GB2213688A

GB2213688A - Display device for a measuring instrument

Info

Publication number: GB2213688A
Application number: GB8829639A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolfgang Schulze; Herbert Schick; Willi Thomas; Guenter Roppelt
Original assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AB
Current assignee: ABB AB
Priority date: 1987-12-22
Filing date: 1988-12-20
Publication date: 1989-08-16
Also published as: JPH01207632A; GB8829639D0; DE3743543A1

Description

X 7 -1 z 1368 C 8 Operating and display device The invention relates to an

operating and display

device of the type stated in the preamble of Claim 1.

In the case of measuring instruments which are convenient to use and have a plurality of test functions, operating plays a decisive role for the user It is not sufficient here to find the correct key as quickly as possible in order to specify a specific function, it must as a rule be possible to combine several commands, which can be entered using buttons, with one another In doing so, it is necessary to provide the user with a logically convincing system which can be memorized easily and which does away with the need to consult the operating instruc- tions frequently However, even with a clear layout of the operating panel, there are always still a relatively large number of operating elements which are usually designed as pushbuttons.

From the sector of electronic data processing (EDP) it is known to reduce decisively the number of pushbuttons required by employing a so-called menu tech- nique In each case a menu is called up with specific pushbuttons and this menu is displayed on the screen.

Each menu corresponds to a command array having several possible commands available for selection As a rule, the commands are assigned to various hierarchical command levels, so that a command from a higher command level leads in each case to a command array on a lower level, provided that it itself is not already at the end of a hierarchical chain and directly contains a work instruc- tion for the EDP With this method, relatively few push- buttons are sufficient, in conjunction with a cursor which permits selection within the various command arrays, to enter a large number of commands.

2 - The "HP 54100 A/D digitizing oscilloscope"l des- cribed by HEWLETT PACKARD in the "Users' Guide, October 1984 " also works with a menu technique This instrument contains a microprocessor which processes commands entered via operating elements The operating elements designed as pushbuttons are assigned to hierarchically graded command levels, a first pushbutton array posi- tioned at the lower end of a screen being assigned to a first command level, and a second pushbutton array posi- tioned at the right-hand side of a screen being assigned to a second command level Neither the first nor the second pushbutton array is provided with fixed captions, rather the captions are displayed on the screen on a display area immediately adjacent to the pushbuttons.

This makes it possible to alternate the captions for both pushbutton arrays Such alternation is also envisaged for the first pushbutton array, which has a help button with which it is possible to switch over the captions for the remaining buttons, so that as a result the number of commands of the first command level is virtually doubled.

However, this advantage is gained at the expense of the fact that the space required for the display cannot be used for displaying the measured quantity.

If one assumes that the hierarchical ordering of the command sequence leads the user to the last command level over the shortest route, then he must devote his whole attention particularly to the latter For it is in each case the last commands of a hierarchical command string which contain the instruction which the measuring instrument requires for executing a specific test func- tion It is of decisive importance to find precisely these commands in the last command level quickly and, where a command array contains a specific parameter range, to be able to set quickly the respective parameter desired On the HP 54100 A/D, besides the second pushbutton array which serves to call up command arrays in the last command level, there are three options for making a selection within these command arrays Thus the 3 - last command can be defined by pressing two direction pushbuttons, by a rotary knob or by input on a numeric keyboard To do so, either two hands are required, or specific operating elements must be successively actuated.

The selection is also made more difficult due to the fact that not all commands in a command array are displayed, but only the selected command is displayed in each case.

The object of the invention is, in a measuring

Claims

instrument of the type stated in the preamble of Claim 1, to facilitate

the selection of the operating commands within the last command level.

This object is achieved by the features charac- terized in Claim 1 Expedient refinements and further developments of the subject matter of the invention are stated in the subclaims.

As a result of the use of rocker switches on the penultimate command level it is possible to select with one press of the button a quite specific command array of the last command level and, depending on the rocking direction, to call up successively the commands located on the right-hand side or left-hand side of a command array.

One finger, which can remain on the rocker switch until the desired command is found, is therefore sufficient.

