PLATFORM TO STREAM, VIEW, ANALYZE AND COLLABORATE ON TEST AND MEASUREMENT WAVEFORM DATA

Methods and systems provide access to acquired waveforms from a test and measurement instrument for multiple users. A method includes storing acquired waveforms from the instrument in a cloud-based platform and rendering, on a display of a first remote user device, a timeline illustrating in chronological order each acquired waveform from the instrument in response to the acquired waveform being stored in the cloud-based platform. An acquired waveform on the timeline is selected for viewing and at least one user-selectable feature view configured to display corresponding characteristics of the selected acquired waveform. A file from the cloud-based platform is received including data for the at least one user-selectable feature view and the configurable viewing window including the at least one user-selectable feature view using the file received is rendered on the first remote user device. The configurable viewing window may be shared with at least one other remote user device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to test and measurement systems, and more particularly to a cloud-based platform providing a user interface enabling collaboration by users in streaming, viewing, and analyzing acquired waveforms from a test and measurement instrument.

BACKGROUND

Test and measurement instruments, such as oscilloscopes, acquire waveforms of one or more signals under test. These waveforms may be very large in size and include gigabytes of data, making the sharing of such waveforms difficult among multiple users interested in viewing and analyzing the waveforms. Prior approaches to sharing acquired waveforms included taking a screenshot of the waveform on a user's computer and sending the screenshot to others to avoid the time and bandwidth limitations of sending the actual data of the acquired waveform. While enabling some collaboration, this approach has limited utility, with analysis being greatly restricted for everyone who does not have access to the acquired waveform.

Sharing acquired waveforms through Internet-connected cloud platforms has somewhat improved multi-group collaboration. The cloud platform includes components for storing, managing, and processing acquired waveforms from the test and measurement instrument. The acquired waveforms from a test and measurement instrument may also be referred to as “test and measurement data” or “measurement data” in the present description. The cloud platform enables multiple users to access the measurement data and to utilize it for their required purposes. While such a cloud platform provides multiple users access to the measurement data, collaboration may still be difficult as different groups of users of the measurement data may have different needs, such as different views illustrating different characteristics of the measurement data. For example, an embedded software engineer may be interested in protocol-related aspects of the measurement data and desire a view showing the decoded measurement data according to the protocol being utilized. In contrast, a radio frequency (RF) engineer may be interested in a view of the acquired waveform showing RF-related transformations such as a view showing the frequency spectrum of the waveform.

Manufacturers of test and measurement instruments have provided cloud platforms to provide the advantage of easily distributing acquired waveforms from test and measurement instruments like oscilloscopes to multiple users for viewing and analysis. Providing acquired waveforms through cloud platforms enables collaboration of multiple users. Accessing the multi-gigabyte files forming the acquired waveforms may, however, be a time-consuming process, which results in a poor user experience. To alleviate these issues, some cloud platforms include user interfaces in the form of web browser-based interfaces that allow a user to access these multi-gigabyte files. While these web browser-based interfaces have overcome issues related to memory management and the loading and viewing of the desired multi-gigabyte files with good performance, the collaborative functionality of such solutions is still limited. Collaborative functionality providing the ability to create specific views showing particular desired measurements for acquired waveforms is highly desirable for cross functional engineering teams, which will typically have sub-teams of users interested in different measurements and views of the acquired waveforms to accomplish their respective sub-team objectives. Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems that improve the ability of groups of users to collaboratively access acquired waveforms from test and measurement instruments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments according to the present disclosure relate to the technical field of test and measurement instruments such as oscilloscopes, and disclose methods and systems that improve the ability for multiple users to collaborate on accessing and analyzing test and measurement data generated by an oscilloscope during testing of a device under test. Embodiments of the disclosure generally include cloud-based storage and processing of acquired waveforms generated by such a test and measurement instrument in combination with remote user devices that may access the acquired waveforms for analysis. The remote user devices enable users to perform desired data transformations of the acquired waveforms to display, on the remote user devices, desired characteristics of the acquired waveforms, and allow sharing with, and collaboration amongst, multiple users having access to the acquired waveforms through respective remote user devices.

In embodiments of the disclosure, each remote user device includes one or more processors configured to execute instructions to cause the processors to render a user interface on a display of the remote user device. The user interface includes a presentation layer to display a timeline illustrating, in chronological order, each acquired waveform from the instrument in response to the acquired waveform being stored in the cloud-based platform. The replacement layer receives user input to select a desired one of the acquired waveforms illustrated on the timeline for viewing on the display of the first remote user device. The presentation layer may simultaneously display multiple configurable viewing windows, each configurable viewing window including at least one user-selectable feature view to display corresponding characteristics of the selected acquired waveform. The presentation layer may receive user input to select one of the configurable viewing windows to be shared with other remote user devices, and a user may share the selected configurable viewing window with the other remote users to enable them to view the selected configurable viewing window.

