Logic analyzer with mixed textual and graphical trigger specification

Abstract

A logic analyzer integrates the capabilities of both textual and graphical description into a common environment, so that each can be used as needed, and in conjunction with the other. In an example embodiment a trigger specification can comprise many “steps”. A step can be conceptualized as an atomic segment of flow charting that involves or investigates a quantity or condition of interest. These steps may involve testing, and a decision concerning whether or not to trigger or whether or not to advance to a next step. A given step can be either textual or graphical. A GUT (Graphical User Interface, as in computer windows, and not to be confused with ‘graphical’ meaning ‘waveform-like’) on a CRT screen in conjunction with a pointing device (e.g., mouse) provides the presentation of the integrated textual and graphical (waveform-like) trigger specification steps.

We claim:  
     
         1 . Triggerable signal acquisition and display apparatus comprising: 
 signal acquisition circuitry coupleable to a plurality of work signals in a work system;    a memory coupled to the signal acquisition circuitry and that stores acquired signal values;    a trigger circuit coupled to the signal acquisition circuitry and to the memory, and that terminates the storing of acquired signal values in a selected way in response to the occurrence in the plurality of work signals of events described as ordered steps in a trigger specification;    a graphical user interface defining the steps of a trigger specification, the graphical user interface itself comprising: 
 a display upon which screens of information are presented, which screens include a screen pointer;  
 a pointing device coupled to the display and that controls the position of the screen pointer within a screen;  
 a trigger specification screen including a list area containing component steps in a trigger specification, and also including a collection of icons, at least one of the icons representing a trigger specification component step to be defined by written text and at least one other of the icons representing a trigger specification component step to be defined by iconic symbols representing waveform activity; and  
 wherein a component step appears in the list area when its associated icon in the collection thereof is invoked, and further wherein menus associated with the component steps are used to specify events of interest in the trigger specification component step thus produced, the menu for a component step to be defined by written text containing selectable sections of text and the menu for a component step to be defined by iconic symbols containing selectable iconic symbols representing waveform activity.  
   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein invoking an icon in the collection thereof comprises dragging it with the pointing device to a desired location in the list area and then dropping it.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein a completed menu for defining a component step with selectable iconic symbols is replaced in the list of component steps by a summarizing readable legend of text once the definition with selectable iconic symbols of the associated component step is completed.  
     
     
         4 . A graphical editor screen for trigger specification step definition in a signal acquisition and display apparatus, the graphical editor screen comprising: 
 a first collection of vertically arranged names of signals and buses that have previously been defined as being of interest:    a collection of horizontally adjacent columns, each representing a quantized location in time and each including a vertical arrangement of entries, each entry at a height corresponding to an associated name in the first collection; and    a first menu from which waveform conditions can be chosen to be placed into a selected entry as a corresponding iconic representation of the chosen waveform condition.    
     
     
         5 . A graphical editor screen as in  claim 4 , further comprising a second menu that includes selectable indications of timing relationships that may obtain between adjacent columns, and further comprising displays of such timing relationships that have been selected.