Representing unspecified information in a measurement system

• US 7,219,306 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Correll, Jeffrey N., Fuller, David W, Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Shah, Mohammed Kamran, Sierer, Brian H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): PESIN, BORIS M
• Application Number:
  US10/328,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 717/125, 702/1
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming

Abstract

System and method for representing an unspecified portion of a measurement system or visually indicating an action required of a user in designing the measurement system. Designing a measurement system may be a gradual process where the user progressively specifies more information regarding components in the system. At any point in the design process, it may be desirable to visually indicate to the user that one or more portions of the system are not yet specified or that the user needs to perform one or more actions. A diagram of the system is displayed, including one or more component icons visually indicating components of the system, and a special icon visually indicating that information regarding a portion of the system has not yet been specified. User input specifying information regarding the portion of the system may be received, and in response, the special icon may be removed from the diagram.

Claims

1. A computer accessible memory medium that stores program instructions for displaying a measurement system, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:

displaying a diagram on a display, wherein the diagram includes a plurality of component icons visually representing components of the measurement system, wherein the diagram also includes a special icon visually indicating that at least one other component of the measurement system has not yet been specified;

receiving user input specifying a first component of the measurement system;

removing the special icon from the diagram in response to the user input; and

replacing the special icon with a first component icon visually representing the first component of the measurement system.

2. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the special icon has a special appearance that allows a user to easily notice the special icon in the diagram.

3. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the special icon has an appearance of a cloud.

4. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

determining the first component of the measurement system based on the user input.

5. The memory medium of claim 4,

wherein the user input specifying the first component of the measurement system includes information specifying desired functionality for the at least one other component;

and

wherein said determining the first component of the measurement system comprises determining at least one other component that is able to perform the specified functionality.

6. The memory medium of claim 4,

wherein the input specifying the first component of the measurement system includes information specifying desired characteristics for the at least one other component of the measurement system;

and

wherein said determining the first component of the measurement system comprises determining at least one other component that has the specified characteristics.

7. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the special icon visually indicates that one or more properties for the at least one other component of the measurement system have not yet been specified;

and

wherein the user input specifies the one or more properties for the at least one other component of the measurement system.

8. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the user input specifies information regarding connection of the at least one other component of the measurement system to one or more other components in the measurement system, and wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

displaying one or more connections from the first component to the one or more other components in response to the user input.

9. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the special icon represents a subsystem of the measurement system;

wherein the special icon visually indicates that the subsystem has not yet been specified; and

wherein said removing and said displaying the first component icon comprises displaying a first plurality of component icons visually indicating a plurality of components in the subsystem.

10. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the diagram illustrates a plurality of connections visually indicating coupling relationships between the plurality of components of the measurement system.

11. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first component icon visually resembles the first component.

12. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises a UUT.

13. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises a sensor.

14. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises a measurement hardware device.

15. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises a software component.

16. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of component icons visually indicating components of the measurement system visually resemble respective components in the measurement system.

17. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the diagram illustrates a computer-controlled measurement system operable to acquire measurement information from a unit under test (UUT).

18. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of component icons visually indicating components of the measurement system comprise a plurality of component icons corresponding to physical devices in the measurement system.

19. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of component icons visually indicating components of the measurement system comprise a plurality of component icons corresponding to respective units under test (UUTs) in the measurement system.

20. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of component icons visually indicating components of the measurement system comprise a plurality of component icons corresponding to respective sensors in the measurement system.

21. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of component icons visually indicating components of the measurement system comprise a plurality of component icons corresponding to respective software components in the measurement system.

22. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said receiving user input comprises receiving user input to the special icon.

23. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said receiving user input comprises receiving user input to a graphical user interface for specifying information regarding the at least one other component of the measurement system.

24. The memory medium of claim 23, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a dialog for specifying information regarding the at least one other component of the measurement system.

25. The memory medium of claim 23, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a wizard for specifying information regarding the at least one other component of the measurement system.

26. The memory medium of claim 23, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a menu for specifying information regarding the at least one other component of the measurement system.

27. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein the menu comprises a context menu.

28. The memory medium of claim 23, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a palette for specifying information regarding the at least one other component of the measurement system.

29. The memory medium of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

receiving user input to the special icon invoking display of the graphical user interface.

30. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

displaying a plurality of possible components for inclusion in the measurement system;

wherein the user input comprises user input selecting one of the plurality of possible components for inclusion in the measurement system.

31. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

displaying a plurality of possible options regarding the at least one other component of measurement system;

wherein the user input comprises user input selecting one of the plurality of options.

32. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein said receiving user input comprises receiving user input dismissing the special icon;

and

wherein said dismissing the special icon causes removal of the special icon from the diagram without the user being required to specify the at least one other component.

33. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the special icon visually indicates that the user is required to specify a network connection for the measurement system.

34. A method for displaying a measurement system, the method comprising:

displaying a diagram on a display, wherein the diagram includes a plurality of component icons visually representing components of the measurement system, wherein the diagram also includes a special icon visually indicating that at least one other component of the measurement system has not yet been specified;

receiving user input specifying a first component of the measurement system;

removing the special icon from the diagram in response to the user input; and

replacing the special icon with a first component icon visually representing the first component of the measurement system.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the special icon has a special appearance that allows a user to easily notice the special icon in the diagram.

36. The method of claim 34,

wherein the special icon has an appearance of a cloud.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

determining the first component of the measurement system based on the user input.

38. The method of claim 34,

wherein the diagram illustrates a plurality of connections visually indicating coupling relationships between the plurality of components of the measurement system.

39. The method of claim 34,

wherein at least a subset of the plurality of component icons and/or the first component icon visually resemble respective components in the measurement system.

40. A system for displaying a measurement system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium stores program instructions that are executable by a processor to;

display a diagram on a display, wherein the diagram includes a plurality of component icons visually representing components of the measurement system, wherein the diagram also includes a special icon visually indicating that at least one other component of the measurement system has not yet been specified;

receive user input specifying a first component of the measurement system;

remove the special icon from the diagram in response to the user input; and

replace the special icon with a first component icon visually representing the first component of the measurement system.

41. A computer accessible memory medium that stores program instructions for displaying a measurement system, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:

displaying a diagram on a display, wherein the diagram includes a plurality of component icons visually representing components of the measurement system, wherein the diagram also includes a special icon visually indicating that the user is required to specify one or more other components for the measurement system;

receiving user input specifying a first one or more components;

removing the special icon from the diagram in response to said receiving user input; and

displaying the first one or more view component icons to replace the special icon, wherein each of the first one or more component icons visually indicates a component specified by the user input.