Abstract:
A measuring device includes a representation device on which dialog windows can be represented, in addition to a method and software for managing said dialog windows. Several parameters can be adjusted for at least one part of the functional units and input through the dialog windows. Each newly opened dialog window is associated with a soft key and represented by an icon in a window management strip. The respectively associated dialog windows can be placed in the forefront using the soft keys.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a measuring device with dialog operation via dialog windows for setting adjustment parameters of the functional units of the measuring device as well as a method for management of the dialog windows and a computer program for implementation of the procedural steps. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   During the operation of measuring devices, the functions are conventionally selected via operating keys. After a function has been selected, the value of an adjustment parameter, which is allocated to the corresponding function, can be altered by activating a rotary knob. If several possible adjustment parameters associated with the same function operate together as a parameter set, the individual adjustment parameters must be selected one after the other using a corresponding number of operating keys, so that the complete set a parameters has to be worked through. In the case of a measuring device with a comprehensive range of functions and an accordingly large number of individual functions and associated adjustment parameters, either a large number of operating keys is required or multiple definition of the individual operating keys is necessary. 
   A large number of operating keys and multiple definition of the operating keys combine with the increasing complexity of the functional structure to form a complicated system, which makes operation of the measuring device considerably more difficult in practice. In particular, it is not possible to gain a rapid overview, for example, of all the adjustment parameters associated with a specific function. 
   Regarding the technical background, reference must be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,009. This document describes the allocation of trigger functions to a measuring channel of a digital oscilloscope by clicking and moving across the user interface icons which symbolise the trigger functions. However, the signal flow of individual functional units and the function of these functional units are not recognisable and cannot be selected on the user interface. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to providing a measuring device with logically-arranged, dialog-managed operation, as well as a corresponding method and a computer program. 
   With the concept of dialog-managed operation of the measuring device according to an embodiment of the invention, the user is guaranteed a high level of transparency for any adjustments implemented because of the combined display of adjustment parameters in dialog windows. By defining soft keys, a dialog window can be displayed in each case in the foreground, so that a complete set of adjustment parameters for a given functional unit can be perceived as a glance. In this context, the current definition of soft keys is always indicated, for example, in a window management strip, so that the user can operate several dialog windows intuitively. 
   Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of particular embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. The present invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawing and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     One exemplary embodiment is explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings are as follows: 
       FIG. 1  shows a block circuit diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a signal generator designed as a measuring device according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows an example of a view of the display device with functional units of the measuring device displayed as functional blocks; 
       FIG. 3  shows a first example of a view of the front panel of a signal generator with one dialog window open; and 
       FIG. 4  shows a second example of a view of the front panel of a signal generator with several dialog windows open. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Before describing exemplary embodiments of the graphic display and the management of the dialog windows on the basis of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a block circuit diagram of a signal generator, which is designed as a measuring device  1  according to the invention, will first be described with reference to  FIG. 1 , and an example of the functional blocks displayed on the display device will be explained with reference to  FIG. 2 . The measuring device need not necessarily be a signal generator; it may also be a protocol tester or a spectrum analyser. 
   The signal generator  1  comprises a first base band unit  2   a  and a second base band unit  2   b . The base band units  2   a  and  2   b  generate base band signals at their I and Q outputs according to predefined standards which can be selected by the user, for example, according to the GSM standard, the GSM-EDGE standard or the Wideband-CDMA standard. The base band units  2   a ,  2   b  are supplied with clock signals at ports  3   a ,  3   b , trigger signals at ports  4   a  and/or  4   b  and modulation data at ports  5   a  and/or  5   b . In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, a digital base band generator unit  6  is provided alongside these units, which generates the I and Q components of a further base band signal from digital I/Q-values supplied to port  7 . The output signal from the digital base band generator  6  can be multiplied in a multiplication unit  8 , to which the constant frequency from an adjustable local oscillator  9  is supplied. 
   The optionally multiplied base band signal from the digital base band generating unit  6  can be supplied via a switching element  10   a  and/or a second switching element  10   b , to the digital addition unit  11   a  or digital addition unit  11   b.    