The selection is furthermore facilitated in that the commands available for selection in each case of the command array called up are displayed in a selection screen area on the screen A sp 2 cial marking of the currently set command distinguishes it from the other commands Which direction the rocker switch is to be pressed to reach the desired setting as fast as possible is also immediately recognizable.

It can already be inferred from the above explana- tions that, in describing the invention, commands will always be referred to, regardless whether these occur within or at the beginning of a hierarchical chain and serve for calling up a subordinate command array or whether they occur at the end of a hierarchical chain and then contain an operating instruction to the measuring J 4 - instrument In the case of commands of the latter type, a distinction could be drawn between function commands, for example "light on", and parameter commands, for examp Le " 1 volt" Parameter commands may occur in turn as individual parameters or as parameter va Lues from a parameter range, for example 2 m V to 20 V.

It is normally not possible to display all para- meter commands of a parameter range, since their number is too great In an advantageous further development of the subject matter of the invention, it is therefore en- visaged to display command arrays containing a parameter range in such a manner that the beginning-of-range value, the end-of-range value and the currently set value gener- ally lying in between are displayed on the selection screen area In this arrangement, too, it is easily recognizable whether the desired parameter va Lue lies within the predetermined measuring range and in which direction it can be most quickly reached using the rocker switch In the case of very large parameter ranges, the known technique can be applied such that the switching rate is increased as soon as the rocker switch is pressed for a longer period of time.

The respectively set parameter or command can be distinguished from the other commands of a command array particularly well if it is displayed as a reverse video image.

In the desire to save on operating elements by assigning them alternating designations, it should be considered that the screen must be used for an alternat- ing disp Lay, and the screen area required for this cannot be used for displaying the test signal An advantageous refinement of the subject matter of the invention there- fore envisages that the operating elements assigned to the first command level are provided with fixed designa- tions, while the rocker switches assigned jointly to a further and a last command level are provided with vari- able designations.

As already mentioned, the rocker switches are - effective on the last and penultimate command level With the aid of a pushbutton of the first command level, a command array is selected, the commands of which are in each case assigned to a specific rocker switch A quite specific command of the last command array is selected by pressing a rocker switch An expedient design of the invention therefore envisages displaying for each of the rocker switches the designation of the command array assigned to it and the command selected in each case from this command array The display is effected on a screen area adjacent to the rocker switches in such a manner that each rocker switch is assigned its own display field.

Thus, on the screen, two screen areas are pro- vided on which the variable command displays which can be called up with the aid of the rocker switches can be dis- played In a measuring instrument on which the screen is arranged on the left-hand side in the direction of viewing, it is expedient to arrange the first screen area on the right-hand side of the screen, which is adjoined first of all by the rocker switches and then by an operating panel with further pushbuttons The selec- tion screen area associated with the last command level is advantageously positioned at the top side of the screen as a second screen area and in effect forms there a header line If several command arrays belong to a command level, as is the case in conjunction with the rocker switches, then a further display is expedient which identifies the higher-ranking command, or the res- pective command array In the present case, this display is Located at the top end of the first screen area.

As soon as the setting of the measuring instru- ment has been effected, the display of the individual commands loses an essential part of its significance.

It is therefore particularly advantageous if the micro- processor automatically deletes the command display in the first and/or second screen area of the screen after a predetermined time and uses said screen area(s) to display other information It is particularly expedient, after deletion of the command display on the first and/or second screen area, to extend a third screen area for displaying the measured quantity After setting of the measuring instrument is completed, the essential part of the attention can be devoted to the measured quantity, which is now displayed in a broad representation.

In order that the user, on the other hand, does not need to remember important setting data, it is envisaged that the microprocessor, after deletion of the command display on the first and/or the second screen area, initiates display, preferably on the second screen area, of specific setting data In doing so, in parti- cu Lar such data is selected which was set with the aid of operating elements at which the command entered cannot or can no longer be read off Such a display is of particular importance if measured curves called up from the memory are to be displayed singly or in each case in conjunction with current measured curves This makes it possible to compare the setting data for the various measured curves with-one another.