FIG.1shows a test and measurement system100including a test and measurement instrument, referred to as instrument102, connected through a network104to a cloud-based platform106. The test and measurement system100also includes several remote user devices108A-108N each having respective user interfaces110A-110N in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. Although internal functional components of the remote user device108N are shown in detail inFIG.1to simplify the figure, each of the other remote user devices108A-108N includes the corresponding user interface110A-110N. Further, each of the user interfaces110A-N includes a respective presentation layer112A-N that enables collaboration among users in accessing measurement data from the instrument102that has been stored in the cloud-based platform106. The measurement data generated by the instrument102is communicated over the network104and stored in the cloud-based platform106for access by the remote user devices108A-N. Accessing the measurement data stored in the cloud-based platform106includes streaming, viewing, and analyzing the data using the presentation layers112A-N of user interfaces110A-N of the remote user devices108A-N to configure and share views including various data transformations of the measurement data from the instrument102, as described in more detail below.

In the test and measurement system100ofFIG.1, the instrument102includes one or more processors114, a memory116, a display118, and a user interface120, which may exist as part of a touch-screen display or take the form of control knobs and other user input devices. The one or more main processors114are configured to execute instructions from memory116to implement any methods and associated steps defined by such instructions to control the overall operation of the instrument102. One or more measurement units122in the instrument102perform the main functions of measuring parameters and other qualities of signals from a device under test (DUT)124being tested or analyzed by the test and measurement system100. Some measurements performed by the one or more measurement units122include measuring voltage, current, and power of input signals in the time domain, as well as measuring characteristics of the signals in the frequency domain. The one or more measurement units122represent any components for performing any measurements that are typically performed on test and measurement instruments. The instrument102is coupled to the DUT124through a connection126, such one or more cables or other suitable types of electrical connections.

Testing the DUT124by the instrument102generates acquired waveforms for upload through the network104to the cloud-based platform106. For these uploads, a network port128of the instrument102is coupled through a connection130to the network104and further through a network connection132to the cloud-based platform106. In this way, the network port128allows the instrument102to upload, over the network104, acquired waveforms to the cloud-based platform106for storage and subsequent accessing by the remote user devices108A-N.

The cloud-based platform106is coupled through the network connection132and through the network104to the instrument102. The cloud-based platform106may include one or more servers134, each of which may have one or more processors (not shown) and dedicated memory (not shown), as well as other server components also not expressly illustrated inFIG.1. In some examples, the cloud-based platform106includes a common memory136that may be shared by the one or more servers134, which enables the cloud-based platform106to store the original acquired waveforms from the instrument102in native format. The “native format” of the acquired waveforms from the instrument102means the original format of a file corresponding to each acquired waveform as generated by the instrument102. These native format files may be very large, as previously discussed, being up to multi-gigabytes in size. The common memory136of the cloud-based platform106typically has a large capacity sufficient to store many acquired waveforms in native format generated by the instrument102. In this way, the common memory136enables storage of numerous acquired waveforms from the instrument102—many more than could be stored in the memory116of the instrument102.

In embodiments of the test and measurement system100, the cloud-based platform106stores not only native format files of the acquired waveforms or measurement data from the instrument102, but also performs additional processing of the measurement data, including transformations of the measurement data, which enables the presentation layers112A-N of user interfaces110A-N to improve collaboration of users in analyzing the measurement data, as described in more detail below. In embodiments, the cloud-based platform106attaches measurements to the acquired waveform files or measurement data from the instrument102as metadata to create a library of measurements, classifications, decodes, and other algorithms, and store them in the common memory136. The cloud-based platform106generates this metadata whenever newly acquired waveforms are stored in the cloud-based platform. The “measurements” generated by the cloud-based platform106are any measurement, query, search, filter, classification, decode, etc., which is performed on or run against the newly acquired waveforms or measurement data. The cloud-based platform106may, in some embodiments, also implement methods to automatically crawl historical measurement data already stored in the platform106, and update the memory136as new measurements are added. Processing the acquired waveforms or measurement data in the cloud-based platform106to produce metadata in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure are described in more detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0252647A1, entitled METHOD OF GENERATING METADATA FROM ACQUIRED SIGNALS FOR SEARCH, FILTERING, AND MACHINE LEARNING INPUTS, filed on Feb. 4, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In embodiments of the test and measurement system100, the cloud-based platform106further operates to transfer or upload not only the acquired waveforms in native format from the instrument102, but also to compress and/or segment these acquired waveforms to generate one or more compressed and/or segmented versions of the acquired waveforms that are stored on the cloud-based platform106. The term “compression” in this context means any method of reducing a size of the file corresponding to the acquired waveform or measurement data from the instrument102. Alternatively, or additionally, the cloud-based platform106may segment each original acquired waveform in native format into smaller segments, and store each of the smaller segments at an original resolution of the acquired waveform.