   The output signal from the base band units  2   a  and  2   b  and/or from the addition units  11   a  and  11   b  is supplied, via a switching element  12   a  and/or a switching element  12   b , to a fading unit  13   a  and/or  13   b , which applies fading (variable shrinkage) to the base and signal. The functions of the fading units  13   a  and  13   b , such as the number, the time delay and the attenuation of the signal delay paths implemented in the fading unit can be specified by the user. The fading units  13   a  and  13   b  are connected via an addition unit  14   a  and/or  14   b  in each case to a noise unit  15   a  and/or  15   b . The noise units  15   a ,  15   b  apply a noise signal, which can be specified by the user, to the base band signal, wherein, for example, the type and level of the noise signal generated by the noise unit  15   a ,  15   b  can be selected by the user. 
   Instead of providing a separate connection of the relevant fading units  13   a  and/or  13   b  to the allocated noise unit  15   a  and/or  15   b , the output signals from the fading units  13   a ,  13   b  can be added by means of a switching element  16  which connects the addition units  14   a  and  14   b , and supplied in each case, to one of the two noise units  15   a  and/or  15   b  . . . . The I/Q-output signals at the output of the noise units  15   a  and/or  15   b  can be tapped at ports  17   a  and  18   a  or  17   b  and  18   b.    
   The output signals from the noise units  17   a  and  17   b  can be supplied to I/Q-modulators  20   a  and/or  20   b  via addition units and switching units  19   a  and  19   b . In this context, the output signals from the noise units  15   a  and  15   b  can be added via a switching element  21  and supplied to one of the two I/Q-modulators  20   a  and/or  20   b . With reference to the function of the I/Q-modulators  20   a  and/or  20   b , several user-specific selection options are also available. For example, the I/Q-modulator  20   a ,  20   b  can be operated in such a manner that it generates a burst-sequence, wherein the active bursts and/or the level of the active bursts can be selected by the user. 
   The I/Q-modulators  20   a  and  20   b  are each connected to a high-frequency unit  22   a  and/or  22   b , and a high-frequency signal can be picked up at port  23   a  and/or  23   b . For example, the output frequency or several output frequencies initiated according to the sudden frequency change procedure of the high frequency unit  22   a  and  22   b  can be selected by the user. 
   Additionally, a signal display  24  is provided, which, in the exemplary embodiment, can be connected via switching elements  25   a  and/or  25   b  to the output of the noise unit  15   a  or the noise unit  15   b . Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the display device  24  to be connected directly to the outputs of the base band units  2   a  and  2   b . For example, the signal display  24  allows a display of the constellation diagram, so that the user can monitor the method of operation of the connected signal paths. 
   Furthermore, a Bit Error Rate Tester (BERT)  26  is provided in such a manner that a signal from the device under test (DUT) can be supplied to the output port  27  of the Bit Error Rate Tester allowing the bit error rate of the signal to be picked up at the output port  28 . 
   Further functional units and variant combinations of the functional units may also be provided. These have not been explained in greater detail for the sake of simplicity. 
   All of the functional units described above:  2   a ,  2   b ,  6 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10   a ,  10   b ,  11   a ,  11   b ,  12   a ,  12   b ,  13   a ,  13   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  15   a ,  15   b ,  16 ,  19   a ,  19   b ,  20   a ,  20   b ,  21 ,  22   a ,  22   b ,  24  and  26  are connected via a control bus to a control device  28  such as a CPU. The connection of the control bus to the functional units is indicated with the symbol (*). The control unit  34  controls the configuration and function of the individual functional units as required by the user. The current configuration of the functional units is displayed on the display device  29 , which, together with the operating elements  30  may be disposed on the front of the signal generator  1 . For this purpose, a graphic functional block is allocated to each functional unit, and the interconnection of the functional units is displayed on the display device  29  by corresponding connecting elements, which interconnect the functional blocks. The connections between the functional blocks and the functions of the functional blocks are selected either with a rotary knob  31  and/or corresponding operating buttons  32  or via a mobile positioning element  33  (mouse). 
   Several examples of the display of the functional blocks allocated to each of the functional units and the associated selection of functions for the relevant functional units will be explained below with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 . 