The above-described features of the measuring instrument are applied preferably in a two-channel oscilloscope The latter is expediently designed with three command levels, various commands being executable by the microprocessor by means of the pushbuttons assigned to the first command level It is possible at least for part of these commands to call up subsequent command arrays Thus both individual commands as well as command arrays are assigned to the second and third command levels, the command arrays assigned to the third level containing in particular parameter ranges.

Besides the hierarchically ordered operating elements, on the operating panel of the measuring instrument, further operating elements, preferably push- buttons, are provided which serve to trigger special commands These special commands represent specific operating instructions to be executed directly by the measuring instrument or the microprocessor of the latter.

7 - Since the oscilloscope is equipped with two channels and it is possible to call up both the current measured curves and stored measured curves, it is necessary to be able to distinguish the individual curves from one another For this purpose, the microprocessor automatic- ally provides the displayed curves of the measured signals with a marking In addition the base line of the measured curves is represented on the screen and the trigger point is displayed.

Further details of the invention will be explained below with reference to an exemplary embodiment, which is i drawings, Figure 1:

Figure 2:

Figure 3:

Figure Figure Figure Figure 4:

6:

l Lustrated in greater detail with the aid of in which:

shows the front view of an oscilloscope, shows a section of the front view of the oscillo- scope with va-rious displays on the screen, shows the hierarchical command structure of the oscilloscope, shows a block circuit diagram of the oscilloscope, shows the screen of the oscilloscope during the setting phase, shows a screen after completion of the setting work, shows a screen with current and stored measured curves.

A screen 110 and an operating panel 9 can be seen from the front view of the oscilloscope illustrated in Figure 1 Three different kinds of the pushbuttons arranged on the operating panel can be distinguished.

With the aid of pushbuttons A to H, instructions can be entered for the oscilloscope which are independent of the operating of the other pushbuttons On the other hand, the pushbuttons 1 to 7 belong to a first command level and are connected hierarchically to rocker switches 11 to 15 of a second command level.

While, however, the keys 1 to 7 are provided with fixed designations from which it can be seen which commands are issued to a microprocessor of the measur- ing instrument when the pushbuttons are pressed, there 8 - is no fixed designation for the rocker switches 11 to 15, since the commands assigned to them change in accordance with an alternating pressing of the pushbuttons 1 to 7.

For marking the commands assigned to the respective rocker switches 11 to 15, a first screen area 111 and a second screen area 112 respectively are reserved on screen 110 A third screen area 113 serves for graphic representation of one or more test signals.

The described oscilloscope has two channels A and B The screen 110, shown in Figure 2, with the rocker switches 11 to 15 arranged right-justified is intended to clarify the setting procedure By pressing the push- button 1, the channel A is called up and a command array associated with said channel is displayed on the screen area 111 The command array consists of 5 commands of a second command level, each of these commands belonging in turn to a command array now of the third command level.

The hierarchical command structure of the oscil- loscope can be seen from Figure 3 The pushbuttons A to H have no significance in this connection The first command level I begins with the pushbuttons 1 to 7 This is followed by the second command level II with commands 21 to 35 and this is adjoined by the third command level III with commands 211 to 351 If one runs through the first hierarchical command string from pushbutton 1, starting from the first command level 1, then one first of all reaches the first command array 21 to 25 of the second command level II If one selects the first command 21 of the command array 21 to 25, then this is followed by the first command array 211 of the third and last command level of this instrument Only when one has specified a specific command, for example the command 213, from this command array 211, can the micropro- cessor execute this operating instruction.

When considering Figure 3 it should be noted that although the diagram illustrates all command levels of the oscilloscope, the second command level is broken off after the second command array 31 to 35 Incidentally, 9 - it should be obvious that it is not necessary to go through all command string from the first to the last command level, but rather, if appropriate, the final command is reached already before the last command level.

Where a command array contains parameter ranges, these may consist of many different commands (parameter values).

In this regard, therefore, the selected numeral intervals for the reference numerals are without significance.

