Method for using interactive computer graphics to control electronic instruments

An instrument system comprising:

• a plurality of instrument and control means for said instruments,
• said control means having viewing means,
• means for displaying indicators in respective first areas of said viewing means for said instruments,
• means for selecting one of said first areas on said viewing means,
• means responsive to the selection of one of said first areas for displaying in a second area of said viewing means controls and indicators for a given state of the instrument corresponding to said one area and other controls and indicators that are pertinent to said given state, the controls and indicators for said given state being visually emphasized with respect to said other controls and indicators,
• means for activating one of the other controls in said second area so as to cause the instrument to enter a new state,
• means responsive to the instrument being in a new state for erasing from said screen any controls and indicators that are not pertinent to the new state, forming on said screen controls and indicators that are pertinent to the new state but not pertinent to the given state and visually emphasizing controls and indicators for the new state, and
• means for updating appropriate indicators in said first areas in response to the said activating of one of the controls in said second area.

An instrument comprising:

• a cathode ray tube having a viewing screen,
• means for displaying on said screen interactive controls and indicators for a first state of the instrument and other controls and indicators that are useful in conjunction with said first state,
• means for interacting with the instrument so as to place the instrument in a second state, and
• means responsive to the instrument being in a second state for erasing from said screen controls and indicators that are not useful in conjunction with the second state, forming on said screen controls and indicators that are useful in conjunction with the second state, but not useful in conjunction with the first state.

Apparatus for controlling an instrument comprising:

• a viewing screen;
• means for displaying on said screen controls and indicators interacting with the instrument that represent the current values of those modifiable parameters which comprise a first state of the instrument and other controls and indicators representing alternative values of the modifiable parameters, the activation of at least one of which would set the instrument into a second state, with the controls and indicators representing the parameter values of the first state being visually emphasized with respect to the other controls and indicators,
• means for making at least one of the other controls interact with the instrument so as to place the instrument in a second state, and
• means responsive to the instrument being in the a second state for erasing from said screen controls and indicators that represent modifiable parameters which are unnecessary in the second state, forming on said screen controls and indicators that represent values of modifiable parameters that comprise the second state of the instrument and controls and indicators that represent alternative values of the modifiable parameters of the second state, and visually emphasizing the controls and indicators representing the values of the modifiable parameters of the second state with respect to the controls and indicators that represent alternative values of the modifiable parameters of the second state.