In operation, the cloud-based platform106may transmit a segment of the original acquired waveform in response to user inputs to the presentation layer112A-N of the corresponding remote user device108A-N to allow a user to zoom in on a desired portion of the acquired waveform, which may be considered a “zoomed view” of the desired portion of the acquired waveform. The cloud-based platform106may store segments of the acquired waveform in their original native format (i.e., uncompressed form) to allow for such zooming by users through the presentation layers112A-N. In this way, presentation layers112A-N of user interfaces110A-N in remote user devices108A-N may use the compressed and/or segmented versions of the acquired waveforms to enable viewing and collaboration by users in analyzing the acquired waveforms, as described in more detail below. Each of the remote user devices108A-N may, for example, be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, or any other suitable type of electronic device on which the user interface110A-N may be displayed and controlled by a user of the remote user device.

The operation of the cloud-based platform106to generate one or more compressed and segmented versions of the acquired waveforms from a measurement instrument, such as instrument102ofFIG.1, is described in more detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0163566A1, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE DISTRIBUTION OF LARGE WAVEFORM CAPTURES TO MULTIPLE VIEWERS, filed on Nov. 19, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Using these compressed versions of the acquired waveforms on the cloud-based platform106in relation to the operation of the presentation layers112A-N and user interfaces110A-N of the remote user devices108A-N is described in more detail below.

Once the acquired waveforms from the instrument102have been transferred or uploaded to the cloud-based platform106, multiple users may, through configuration of the remote user devices108A-N, simultaneously, at least partially simultaneously, or sequentially, access the compressed and/or segmented versions of the acquired waveforms, as well as the native format of the acquired waveforms, to work with and analyze different aspects of the acquired waveform. The remote user devices108A-N are coupled through network connections138A-N and the network104to the cloud-based platform106. As described in more detail below, the presentation layers112A-N of the user interfaces110A-N of the remote user devices108A-N may be configured to access, display, and share desired versions of the acquired waveforms stored on the cloud-based platform106, enabling improved collaboration among users.

Example components of the remote user device108N are described in more detail herein. As mentioned above, although the remote user device108N is the only of the remote user devices illustrated inFIG.1that illustrates functions of internal components, each of the other user devices108A-108N includes similar components and corresponding user interfaces110A-110N and presentation layers112A-112N. The remote user device108N includes one or more processors140, a memory142, a display144, and the user interface110N. The one or more processors140are configured to execute instructions from memory142to implement methods defined by such instructions and thereby control the overall operation of the remote user device108N, including operation of the presentation layer112N to enable users to access desired versions of acquired waveforms stored on the cloud-based platform106. The display144may be any suitable type of digital screen such as an LED display or a LCD, or any other suitable type of display. The display144renders or displays windows generated by the presentation layer112N of the user interface110N for viewing by a user of the remote user device108N. The user interface110N may include a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, or any other suitable controls employable by a user to interact with the remote user device108N.

In the test and measurement system100, the network104may include a closed network, meaning a network available only to users of a particular company, building, or private network, or may include an open network, for example including the Internet, may be a virtual private network, and may be other suitable types of network architectures as well. The network connections130,132, and138A-N between components of the test and measurement system100may be any suitable type of wired or wireless network, including near-field communications (NFC) connections, infrared (IR) connection, Bluetooth® connections, Wi-Fi connections, Ethernet connections, and so on.

FIG.2illustrates an example of a display window200rendered by the presentation layers112A-N of user interfaces110A-N in the remote user devices108A-N in the test and measurement system100ofFIG.1in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. As described above, the test and measurement system100is a cloud-based system. In operation, after one of the remote user devices108A-N makes a request, the one or more servers134of the cloud-based platform106retrieves data corresponding to the request from the common memory136. After the requested data has been retrieved, the cloud-based platform106sends the requested data to the requesting remote user device through the network connection132and network104(FIG.1), where the requested data is received by a client program, such as a browser executing on the remote user devices108A-N. The client program implements the user interface110A-N and presentation layers112A-N on the remote user devices108A-N.