The hierarchical structure illustrated in Figure 3 at first sight appears to be somewhat unclear as it is intended at the same time to illustrate the mode of functioning of the rocker switches 11 to 15 If one traces, from this aspect, the above-described command string once again, then, after calling up the command array 21 to 25, one of the subordinate command arrays 211 to 251 is to be selected by pressing the push- button 1 with the aid of one of the rocker switches 11 to 15 In the present case, the rocker switch 11 must be held in the respectively correct rocker position or pressed several times until, for example, the command 213 is reached.

The rocker switches 11 to 15 therefore have two tasks First of all they serve, as a usual pushbutton, for selecting a specific command array, for example the command array 211 from the higher-ranking command array 21 to 25 and subsequently a specific command, for example the command 213, is selected from the command array 211 by means of the rocker position.

In order to permit selection of the last command of the hierarchical command string as simply and quickly as possible, each rocker switch 11 to 15 is assigned its own display field 117 which consists of two subfields 117 a and 117 b In the upper subfield 117 a in each case the command arrays 21 to 35 of the second command level are displayed, while the respective selected command of the last command level 211 to 351 is displayed in the subfields 117 b.

Since the subfields 117 b are only relatively - small, only one selected command can be displayed in each case So that the user still has the entire command array in view, in order to select the optimum command, a second screen area 112 is provided in which all possible commands of a predetermined command array of the last command level are displayed In the case of parameter ranges possibly having a very large number of possible parameter values, in each case a beginning-of-range value 114, an end-of-range value 116 and the currently set value 115 is displayed.

The hierarchical command structure explained with the aid of Figure 3 can be comprehended in conjunction with Figure 2 using a practical example Let us assume that first of all channel A of the two-channel oscillo- scope is called up via the pushbutton 1 This channel is displayed in reverse video in a front field 122 at the top end of the screen area 111 By pressing the rocker switch 11, the command array "V/Div" is selected, that is to say a command array which presents a parameter range of 2 m V to 20 V for selecting the vertical deflec- tion and which is displayed in the subfield 117 a While in each case only the respective parameter currently set with the rocker switch 11 (for example 5 m V) is displayed in the subfield 117 b, in the second screen area 112, in addition to this value of 5 m V displayed in reverse video, the beginning-of-range value of 2 m V and the end-of-range value of 20 V are displayed.

Besides the further variable designations assigned to the rocker switches 12 to 15 in the display fields 117, which need not be described in more detail here, the signals 118 and 119 displayed in the third screen area 113 can also be seen in Figure 2 Their assignment to the corresponding test channel is marked by the letters-A and B The curves of both signals 118, 119 are also provided with a base line 123 and a trigger point 124 is indicated by T.

A block circuit diagram of the oscilloscope shown in Figure 4 comprises a microprocessor 81, a measurement 11 - recorder 82 and a screen 110 The commands issued to the microprocessor with the aid of the operating elements A to H and 1 to 15 are processed by said microprocessor and, where necessary, both forwarded to the measurement recorder 82 and to the screen 110 The microprocessor 81 also establishes the connection between the measurement recorder 82, to the input of which the test signals A and B are supplied, and the screen 110 The microprocessor 81 can of course be constructed here from a plurality of processor units or be supported by a gate array It is also responsible for the hierarchical grading of the commands, which is no longer evident from the block circuit diagram.

Some more important details of the oscilloscope can be seen in Figures 5 to 7 Figure 5 corresponds essentially to Figure 2, in this case the time-base deflection being currently set Also the second screen area is not used for displaying a parameter range, but for displaying specific, particularly important, already preselected commands.

Figure 6 shows the displaying of two test signals A, B over the entire width of the screen 110 In this case, the setting of the operating functions is comple- ted, the important setting values are displayed in turn on the second screen area 112, while the commands usually displayed on the second screen area have been deleted and this screen area now extends the third screen area 113.

This makes it possible, related to channel B, to display, for instance, a further period of the test signal on the screen.

Figure 7 shows a further possibility of display- ing signals 120 and 121 called up from a memory in addi- tion to the current signals 119 and 118 A stored signalt is currently being set The most important setting parameters are in turn indicated on the second screen area 112.

