Patent ID: 7443396

Claim:
An instrument for collecting data and which displays the data to a user, comprising: a memory for storing the data corresponding to a signal waveform; and a display which displays the data as the signal waveform, wherein said display is also operable to display a virtual magnifying symbol; wherein the virtual magnifying symbol is operable to be positioned over a portion of the signal waveform and wherein movement of the virtual magnifying symbol during positioning corresponds to movement of at least one user input device; wherein the portion of the signal waveform is located at a first location in the signal waveform; wherein the portion of the signal waveform is magnified on the display after positioning the virtual magnifying symbol over the portion of the signal waveform; wherein the magnified portion of the signal waveform is displayed proximate to the first location in the signal waveform; wherein the magnified portion of the signal waveform is displayed within the signal waveform at the first location in the signal waveform and wherein the magnified portion of the signal waveform is displayed within the virtual magnifying symbol as the virtual magnifying symbol is moving in response to the movement of the at least one user input device; wherein the instrument comprises a computer system programmed to operate as a virtual instrument.