Report generating method and apparatus

• US 20060001666A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne LeCroy, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lecroy Corporation (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cake, Anthony, Oeffner, Yann, Salant, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 7,663,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/204 Using means for generating permanent registrations, e.g. photographs optical or photographic arrangements combined with CRT vessel H01J29/89
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/345 for displaying sampled signals by using digital processors by intermediate A.D. and D.A. convertors (control circuits for CRT indicators)

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program having instructions for storing information in an oscilloscope is provided. The method comprises the steps of storing a screen display in a predetermined format, storing one or more configuration settings associated with the screen display, and storing in memory channel acquisition data associated with the stored screen display. The screen display may also be annotated, the annotation information being stored as well. The stored screen display, one or more associated configuration settings, and stored channel acquisition data, and annotation data, if applicable, may be loaded into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when the stored data was originally generated.

Claims

1. A method for storing information in an oscilloscope, comprising the steps of:

storing a screen display in a predetermined format;

storing one or more oscilloscope configuration settings associated with the screen display; and

storing in memory channel acquisition data associated with the stored screen display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of loading the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel acquisition data into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when stored data was originally generated.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a user is able to take measurements based upon the loaded information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel acquisition data may be loaded into another oscilloscope having similar properties to the oscilloscope on which the report was generated.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel acquisition data may be loaded into a multipurpose, or other dedicated computer for further analysis.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the further analysis comprises performing at least additional measurements on the stored information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored screen display, configuration settings and channel acquisition data are maintained as a single entry to a multiple entry database.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each single entry of a multiple entry database comprises an individual report.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein one or more individual reports comprise a notebook.

10. The method of claim 9, where a user may maintain a plurality of notebooks.

11. The method of claim 9, where each of a plurality of users on a single oscilloscope maintains one or more notebooks.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a report of any predefined format can be generated from the data comprising a stored individual report.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the report of the predefined format may be further customized in accordance with a user instruction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user instruction comprises indicating a predefined user template to be used to format the data of the report.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the multiple entry database is maintained on a centralized computing platform.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing one or more measured parameters associated with the screen display.

16. The method of claim 16. wherein the multiple entry database can be accessed by another networked computer for performing further analysis on the information stored in the multiple entry database.

18. A method for storing information in an oscilloscope, comprising the steps of:

storing a screen display in a predetermined format;

storing one or more oscilloscope configuration settings associated with the screen display;

storing data from an acquisition memory used to generate the screen display;

annotating the screen display; and

storing the annotating information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the annotating information comprises freehand notations.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the annotating information comprises computerized text generated from freehand notations.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the annotating information comprises computerized text entered via a keyboard, or other text entry device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the annotating information comprises an object selected from a menu of objects.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the annotating information is stored as part of the screen display.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the annotating information is stored apart from the screen display.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the screen display, configuration settings, data, and annotating information are stored as a single report.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

loading the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel memory data into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when stored data was originally generated; and

annotating the restored data.

27. A computer program for storing information in an oscilloscope, the computer program comprising instructions for:

storing a screen display in a predetermined format;

storing one or more oscilloscope configuration settings associated with the screen display; and

storing in memory channel acquisition data associated with the stored screen display.

28. The computer program of claim 27, further comprising instructions for loading the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel acquisition data into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when stored data was originally generated.

29. A computer program for storing information in an oscilloscope, the computer program comprising instruction for:

storing a screen display in a predetermined format;

storing one or more oscilloscope configuration settings associated with the screen display;

storing data from an acquisition memory used to generate the screen display;

annotating the screen display; and

storing the annotating information.

30. The computer of claim 29, further comprising instructions for:

loading the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel memory data into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when stored data was originally generated; and

annotating the restored data.

31. An oscilloscope for acquiring and storing data, comprising:

an acquisition system for acquiring input data; and

a memory for storing a screen display in a predetermined format, for storing one or more oscilloscope configuration settings associated with the screen display, and for storing in memory channel acquisition data associated with the stored screen display.

32. The oscilloscope of claim 31, further comprising a controller for loading the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel acquisition data into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when stored data was originally generated.

33. The oscilloscope of claim 31, further comprising the step of storing one or more measured parameters associated with the screen display.

34. An oscilloscope for acquiring and storing information, comprising:

an acquisition system for acquiring input data, and

a memory for storing a screen display in a predetermined format, for storing one or more oscilloscope configuration settings associated with the screen display, and for storing data from an acquisition memory used to generate the screen display;

an input device for annotating the screen display; and

a memory for storing the annotating information.

35. The oscilloscope of claim 34, further comprising:

a controller for loading the stored screen display, the one or more associated configuration settings, and the stored channel memory data into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when stored data was originally generated;

wherein the input device is operable to further annotate the restored data.

36. The oscilloscope of claim 34, wherein the annotating information is stored as part of the screen display.

37. The oscilloscope of claim 34, wherein the annotating information is stored apart from the screen display.