12 - Claims 1 Operating and display device for an electronic measuring instrument having the fo Llowing features:

a) the measuring instrument includes a microprocessor which processes commands entered via operating ele- ments, in particular pushbuttons, b) operating elements for hierarchically graded commands of at least a first (I) and a second (II) command level are provided, the commands available for selection in one branch of a command level forming a command array, c) the designations of the operating elements for com- mands of at least one command level are variable and are specified by a command from the higher-ranking command level, d) the measuring instrument includes a screen for displaying the variable designations and for displaying the measured value, e) for representing the variable designations on the screen, in each case a specific screen area is assigned to a specific command level, characterized by the features f) the operating elements of the penultimate command level (II) are designed as rocker switches with two switch-on positions on two sides of a rest position, g) by pressing the rocker switches commands of the last command level (III) are switched further in two opposite directions according to the rocker position, h) the Last command level (III) is assigned a selection screen area on which the commands available for selection in specific command arrays are displayed and the respective command currently set by one of the rocker switches is distinguishable from the other commands by a marking.

2 Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the commands of a command array are function com- mands or parameter commands, the latter being displayed, where parameter ranges are to be displayed, with a 13 beginning-of-range value, an end-of-range value and a respective currently set value lying in the middle.

3 Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the respective currently set command of a command array on the selection screen area is marked, for distinguishing it from the other commands available for selection, by a reverse video image.

4 Display device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating elements assigned to the first command level (I) are pro- vided with fixed designations, while the rocker switches assigned jointly to a further (II) and a last (III) command level are provided with variable designa- tions.

Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that designations for the further (II) and last (III) command level are displayed on a first screen area ( 111) directly adjacent to the rocker switches in such a manner that each rocker switch is assigned its own display field 6 Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the first screen area is located at the right- hand side of the screen, which is adjoined first of all by the rocker switches and then by an operat- ing panel with further pushbuttons 7 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the selection screen area associa- ted with the last command level (III) lies at the top side of the screen as a second screen area and in effect forms a header line.

8 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the case of several command arrays in a command level, a further display, which iden- tifies the higher-ranking command, in a front fietd is assigned to the command arrays with variable display.

9 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microprocessor automatically 14 - deletes the command display in the first and/or second screen area of the screen after a predetermined time and uses said screen area(s) to dis- play other information.

Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the micro processor, after deletion of the command display on the first and/or second screen area, extends a third screen area used for displaying a measured quantity.

11 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microprocessor, after deletion of the command display on the first and/or second screen area, initiates display, preferably on the second screen area, of specific setting data, in particular such data selected with the aid of operating elements at which the command entered cannot or can no longer be read off.

12 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microprocessor automatically initiates display of the setting data of all the measured curves displayed on the screen, including the measured curves called up from a memory, on the second screen area 13 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring instrument is designed as a two-channel oscilloscope with three command levels (I-III), and the following commands can be executed by the microprocessor by means of the pushbuttons assigned to the first command level (I):

Display channel A, Display channel B, Set time base, Set trigger, Operate cursor, Operate memory, Set operating mode.

14 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that both individual commands as well - as command arrays are assigned to the second (II) and third (III) command level, the command arrays assigned to the third (III) level containing in particular parameter ranges.

Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the operating panel of the measuring instrument further operating elements preferably pushbuttons, are provided which serve to trigger special commands, the following special commands being envisaged:

Set range automatically, Query current setting, Delete screen, Record continuously, Record singly, Print out hard copy of screen, Transport printer paper, Switch background illumination on/off.

16 Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the microprocessor automatically provides the displayed curves of the test signals with a marking, represents their base line on the screen and displays the trigger point.

17 An operating and display device for an electronic measuring instrument, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18 An electronic measuring instrument, incorporating an operating and display device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17.

Published 1989 at The Patent Office, State House, 8671 High Holborn Londonr, WC 1 ER 4 TP P Further copies maybe obtained from The Patent OD Sce.

Bales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orplngton, Kent BR 5 3RD Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd St Mary Cray, Kent, Con 1/87