     FIG. 2  shows the display surface of the display device  29  in an initial functional example. It can be seen that the functional blocks presented on the display  29  correspond to the functional units described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The reference numbers for the functional blocks are greater, in each case by the value  100 , than the reference numbers for the functional units presented in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2 , a first base band block  102   a  corresponding to the first base band unit  2   a , a first fading block  113   a  corresponding to the first fading unit  13   a  and a first noise block  115   a  corresponding to the first noise unit  15   a , a first 1/Q-modulator block  120   a  corresponding to the first 1/Q-modulator  20   a , a first high-frequency block  122   a  corresponding to the first high-frequency block  22   a , display field  124  corresponding to the signal display  24  and a bit error rates test block  126  corresponding to the bit error rate tester  26 , are displayed as functional blocks. In this context, the signal inputs and outputs and the data inputs and outputs  103   a ,  104   a ,  105   a ,  107 ,  117   a ,  118   a ,  123   a ,  127  and  128  correspond to the ports  3   a ,  4   a ,  5   a ,  7 ,  17   a ,  18   a ,  23   a ,  27  and  28  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   By observing the display device  29 , the user can recognise at a glance, on the basis of the functional blocks displayed, which functional units have been selected and connected for the current functions of the signal generator  1 . Furthermore, the user can immediately recognise which inputs and outputs are provided with signals and in which manner. The internal signal flow and therefore also the signal conditioning are presented to the user in a very transparent manner. For example, the user can immediately see that the fading unit  13   a  is arranged in front of the noise unit  15   a , whether the bursting of the signal is implemented in the base band or in the high-frequency band, and to which ports external signals can be applied and how these will influence the signal flow. In particular, the user can immediately identify whether a port is acting as an input or an output. Current configurations can be identified in the functional blocks, particularly important parameters being displayed directly in the functional blocks. Moreover, the user can clearly see at which position the signal display  24  is connected into the signal path. 
   If the functional block  102   a , marked with a black marking frame (marking)  36  in  FIG. 2  is selected, for example after previously selecting the “GSM/EDGE” standard via a function selection list, a dialog window  41   a  will be displayed in the foreground of the display device as shown in  FIG. 3 . A distinction must be made here between an open dialog and a dialog window, because a dialog can be open even if the corresponding dialog window in the display device is not displayed at that moment. Accordingly, in addition to opening the dialog window  41   a , the open dialog is also entered in the window management strip  35 . The entry in the window management strip  35 , which is displayed visually by means of an icon  52   a  representing the open dialog, allocates the open dialog to an operating key in the form of a soft key, so that the dialog can be called up via the soft key  37   a  defined in the above manner, and the dialog window  41   a  of the dialog called-up is again displayed in the foreground of the display device  29 . To allow intuitive operation, the icon  52   a  of the entry is allocated to the position of the soft key  37   a.    
   The marking frame and/or the marking  36  with which a functional block can be marked, can be moved in a vertical direction by rotating a positioning element designed as a rotary knob  38 . When several functional blocks are arranged adjacent to one another in a horizontal direction, the functionality of the rotary knob  38  can be expanded by means of direction keys  39 , so that the marking frame  36  is moved from one functional block to a functional block horizontally adjacent by means of the left and right direction keys  39   a  and  39   b . After moving the marking frame  36  to the functional block  102   a , of which the adjustment parameters are to be changed, the functional block  102   a  can be selected by activating a selection device. The selection device can be designed, for example, as an input key  40  or as a push button in the rotary knob  38 . If the measuring device  1  is used as a table top device rather than being integrated into a recording device, it is also possible to operate the device via a movable positioning element  33  (mouse). 
   To return to the display of the functional blocks, when the dialog window  41   a  is displayed in the foreground of the display device  29 , the dialog window  41   a  can be returned to the background of the display device  29  using a given operating key (“background”). The actual dialog remains open, so that the entry in the window management strip  35  is retained. The dialog window  41   a  can be moved back into the foreground by means of the soft key  37   a . In the now fully-visible display of the functional blocks, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a new functional block can be marked and selected in accordance with the above description. 
     FIG. 4  shows an exemplary display of a front panel of the measuring device  1  with several dialog windows  41   a  to  41   c  displayed simultaneously on a display device  29 . Further dialog windows  41   b  and  41   c  can be opened in a similar manner to the first dialog window  41   a , a not-yet-defined soft key  37   b  and  37   c  being allocated in each case. The allocation of the new dialog windows  41   b  and  41   c  is stored in the window management strip  35  as a new entry, and corresponding new icons  52   b  and  52   c  are displayed visually. 
