Network based system which provides a database of measurement solutions

• US 7,620,897 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• 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 III, Shah, Mohammed Kamran, Sierer, Brian H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault; Steven B
• Application Number:
  US10/338,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 715/734, 715/735, 715/736, 715/737, 702/119, 702/120, 702/121, 702/188
• US Class Current: 715/734
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/28 adapted for measuring in circuits having distributed constants
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

System and method for configuring a client system, e.g., a measurement system. First input is received from a client system over a network requesting access to a plurality of configuration diagrams comprising respective solutions to respective tasks. At least a subset of the plurality of configuration diagrams is displayed on a display device of the client system for viewing by a user. Second input is received from the client system selecting one of the displayed configuration diagrams indicating a solution for a task to be performed by the client system. The solution is provided to the client system over the network, and may include the selected configuration diagram and/or pricing information for proposed products. The configuration diagrams are stored in a configuration diagram database. The stored configuration diagrams may be pre-defined solutions for pre-defined tasks, generated in response to received user requirements, and/or received from client systems and/or vendors.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a client system, comprising:

receiving, at a server computer system, first input from a client system over a network requesting access to a first plurality of configuration diagrams in a configuration diagram database, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams represents a respective measurement system and comprises a solution to a respective measurement task, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices, and wherein said first input is provided in response to user input;

receiving, at the server computer system, user input to browse the configuration diagram database from the client system over the network; and

the server computer system providing one or more of the plurality of configuration diagrams to the client system over the network for display on the client system for viewing by a user of the client system in response to said user input to browse the configuration diagram database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second input from the client system selecting one of said one or more of the plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein the selected configuration diagram indicates a first solution for a first task to be performed by the client system.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the selected configuration diagram is usable to configure the client system, thereby enabling the client system to perform the first task.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected configuration diagram includes vendor information indicating one or more vendors able to configure a solution in accordance with the selected configuration diagram.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said vendor information comprises one or more of:

an email address;

a website address;

a telephone number;

a postal address;

or

vendor identification.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving third input from the client system indicating a desire to correspond with a first vendor of the one or more vendors; and

automatically corresponding with the first vendor in response to said third input.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected configuration diagram includes a plurality of icons representing respective products from a plurality of vendors.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing the first solution to the client system over the network after receiving the second input.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving payment information prior to said providing the solution.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said providing the first solution to the client system over the network comprises:

providing information related to one or more products to the user as proposed hardware products for the client system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said providing information related to one or more products to the user as proposed hardware products for the client system comprises:

providing the selected configuration diagram to the client system, wherein the selected configuration diagram comprises information representing said proposed hardware products for the client system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the provided configuration diagram comprises a proposed configuration of the client system, the method further comprising:

receiving a modified version of the provided solution from the client system over the network, wherein the modified version of the provided solution comprises one or more changes to the proposed configuration.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating purchase of at least one of the proposed hardware products; and

providing the at least one of the proposed hardware products to the user in response to said receiving user input.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a current configuration of the client system;

analyzing the current configuration of the client system and the selected configuration diagram; and

determining said one or more products based on said analyzing.

15. The method of claim 1,

wherein said providing comprises retrieving said one or more of the first plurality of configuration diagrams from the configuration diagram database in response to said receiving first input.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing information to the user related to each of said one or more of the first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein said browsing is based on the provided information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said information related to each configuration diagram comprises one or more of:

identification information for the configuration diagram;

version information for the configuration diagram;

a functional description of the configuration diagram;

platform information for the configuration diagram;

searchable information for the configuration diagram;

a list of devices and/or programs represented in the configuration diagram;

or

one or more tasks for which the configuration diagram comprises a solution.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first plurality of configuration diagrams further comprises:

one or more programs stored on the devices in the represented system.

19. The method of claim 18,

wherein said one or more of the plurality of configuration diagrams further graphically represents configuration information for at least one of the devices and the one or more programs in the represented system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said one or more of said first plurality of configuration diagrams comprises a tree diagram which visually represents the represented system, wherein the tree diagram displays a hierarchical view of the plurality of devices and the one or more programs in the represented system.