The user of one of the remote user devices108A-N generally interacts with the user interface110A-N of the remote user device108A-N to make data selections or to generate other user inputs. These user inputs are then communicated over the network connections138A-N, network104and network connection132to the one or more servers134executing on the cloud-based platform106. In response to the user inputs, the one or more servers134selects or generates an updated file corresponding to the display window selected by the user, and communicates this file to the remote user device108A-N for rendering on the remote user device108A-N. The architecture of the remote user devices108A-N and one or more servers134of the cloud-based platform106is client-server architecture, and operation between of the client programs executing on the remote user devices108A-N and the one or more servers134executing on the cloud-based platform106is understood by those skilled in the art, and is not described in detail herein.

Through the display window200and user interface110N, the user is able to select desired ones of the acquired waveforms generated by the instrument102and to configure views showing desired characteristics or features of the acquired waveforms for viewing and sharing with other users, as described in more detail. The example display window200ofFIG.2includes a timeline TL illustrating, in chronological order from left to right, each acquired waveform that was previously generated by the instrument102and stored in the cloud-based platform106.

In the example embodiment ofFIG.1, each acquired waveform is represented as an icon along the timeline TL, with each of these icons representing a corresponding acquired waveform that may also be referred to as a frame F in the present description. Three frames F1-F3on the timeline TL are shown in the example ofFIG.2. Spacing among frames F1-F3on the timeline TL indicates when each frame was acquired relative to the other frames. For example, frame F2precedes F3. To select one of the frames F1-F3, a user of the remote user device108N containing the user interface110N and presentation layer112N that is presenting or rendering the display window200utilizes a user input device (not shown). The user input device is part of the user interface and may be, for example, a computer mouse or a touch screen. The selected one of the frames F1-F3is then displayed in a configurable viewing window202. The specific manner in which data of the selected frame F1-F3is presented in the configurable viewing window202may vary and is configurable by the user, as described in more detail below.

In the embodiment ofFIG.2, the timeline TL further includes an icon representing a live stream or live frame LF. The live frame LF represents, in real time, the measurement data that is currently being acquired from the DUT124(FIG.1) by the instrument102. A user may select the live frame icon LF to view in the configurable viewing window202the current measurement data being acquired by the instrument102during acquisition of live acquisition waveform or live frame currently being acquired by the instrument102. There will of course be some latency between the measurement data currently being acquired by the instrument102, namely the measurement data of the live frame LF, and the display of this measurement data on the corresponding remote user device108A-N. Thus, the term “real time” as used to describe the measurement data of the live frame LF includes this latency. The frames F1-F3, LF on the timeline TL represent continuous measurement data generated or acquired by the instrument102. The acquired waveforms or frames of the measurement data acquired by the instrument102are defined by configuring operational parameters or triggers on the instrument102. The instrument102may be configured directly on the instrument102but configuring the instrument102may also be performed remotely on the remote user device108N through the presentation layer112N. More specifically, the presentation layer112N renders an instrument control panel203as part of the configurable viewing window202. The instrument control panel203includes a pause icon204which, when selected by the user, causes the instrument102to pause capturing measurement data from the DUT124(FIG.1) and thereby pause the capturing of additional acquired waveforms or frames F. A configuration icon206in the instrument control panel203allows a user to configure and control the instrument102by configuring operational parameters of the instrument102. For example, where the instrument102is an oscilloscope, the user may select the configuration icon206to configure sample rate, record length for each acquired waveform or frame F, triggers, and horizontal and vertical settings for acquired measurement data, with subsequent acquired waveforms or frames then being updated to include the configured operational parameters. Selecting the configuration icon206enables the user to configure desired operational parameters of the instrument102. In the example embodiment ofFIG.2, the instrument control panel203further includes a connection icon208indicating whether instrument102is currently connected to the cloud-based platform106(FIG.1). The connection icon208indicates “Connected” as shown inFIG.2when the instrument102is connected and displays another descriptor, such as “Not Connected,” when the instrument102is not connected to the cloud-based platform106.

Returning now to the configurable viewing window202in the display window200ofFIG.2, once a user has selected the desired one of the frames F1-F3or the live frame LF on the timeline TL, the user may then configure the configurable viewing window202to illustrate desired characteristics of the selected frame for review and analysis, and may share the viewing window with other users, as described in more detail herein. The configurable viewing window202may include multiple individual configurable viewing windows created by the user. In the example display window200ofFIG.2, multiple individual configurable viewing windows210-1,210-2and210-3have been created by the user. A first individual configurable viewing window210-1is labelled “Source” and is an initial default viewing window that is presented in the display window200when the display window200is initially accessed. The viewing window210-1is labelled as “Source” since this viewing window210-1presents a default presentation of the native format of the acquired waveform, which may be considered the source data or a source file, which allows the user to visualize the data forming the acquired waveform. This default presentation of the native format of the acquired waveform is a time domain view of this waveform to allow the user to visualize the measurement data of the acquired waveform.

