User interface for a remote diagnostic device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsIan J. Dickinson, Horst Eichberger, David W. Messaros, Hans-Dieter Walter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention is a diagnostic tool for providing remote diagnosis of instrument operation by graphically depicting an instrument, instrument variables and their corresponding values on a plurality of interrelated windows displayed on a computer screen. The computer communicates with the instrument to obtain signals for continuously updating the information displayed on the windows.
Claims19
An apparatus for remote diagnostics of an instrument, comprising;
- a computer for executing a software application program which provides for communication of commands from the computer to the instrument, and the communication of information accessed from the instrument in response to the commands, the computer further comprising:
- a graphical user interface comprising a plurality of interrelated windows for displaying the accessed information, wherein, displaying information in one window effects the display of information in at least one other window, the interrelated windows further comprising:
- an instrument schematic window providing a graphical depiction of the instrument in which the instrument is the combination of a plurality of components, each of which may be accessed individually,
- an instrument variables window for displaying the current output value of the accessed components;
- a memo pad window for displaying those output values of the accessed components which have been identified for continuous review even though they may not be currently displayed in the instrument schematic window.
A method for interfacing a computer having a display, a cursor and an input device for moving the cursor, to an instrument such that the user can perform diagnostics and repair, comprising the method steps of:
- executing a software application on the computer to provide a graphical user interface having a plurality of interrelated windows, in which accessing information in one window effects the display of information in at least one other window, the interrelated windows further comprising:
- an instrument schematic window providing a graphical depiction of the instrument in which individual components forming the instrument may accessed,
- an instrument variables window for displaying the current output value of the accessed components;
- a memo pad window for displaying those output values of the accessed components which have been identified for continuous review even though they may not be currently displayed in the instrument schematic window,
- connecting the computer to the instrument such that information related to instrument setup, operating parameters and operating values are communicated to the computer and displayed in the corresponding windows.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.