21. The method of claim 18,

wherein the configuration diagram further comprises pricing information for the devices in a proposed system and the one or more programs stored on the devices in the proposed system.

22. The method of claim 18,

wherein the client system comprises a measurement system;

wherein the devices in the proposed system comprise one or more measurement devices which are operable to perform respective measurement functions; and

wherein the one or more programs stored on the devices comprise one or more measurement programs.

23. The method of claim 18,

wherein the client system comprises a simulation system;

wherein the devices in the proposed system comprise one or more simulation devices which are operable to perform respective simulation functions; and

wherein the one or more programs stored on the devices comprise one or more simulation programs.

24. The method of claim 18,

wherein the client system comprises an automation system;

wherein the devices in the proposed system comprise one or more automation devices which are operable to perform respective automation functions; and

wherein the one or more programs stored on the devices comprise one or more automation programs.

25. The method of claim 18,

wherein the client system comprises a network system;

wherein the devices in the proposed system comprise one or more network devices which are operable to perform respective network functions; and

wherein the one or more programs stored on the devices comprise one or more network programs.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more configuration diagrams from a vendor representing systems the vendor can install; and

storing the provided one or more configuration diagrams in the configuration diagram database.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing a first client system;

generating a first configuration diagram based on said analyzing, wherein the first configuration diagram represents a configuration of the first client system; and

storing the configuration diagram in the configuration diagram database.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a user drawing at least a portion of a first configuration diagram; and

storing the first configuration diagram in the configuration diagram database.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration diagram database further comprises a second plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein each configuration diagram in the second plurality of configuration diagrams represents a respective system and comprises a solution to a respective task, wherein each configuration diagram in the second plurality of configuration diagrams comprises one or more device icons representing one or more electronic devices, and a plurality program icons representing a plurality of programs desired to be deployed on respective ones of the one or more electronic devices.

29. A system for configuring a client system to perform a desired task, the system comprising:

a server computer system, comprising;

a network interface for coupling to a network, wherein the server computer system is operable to communicate with a client computer over the network;

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium stores a configuration diagram database, and wherein the memory medium further stores program instructions for;

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

receive first input from the client system over a network requesting access to a first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams represents a respective measurement system and comprises a solution to a respective measurement task, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices, and wherein said first input is provided in response to user input;

provide at least a subset of the plurality of configuration diagrams for display on the client system for viewing by a user of the client system;

receive second input from the client system over the network selecting one of the at least a subset of the first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein the selected configuration diagram indicates a solution for a task to be performed by the client system; and

provide the solution to the client system over the network.

30. A computer-accessible memory medium comprised on a server computer system, wherein the memory medium stores program instructions for configuring a client system to perform a desired task, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor of the sewer computer system to perform:

receiving first input from the client system over a network requesting access to a first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams represents a respective measurement system and comprises a solution to a respective measurement task, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices, and wherein said first input is provided in response to user input; and

providing at least a subset of the plurality of configuration diagrams for display on the client system for viewing by a user of the client system;

receiving second input from the client system over the network selecting one of the at least a subset of the first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein the selected configuration diagram indicates a solution for a task to be performed by the client system; and

providing the solution to the client system over the network.

31. A computer-accessible memory medium comprised on a server computer system, comprising:

a configuration diagram database; and

program instructions for configuring a client system to perform a desired task, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor of the server computer system to perform;

receiving first input from the client system over a network requesting access to a plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams represents a respective measurement system and comprises a solution to a respective measurement task, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices, and wherein said first input is provided in response to user input; and

providing at least a subset of the plurality of configuration diagrams to the client system over the network for display on the client system for viewing by a user of the client system.

32. The memory medium of claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

receiving second input from the client system selecting one of the at least a subset of the plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein the selected configuration diagram indicates a solution for a measurement task to be performed by the client system; and

providing the solution to the client system over the network.