   Because of the limited area of the display device  29 , the dialog windows  41   a  to  41   c  are displayed in an overlapping manner when they are opened. The position at which each new dialog window opens is predetermined, the number of already open dialog windows  41   a  to  41   c  being taken into account in determining the position, so that every dialog window  41   a ,  41   b , which has not been moved in its entirety to the background by means of the “background” operating key  42 , is only partially visible. In the display, this is shown with dialog windows  41   a  and  41   b , whereas the active dialog window  41   c  is displayed in the foreground in a completely visible manner. 
   The adjustment parameters for those parameters which are disposed in the active dialog window can be changed. In  FIG. 4 , the dialog window  41   c  is active and therefore completely visible in the foreground. Another dialog window  41   a  or  41   b  can be shown as the active dialog window by pressing the appropriate soft key  37   a  or  37   b . The new active dialog window  41   a  or  41   b  will then be displayed in its entirety in the foreground of the display device  29 , and the now no-longer-active dialog window  41   c  will be partially obscured. 
   An adjustment parameter to be changed within the active dialog window  41   c  is selected via an operating focus function  43 , which is indicated in the display as a frame around the operating elements  44 ,  45  and  46  associated with an operating block. In the example shown, the operating elements  44 ,  45  and  46  include the name of the adjustment parameter as operating element  44 , and the two adjustment options allocated to the adjustment parameter as operating elements  45  and  46 . The operating focus function  43  can be navigated and/or moved within the active dialog window by means of the rotary knob  38  and the direction keys  39 . 
   In the case of the measuring device  1  shown in  FIG. 4 , the maximum possible number of 6 dialogs open at the same time is predetermined by the number of soft keys  37   a  to  37   f . Opening a further dialog, in this case, means that a dialog must be closed, that is to say, a dialog window must be closed, and the allocated entry must be deleted from the window management strip  35 . In this context, two different methods are available to user. 
   By pressing a soft key  37   a  to  37   f , the user can move the dialog window associated with the dialog to be closed to the foreground. The active dialog window can then be closed via an operating key (“close”)  47 , which is realised as a hard key. At the same time as closing the dialog window  41   b , for example, the entry allocated to the soft key  37   b  in the window management strip  35  is deleted. When a new dialog window is opened, the soft key  37   b  will be free and can therefore be defined with the entry for the new dialog to be opened. 
   By contrast, if all of the soft keys  37   a  to  37   f  have already been defined when the user opens a new dialog, then a dialog, of which the associated dialog window is closed at that time, will be automatically selected and the associated entry will be deleted from the window management strip  35 . Selection of the dialog to be closed is preferably based on a comparison of the time during which the open dialog window has no longer been active. For example, the dialog window which has not been displayed in the foreground for the longest time will be selected and the dialog will be automatically closed. 
   As a result of the changing number of dialog windows to be displayed, it may become necessary to reorganise the distribution of dialog windows. For this purpose, a further operating key (“arrange”)  48  is provided, with which the dialog windows  41   a  to  41   c  displayed in the foreground of the display device  29  at the time of pressing the key are distributed uniformly over the entire width the display device  29 . An optimised display of this kind is shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   The operating keys realised as hard keys, “background”  42 , “close”  47  and “arrange”  48 , always act on the active dialog windows  41   a  to  41   c . If all three open dialogs in  FIG. 4  are to be closed, the operating key “close”  47  must be activated three times. 
   Moreover, with some of the dialogs, it may be meaningful to re-define the soft keys  37   a  to  37   f  in order to expand the entry options for the adjustment parameters. The current definition of the soft keys  37   a  to  37   f  is displayed in the window management strip  35  by means of appropriate icons. A further hard key, operating key  49  (“window management”), is provided in order to return to the original allocation of soft keys  37   a  to  37   f  with the dialogs open. 
   In addition to the operating keys on the front panel of measuring device  1  as listed above, which relate to the management of the dialogs and the windows, a keypad  50  is provided for entering alphanumeric values for the adjustment parameters and a “cancel” operating key  51  is provided to allow incorrect entries of values to be cancelled. 
   While the present invention has been described in connection with a number of embodiments and implementations, the present invention is not so limited but covers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of the appended claims.