The user may then create new individual configurable viewing windows by selecting a create new view icon212in the display window200. Each individual configurable viewing window created by selecting the new view icon shows up as a new tab at the top of the configurable viewing window202. In the example ofFIG.2, the viewing window210-1is shown on the far left, a second individual configurable viewing window210-2created by the user is then shown to right of the tab for viewing window210-1, and finally a third individual configurable viewing window210-3created by the user is then shown to right of tab for viewing window210-2. Three viewing windows210-1,210-2,210-3are shown by way of example, with more or fewer being rendered in the display window depending on user inputs. Additional individual configurable viewing windows210may be created by the user as desired using the new view icon212. The current or selected individual configurable viewing window210-1,210-2,210-3shown in the configurable viewing window202is chosen by selecting the tab corresponding to the desired one of the individual configurable viewing windows210-1,210-2,210-3. The current individual configurable viewing window is illustrated by providing an indication in the tab for that viewing window. This selection indication is seen in the display window200where the tab for the individual configurable viewing window210-3is shaded, indicating the individual configurable viewing window210-3is the current or selected viewing window in the configurable viewing window202.

Each of the individual configurable viewing windows210-1,210-2,210-3is individually configurable, meaning the user may insert in each of these configurable viewing windows210-1,210-2,210-3desired representations or transformations of the data forming the acquired waveform or frame F1-F3, LF in the timeline TL. Different frames F1-F3, LF may be selected for each individual configurable viewing window210-1,210-2,210-3. In addition, within each individual configurable viewing window210-1,210-2,210-3, a user may create or add one or more user-selectable feature views FV that display a desired data transformation for the selected acquired waveform. Each user-selectable feature view FV is positioned by the user at a desired location within the corresponding individual configurable viewing window210-1,210-2,210-3. The user may also adjust the size of each user-selectable feature view FV so that all desired feature views may fit within the current individual configurable viewing window210-1,210-2,210-3.

In the example ofFIG.2, the current individual configurable viewing window210-3includes three user-selectable feature view FV1-FV3by way of example. Each feature view FV1-FV3was created by the user by selecting an add feature icon214displayed in the individual configurable viewing window210-3. The add feature icon214is selected by the user to create and configure all the desired feature views FV1-FV3in the individual configurable viewing window210-3. Thus, through the add feature icon214, a user may visualize any of the desired data transformations for the one of the frames F1-F3, LF that is selected for the individual configurable viewing window210-3. The user may customize each individual configurable viewing window210-1,210-2,210-3by selecting any of the data transformation to display information about the selected frame F1-F3, LF being analyzed.

The user utilizes the user-selectable feature views to perform desired types of data transformations on the data of the selected one of the frames F1-F3, LF to present characteristics of the data of the selected one of the frames F1-F3, LF that facilitate the testing or analysis of the DUT124(FIG.1) being performed. In the example ofFIG.2, the individual configurable viewing window210-3includes the first feature view FV1, which provides a visual representation of the native format of the selected frame F1-F3, LF. A second feature view FV2illustrates channels of data that are contained in the acquired waveform or frame F1-F3, LF from the instrument102. The feature view FV2may be referred to as a channel display that shows selected channels of the instrument102contained in the acquired waveform. In the illustrated example, six data channels C1-C6are contained in the frames F1-F3, LF. These six data channels C1-C62are also seen in the first feature view FV1where the six channels C1-C6are shown for the visual representation of the native format of the selected frame F1-F3, LF. Selected ones of the channels C1-C6may be deselected by the user by clicking on the corresponding icon displayed for the channel in the feature view FV2. If a channel C1-C6is deselected, the data for that channel is no longer displayed in feature views. For example, if the channel C3is deselected in feature view FV2, then the signal or data for the channel C3is removed from feature view FV1. A third feature view FV3illustrates, by way of example, I2C decoding of the acquired waveform or frame F1-F3, LF, where I2C is a serial communication bus protocol for communicating between processors and microcontrollers and lower-speed peripheral integrated circuits.

In the example ofFIG.2and the other example embodiments described herein, the measured data being acquired by the instrument102corresponds to signals being communicated on an I2C serial bus according to the I2C serial communication bus protocol. Embodiments of the disclosure are not, however, limited to the I2C serial communications bus protocol. In some embodiments, the measured data acquired by the instrument102is signals being communicated on other types of electrical buses according to other protocol standards, such as universal serial bus (USB) signals, controller area network (CAN) signals, serial peripheral interface (SPI) signals, as well as signals for other types of protocols that may be acquired and decoded by the instrument102.

