System for real-time display of the waveshape of an incoming stream of digital data samples

A computer system comprising:

• CALIBRATE means for generating a calibration file having first information defining units of measurement of a physical quantity for association with raw data numbers that are to be stored in a raw data file and that are to represent samples of a measured physical quantity, and having second information defining calibration equations for converting the raw data numbers into calibrated physical quantity measurement values;
• COLLECT means for collecting raw data produced by a raw data producing means and displaying a plot representative of such raw data;
• REPLAY means for reproducing the raw data collected by the COLLECT means;
• CHART means for producing a hard copy plot of the collected data, said hard copy including one or more guidelines indicating preselected levels of physical quantity measure conforming with the calibration equations of said CALIBRATE means.

A plot generating system for generating one or more real-time plots showing characteristic waveforms of incoming digital data points sampled from physical signals, said plot generation occurring during substantially simultaneous transfer of the incoming data points to, or from, permanent storage, where the incoming digital data points can be represented by hypothetical high-fidelity plots containing every one of the incoming digital data points, said system comprising:

• representative value generating means for generating for each plurality of incoming data points, a single representative point providing representative information about the plurality of points, each representative value consuming fewer bits than the digital data points it represents;
• and
• plotting means for plotting representative values generated by the generating means;
• wherein the combination of the representative value generating means and the plotting means function to enable substantial visual recognition of the waveshape associated with the hypothetical high-fidelity plots from the plots of the representative values.

A method for compressing points plotted on a graph having first and second coordinate axes, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first number N of data points each having associated therewith a unique one of a corresponding number N of unique first axis points and a predetermined one of a corresponding number N* of second axis points where N* is equal to or less than N;
• dividing the set of N unique first axis points to define a smaller number of N/M first axis subsets where each first axis subset contains a plurality of first axis points and where M is a number greater than unity;
• assigning a unique identifier point from a succession of identifier points to each of the N/M first axis subsets;
• dividing the set of N data points into N/M data point subsets each containing a plurality of data points;
• linking each of the N/M data point subsets with the corresponding unique identifier point which identifies the subset of first axis points with which the data points of the data point subset are associated;
• and
• plotting the data points of each data point subset over the corresponding unique identifier point which was linked to that data point subset, thereby plotting the N data points over a number of N/M identifier points, the number of said identifier points being less than N.

A method for compressing the display of a large number N of data points, said N data points having associated therewith a hypothetical high-fidelity plot containing every data point of the N data points, the method comprising:

• dividing the set of N data points into N/M subsets, each subset containing a plurality of data points, M being a value greater than unity;
• for each subset, generating a representative data point whose value is representative of the data points in the subset;
• and
• plotting only the representative data points rather than all N data points;
• wherein the dividing and representation steps enable substantial visual recognition of the waveshape associated with the first hypothetical high-fidelity plot from the plot of the representative values;
• and
• wherein said N data points represent real time measurements of a time-varying physical quantity.

A method for compressing the display of a large number N of data points, said N data points having associated therewith a hypothetical high-fidelity plot containing every data point of the N data points, the method comprising:

• dividing the set of N data points into N/M subsets, each subset containing a. plurality of data points, M being a value greater than unity;
• for each subset, generating a representative data point whose value is representative of the data points in the subset;
• plotting only the representative data points rather than all N data points;
• wherein the dividing and representation steps enable substantial visual recognition of the waveshape associated with the first hypothetical high-fidelity plot from the plot of the representative values;
• and
• varying the value of M during said plotting to thereby provide a desired degree of fidelity in the plot of the representative values.