Generation and execution of instrument control macro files for controlling a signal measurement system
First Claim
1. A macro management system embedded in a signal measurement instrument that provides an operator of the signal measurement instrument with a capability to invoke execution of an operator-defined executable macro file comprising one or more instrument control commands through a single operator action, wherein the macro file is stored by the signal measurement instrument and each said one or more instrument control commands represents one or more instrument control operations to be performed by the signal measurement instrument.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for providing an end-user operator with the ability to assign temporary control of a set of one or more operator-specified instrument control operations to one, single-action switch on a signal measurement system front panel. The assigned instrument control operations are preferably represented by text strings in a macro text file that is developed and modified with the use of a text editor integrated into or operatively coupled with the signal measurement system.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A macro management system embedded in a signal measurement instrument that provides an operator of the signal measurement instrument with a capability to invoke execution of an operator-defined executable macro file comprising one or more instrument control commands through a single operator action, wherein the macro file is stored by the signal measurement instrument and each said one or more instrument control commands represents one or more instrument control operations to be performed by the signal measurement instrument.
- 19. The system of clam 13, wherein said ale processor converts a selected macro text file to an executable macro file by removing blank lines, queries, disallowed commands and leading and trailing blank characters.
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22. An apparatus for use in a signal measurement instrument constructed and arranged to enable an operator to temporarily assign control of one or more instrument control operations to a single control panel switch of the signal measurement instrument to which the operator has direct access.
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23. A method for executing an operator-defined executable macro file comprising one or more instrument control commands stored in a signal measurement system instrument, comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing, in the signal measurement instrument a macro text file comprising one or more text strings of which at least one is an instrument control command;
(b) processing said macro text file to form an executable macro file; and
(c) executing said executable macro file in response to activation of a macro control key on a control panel of the signal measurement instrument. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
(1) providing a text editor to provide a text file editing environment on a graphical user interface of the signal measurement instrument; and
(2) receiving operator inputs via the graphical user interface to develop or modify the macro text file.
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25. The method of claim 23, wherein said step (b) comprises the steps of:
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(1) removing bank lines from said macro text file;
(2) removing disallowed commands from said macro text file; and
(3) removing leading and trailing bank characters from said macro text file.
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26. The method of claim 23, wherein said macro text file is one of a plurality of macro text files, and wherein said step (a) further comprises the step of:
retrieving a selected macro text file from said plurality of macro text files stored in memory in response to a macro selection, command.
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27. The method of claim 24, wherein said text editor utilizes said graphical user interface to provide the operator with a display list of command names from which the operator can select a command string for inclusion into said macro text file, wherein selection of a command name causes said selected command string to be inserted into said macro file.
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28. The method of claim 26, wherein said text strings further comprise one or more macro control commands for controlling execution of said macro file, and wherein said stop (c) comprises the steps of:
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(1) executing said instrument control commands in accordance with said macro control commands to generate formatted commands; and
(2) converting said formatted commands to signal measurement instrument function calls.
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29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step (c) further comprises the step of:
(3) generating of a display of said executable macro file with a visual indication of which text string of said executable macro file is currently being executed by execution unit.
Specification