first subscreen for displaying test results of the first communication level contained in the first communication line;

a second subscreen for displaying test results of the second communication level contained in the first communication line;

a third subscreen for displaying test results of the third communication level contained in the first communication line; and

a fourth subscreen for displaying test results of the fourth communication level contained in the first communication line.

11. The programmable GUI of claim 10, wherein one of said plurality of subscreens allows the user to select one group of test results from a plurality of groups of test results.

12. In a communication test device, a method of displaying test results of a first communication line, comprising:

displaying in a first screen test results of a first communication format of a first communication line being tested, the first communication line containing;

a second communication format multiplexed into the first communication format and having a lower speed than the first communication format,

a third communication format multiplexed into the second communication format and having a lower speed than the second communication format, and

a fourth communication format multiplexed into the third communication format and having a lower speed than the third communication format;

displaying in a second screen test results of the second communication format contained in the first communication line;

displaying in a third screen test results of the third communication format contained in the first communication line;

displaying in a fourth screen test results of the fourth communication format contained in the first communication line;

wherein the first, second, third and fourth screens are simultaneously displayed.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising updating the test results of the first, second, third and fourth formats of the first communication line at a predetermined interval.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

selecting by a user the test results to be dispplayed in at least one of the screens; and

storing the user selected test results for later retrieval.