The user-selectable feature views may be utilized to perform many different types of types of data transformations on the measurement data of the selected one of the frames F1-F3, LF. Where the instrument102is an oscilloscope, for example, the feature views that may be configured by a user include automated tasks like performing protocol decode of signals contained in the acquired waveforms for different signal protocols and the generation of data eye diagrams for such signals. A feature view providing protocol decode for signals in the acquired waveform provide a protocol decode view of the selected acquired waveform, enabling a user to analyze the signals in the acquired waveform to determine whether these signals have been properly decoded. Other automated tasks capable of being performed by the instrument102may also be utilized by the user when configuring feature views to illustrate desired data transformations of the measurement data from the instrument102. Measurement data from multiple instruments102may also be acquired in some embodiments, and desired feature views configured desired data transforms on measurement data from each of the multiple instruments.

To configure the feature views FV1-FV3in the individual configurable viewing window210-3, a user selects the add feature icon214, which opens an additional window or windows (not shown inFIG.2). The additional window or windows present fields or selections that enable the user to configure the feature view FV being created. The creation of the configured feature view FV includes selecting the desired data transformation for the feature view FV, as well as including the configuration of various parameters associated with the desired data transformation. Numerous different data transformations may be provided by the cloud-based platform106and made available for use in feature views FV that are created within an individual configurable viewing window210. A user selects the data transformation that best enables the user to perform desired analysis of the selected frame F1-F3, LF, and the data transformation varies for different users analyzing the acquired waveforms of frames. For example, an RF engineer may be interested in frequency components of signals contained in the acquired waveforms while a software engineer may be interested in the I2C decoding of signals contained in the acquired waveforms. Data transformations that may be performed by the cloud-based platform106in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure are described in the previously incorporated U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2022/0252647A1 and 2022/0163566A1 referred to above. The cloud-based platform106may perform additional data transformations in embodiments of the disclosure.

Finally, the display window200further includes notification and sharing options that may be configured by a user. More specifically, in the embodiment ofFIG.2the display200includes a notification icon216in the upper right corner. Selecting the notification icon216opens a further window or windows (not shown inFIG.2) that present fields or selections enabling the user to configure the notifications as desired. Notifications may, for example, be configured so that specific users receive notifications whenever a newly acquired waveform or frame F is added to the timeline TL. Such notifications improve collaboration for users interested in the testing of the DUT124(FIG.1) by making desired users aware that a new frame F has been acquired for review and analysis by the user.

Sharing of individual configurable viewing windows210with selected users is accomplished through a sharing icon218in the upper right corner of the display window200. Upon selecting the sharing icon218, one or more windows (not shown inFIG.2) open and present fields or otherwise enable the user to identify users with which the desired individual configurable viewing window210is to be shared. Once the desired users for sharing have been identified, a notification, such as an email or a text message, is sent to each user with whom the individual configurable viewing window210has been shared. Each user with which the desired individual configurable viewing window210has shared may thereafter view the viewing window on a corresponding remote user device108A-N. Each such user may also add or modify feature views FV withing the shared individual configurable sharing window210.

Finally, the display200includes a download icon220in the upper right corner. A user may select the download icon220to download to his or her remote user device108A-N a selected frame F on the timeline TL. The user may have a local program or programs running on the remote user device108A-N for analyzing a frame F on the timeline TL. The download icon220enables the user to download a desired frame or frames F to the remote user device108A-N and thereafter utilize the local program to perform further analysis on the frame.

FIG.3is another example of a display window300rendered by one of the user interfaces110A-N ofFIG.1in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. The display window300is similar to the display window200ofFIG.2except the display window300includes a configurable viewing window302including an additional user-selectable feature view or view FV4showing a frequency or spectrum view of the selected acquired waveform. The spectrum view of the selected acquired waveform in the feature view FV4is a frequency domain representation of the selected acquired waveform. Feature views FV1-FV3are the same as feature views FV1-FV3in the configurable viewing window202ofFIG.2except that the feature view FV1inFIG.3has been resized to accommodate the inclusion of the additional feature view FV4in the configurable viewing window302. The display window300illustrates how the configurable viewing window302may be easily modified to add, or remove, desired user-selectable feature views FV. These modifications may be made by the original user that generated and shared the particular configurable viewing window302, as well as by other users with whom the configurable viewing window302has been shared. The display window300in the example embodiment ofFIG.3further includes components304-320that are the same as corresponding components204-220previously described with reference to the display window200ofFIG.2. As a result, these components304-320a not again be described in detail for the display window300ofFIG.3.