33. A method for configuring a client system to perform a desired task, the method comprising:

the client system accessing a configuration diagram server computer system over a network, wherein the configuration diagram server computer system comprises a configuration diagram database comprising a first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams iconically represents a measurement system, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices;

browsing one or more configuration diagrams from the configuration diagram database at the client system, wherein each of the one or more configuration diagrams comprises a solution for a respective measurement task;

the client system providing input over the network to the configuration diagram server computer system selecting one of the one or more configuration diagrams from the configuration diagram database, wherein the selected configuration diagram iconically represents one or more products as proposed hardware products for the client system to perform the desired task, and wherein said input is provided in response to user input; and

the client system receiving information related to the one or more products from the configuration diagram server computer system over the network.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said receiving information related to the one or more products comprises:

downloading the selected configuration diagram.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said information related to the one or more products comprises:

pricing information for the one or more products.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

the client system receiving user input indicating purchase of at least one of the one or more products; and

the client system providing purchase information related to the at least one of the one or more products to the server computer system based on said user input.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

receiving the at least one of the one or more products in response to said providing purchase information; and

configuring the client system in accordance with the configuration diagram;

wherein after said configuring, the client system is operable to perform the task.

38. A method for configuring a client system, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server computer system, requirements over a network for a measurement task to be performed by a client system;

the server computer system automatically analyzing the received requirements;

the server computer system determining a configuration diagram from a configuration diagram database in response to said analyzing, wherein the configuration diagram iconically represents a proposed system configuration for the client system for performing the measurement task, wherein the configuration diagram specifies a solution for the client system to perform the measurement task, and wherein the configuration diagram comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices; and

the server computer system providing the determined configuration diagram to the client system over the network for display to a user of the client system;

wherein the determined configuration diagram is usable to configure the client system, thereby enabling the client system to perform the measurement task.

39. The method of claim 38,

wherein the configuration diagram graphically represents the coupled devices as a proposed system, and wherein the configuration diagram further comprises one or more program icons representing one or more programs stored on the devices in the proposed system.

40. A system for configuring a client system to perform a task, the system comprising:

a server computer system, comprising;

a network interface for coupling to a network, wherein the server computer system is operable to communicate with a client computer over the network;

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium stores a configuration diagram database, and wherein the memory medium further stores program instructions for;

wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

receive requirements over the network for a measurement task to be performed by a client system;

automatically analyze the received requirements;

determine a configuration diagram from a configuration diagram database in response to said analyzing, wherein the configuration diagram iconically represents a system configuration for the client system for performing the measurement task, wherein the system configuration specifies a solution for the client system to perform the measurement task, and wherein the configuration diagram comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices; and

provide the determined configuration diagram to the client system over the network for display to a user of the client system;

wherein the selected configuration diagram is usable to configure the client system, thereby enabling the client system to perform the measurement task.

41. A computer-accessible memory medium which stores program instructions for configuring a client system to perform a desired task, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:

receiving, at a server computer system, requirements over a network for a measurement task to be performed by a client system;

the server computer system automatically analyzing the received requirements;

the server computer system determining a configuration diagram from a configuration diagram database in response to said analyzing, wherein the configuration diagram iconically represents a system configuration for the client system for performing the measurement task, wherein the system configuration specifies a solution for the client system to perform the measurement task, and wherein the configuration diagram comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices; and

the server computer system providing the determined configuration diagram to the client system over the network for display to a user of the client system;

wherein the selected configuration diagram is usable to configure the client system, thereby enabling the client system to perform the measurement task.

42. A method for configuring a client system, comprising:

receiving, at a server computer system, first input from a client system over a network requesting access to a first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams represents a respective system and comprises a solution to a respective measurement task, wherein each configuration diagram in the first plurality of configuration diagrams comprises a plurality of device icons coupled by link icons, wherein the device icons represent electronic devices, wherein at least one of the electronic devices comprises a measurement device, wherein the link icons represent physical connectivity between the electronic devices, and wherein said first input is provided in response to user input;

the server computer system providing at least a subset of the plurality of configuration diagrams for display on the client system for viewing by a user of the client system;

receiving, at a server computer system, second input from the client system over the network selecting one of the at least a subset of the first plurality of configuration diagrams, wherein the selected configuration diagram indicates a solution for a measurement task to be performed by the client system; and

the server computer system providing the solution to the client system over the network.