US 9,606,525 B2Granted

Remote accessory for generating customized and synchronized reference notes for a programmable metrology system

AssigneeMitutoyo Corporation

InventorKim Atherton

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Abstract

A method for operating a remote device in relation to a programming environment of a programmable metrology system is provided. The metrology system may comprise an accessory interface portion comprising an accessory communication portion, and a user interface comprising a programming environment having part program instruction representation representations in an editing window, including an active “current instruction” representation. The method provides a connection between the remote device and the programming environment, which outputs current instruction identifiers for current instruction representations. The remote device receives a current instruction identifier and operates responsive to the that current instruction identifier to display a current instruction reference information user interface portion configured such that it is specifically related to a generic instruction type corresponding to the current instruction representation. That user interface may display customized reference information previously configured by a user of the remote device in association with that generic instruction type.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for operating a remote device in relation to a programming environment of a programmable metrology system comprising a workpiece sensing portion;

a movable stage for holding a workpiece;
a control portion;
a display;
an accessory interface portion comprising an accessory communication portion;
and a user interface comprising a programming environment that is operable during a learn mode of the programmable metrology system, the programming environment comprising an editable part program representation of part program instructions in an editing window on the display of the metrology system, the part program representation comprising instruction representations including a currently active current instruction representation,
the method comprising:
storing on the remote device reference information comprising a user note related to part programming, wherein the user note is provided by a user of the remote device and is to be displayed in association with instruction representations that are of a generic instruction type;
providing a communication connection between the remote device and the programming environment;
operating the accessory communication portion to output a current instruction identifier to the remote device, the current instruction identifier corresponding to the currently active current instruction representation which is of the generic instruction type;
operating the remote device to receive the current instruction identifier;
and
operating the remote device according to at least one of a program or routine that is responsive to the received current instruction identifier to display the user note in response to the currently active current instruction representation being of the generic instruction type, wherein the user note is displayed in a current instruction reference information user interface portion on a display of the remote device.

9 more elements

A system comprising a remote device to be operated in relation to a programming environment of a programmable metrology system comprising a workpiece sensing portion;

a movable stage for holding a workpiece;
a control portion;
a display;
and a user interface comprising a programming environment that is operable during a learn mode of the programmable metrology system, the programming environment comprising an editable part program representation of part program instructions in an editing window on the display of the metrology system, the part program representation comprising instruction representations including a currently active current instruction representation,
the remote device comprising:
a remote device communication portion configured to provide a connection between the remote device and the programming environment;
a display portion;
a user interface;
a memory storing programmed instructions;
and
a processor configured to execute the programmed instructions to perform operations including at least:
operating the remote device to store reference information comprising a user note related to part programming, wherein the user note is provided by a user of the remote device and is to be displayed in association with instruction representations that are of a generic instruction type;
operating the remote device to receive a current instruction identifier from the programming environment, the current instruction identifier corresponding to the currently active current instruction representation which is of the generic instruction type;
and
operating the remote device such that it is responsive to the received current instruction identifier to display the user note in response to the currently active current instruction representation being of the generic instruction type, wherein the user note is displayed in a current instruction reference information user interface portion on the display portion of the remote device.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.