FIG.4is a flowchart illustrating example operations of a display process400executed through the presentation layer112N and user interface110N user interface ofFIG.2in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. The process400is now be described with reference toFIG.4as well asFIG.1. The process400begins with operation402, in which the presentation layer112A-N on a first one of the remote user devices108A-N renders, on a display144of the first remote user device, a timeline TL illustrating in chronological order each acquired waveform generated by the instrument102. The acquired waveforms are stored in the cloud-based platform106. From operation402, the process400goes to operation404and a user provides input causing the presentation layer112A-N to select one of the acquired waveforms or frames F1-F3, LF illustrated on the timeline TL for viewing on the display144of the first remote user device108A-N. The process400then proceeds to operation406and the presentation layer112A-N renders, on the display144of the first remote user device108A-N, a configurable viewing window202including at least one user-selectable feature view FV. From operation406the process400continues to operation408and the user, through inputs provided to the presentation layer112A-N, configures the at least one user-selectable viewing window202to display corresponding characteristics of the selected one of the acquired waveforms or frames F1-F3, LF. After operation408, the process400advances to operation410and the user, through the sharing icon218in the configurable viewing window202, supplies inputs to share the configurable viewing window with at least one other remote user device108A-N. This sharing enables a user of the at least one other remote user device108A-N to view the configurable viewing window202. The process400then proceeds to operation412and ends.

EXAMPLES

Illustrative examples of the disclosed technologies are provided below. An embodiment of the technologies may include one or more, and any combination of, the examples described below.

Example 1 is a method of providing access to acquired waveforms from a test and measurement instrument including storing acquired waveforms from the test and measurement instrument in a cloud-based platform; rendering, on a first remote user device, a timeline illustrating in chronological order each acquired waveform from the test and measurement instrument in response to the acquired waveform being stored in the cloud-based platform; selecting, on the first remote user device, one of the acquired waveforms illustrated on the timeline for viewing on the first remote user device; rendering, on the first remote user device, a configurable viewing window including at least one user-selectable feature view; configuring, on the first remote user device, the at least one user-selectable feature view to display corresponding characteristics of the selected one of the acquired waveforms; receiving, on the first remote user device, a file from the cloud-based platform, the file including data for the at least one user-selectable feature view configured on the first remote user device; rendering, on the first remote user device, the configurable viewing window including the at least one user-selectable feature view using the file received from the cloud-based platform, the rendered at least one user-selectable feature view showing the corresponding characteristics of the selected one of the acquired waveforms; and sharing, in response to user input on the first remote user device, the configurable viewing window with at least one other remote user device, the sharing enabling a user of the at least one other remote user device to view the configurable viewing window.

Example 2 is a method according to Example 1, in which the method further includes configuring, on the at least one other remote user device, an additional configurable viewing window including at least one user-selectable feature view to display corresponding characteristics of a selected one of the acquired waveforms; and sharing, in response to user input on the at least one other remote user device, the additional configurable viewing window with the first remote user device.

Example 3 is a method according to Example 1, in which the file from the cloud-based platform includes data for a desired data transformation of measurement data from the test and measurement instrument for the selected one of the acquired waveforms.

Example 4 is a method according to Example 3, in which each of the at least one user-selectable feature views rendered in the configurable viewing window is one of a time domain view of the selected one of the acquired waveforms in native format, a zoomed view of the selected one of the acquired waveforms, a channel display showing selected channels of the test and measurement instrument contained in the selected one of the acquired waveforms that are selected for viewing, a frequency domain representation of the selected one of the acquired waveforms, and a protocol decode view of the selected one of the acquired waveforms.

Example 5 is a method according to Example 1, in which the timeline includes a plurality of icons, each of the acquired waveforms generated by the test and measurement instrument corresponding to one of the plurality of icons on the timeline.

Example 6 is a method according to Example 1, in which sharing the configurable viewing window with at least one other remote user device includes rendering, on the first remote user device, a sharing icon; selecting, in response to user input on the first remote user device, the sharing icon; identifying, in response to user input on the first remote user device, other remote user devices with which the configurable viewing window is to be shared; and sharing the configurable viewing window with the other remote user devices.

Example 7 is a method according to Example 1 further including rendering, on the first remote user device, a notification icon; selecting, in response to user input on the first remote user device, the notification icon; and configuring, in response to user input on the first remote user device, notifications to be received by the first remote user device in response to a newly acquired waveforms being generated by the test and measurement instrument and stored in the cloud-based platform.

Example 8 is a method according to Example 1 further including rendering, on the first remote user device, an instrument control panel; and controlling, on the first remote user device, operation of the test and measurement instrument through the instrument control panel.

Example 9 is a method according to Example 8, in which rendering the instrument control panel includes rendering, on the first remote user device, a pause icon as part of the instrument control panel, the pause icon, when selected in response to user input, causing the test and measurement instrument to pause acquiring additional acquired waveforms; and rendering, on the first remote user device, a configuration icon which, when selected in response to user input, enables a user to configure operational parameters of the test and measurement instrument.

Example 10 is a test and measurement system including a test and measurement instrument configured to generate acquired waveforms of one or more signals of device under test; a cloud-based platform coupled to the test and measurement instrument, the cloud-based platform configured to store acquired waveforms generated by the test and measurement instrument; and a plurality of remote user devices, each of the plurality of remote user devices including one or more processors configured to execute instructions to cause the processors to render a user interface on a display of the remote user device, the user interface including a presentation layer to display a timeline illustrating in chronological order each acquired waveform from the test and measurement instrument in response to the acquired waveform being stored in the cloud-based platform; and receive user input to select one of the acquired waveforms illustrated on the timeline for viewing on the display of the remote user device.

Example 11 is the test and measurement system of Example 10, in which the one or more processors are further configured to execute instructions to cause the presentation layer to display a plurality of configurable viewing windows, each configurable viewing window including at least one user-selectable feature view to display corresponding characteristics of the selected acquired waveform.

Example 12 is the test and measurement system of Example 11, in which the one or more processors are further configured to execute instructions to cause the presentation layer to display, within each configurable viewing window, an add features icon enabling a user to add a new user-selectable feature view to the configurable viewing window.

Example 13 is the test and measurement system of Example 11, in which each of the at least one user-selectable feature view displayed in each of the plurality of configurable viewing windows displays one of a time domain view of the selected acquired waveform in native format, a zoomed view of the selected acquired waveform, a channel display showing selected channels of the test and measurement instrument contained in the selected one of the acquired waveforms that are selected for viewing, a frequency domain representation of the selected acquired waveform, and a protocol decode view of the selected acquired waveform.

Example 14 is the test and measurement system of Example 10, in which the one or more processors are further configured to execute instructions to cause the presentation layer to receive user input to select one of the configurable viewing windows to be shared with other ones of the plurality of remote user devices; and share the selected one of the configurable viewing windows with the other ones of the plurality of remote user devices to enable users of the other ones of the plurality of remote user devices to view the selected one of the configurable viewing windows.

Example 15 is the test and measurement system of Example 10, in which the one or more processors are further configured to execute instructions to cause the presentation layer to render, on the display of the corresponding remote user device, a sharing icon; receive user input to select the sharing icon; receive user input to identify users of other ones of the plurality of remote user devices with which the selected one of the configurable viewing windows is to be shared; and share, in response to user input identifying the other ones of the plurality of remote user devices, the selected one of the configurable viewing windows.

Example 16 is the test and measurement system of Example 10, in which the cloud-based platform is further configured to store the acquired waveforms generated by the test and measurement instrument in native format.

Example 17 is the test and measurement system of Example 16, in which the cloud-based platform is further configured to at least one of compressed versions of each of the acquired waveforms generated by the test and measurement instrument and segmented versions of the acquired waveforms generated by the test and measurement instrument.

Example 18 is the test and measurement system of Example 11, in which the test and measurement instrument is an oscilloscope.

Example 19 is a remote user device including a memory and one or more processors configured to render, on a display of a first remote user device, a timeline illustrating in chronological order each acquired waveform generated by a test and measurement instrument, each acquired waveform being stored in a cloud-based platform; select one of the acquired waveforms illustrated on the timeline for viewing on the display of the first remote user device; render, on the display of the first remote user device, a configurable viewing window including at least one user-selectable feature view; configure the at least one user-selectable viewing window to display corresponding characteristics of the selected one of the acquired waveforms; and share the configurable viewing window with at least one other remote user device, the sharing enabling a user of the at least one other remote user device to view the configurable viewing window.

Example 20 is the remote user device of Example 19, in which the one or more processors are further configured to add, to the timeline, icons representing each acquired waveform generated by the test and measurement instrument as these acquired waveforms are stored in the cloud-based platform.

The previously described versions of the disclosed subject matter have many advantages that were either described or would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill. Even so, these advantages or features are not required in all versions of the disclosed apparatus, systems, or methods.

Additionally, this written description makes reference to particular features. It is to be understood that the disclosure in this specification includes all possible combinations of those particular features. Where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or example, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in the context of other aspects and examples.

Although specific examples of the invention have been illustrated and described for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited except as by the appended claims.