Measuring instrument, measuring system and method for operating a measuring system with rapid synchronization of settings

Abstract

Measuring device (10) with a measuring device (11) which is designed to perform a measurement task based on initial measurement parameters, characterized by that the measuring instrument (10) has a synchronization device (12) which is designed to synchronize the first measurement parameters with another measuring instrument (20), and that the measuring instrument (10) is designed to perform a measurement task together with the further measuring instrument (20) based on at least the first measurement parameters.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a measuring instrument, a measuring system and a method for operating a measuring system in which settings for several measuring instruments are made on one measuring instrument and synchronized with all the measuring instruments involved.

[0002] With conventional measuring instruments, it is often the case that a single instrument is insufficient to perform a specific measurement task. For example, a signal generator may not have enough signal outputs to meet the requirements of a desired measurement. This is particularly true for measurement tasks related to new communication standards, such as LTE, where different signals from numerous antennas must be generated or measured simultaneously. In such cases, the limitations of individual measuring instruments are frequently reached.

[0003] To perform such a measurement task with conventional measuring instruments, it is necessary to manually adjust the settings on all the instruments involved. This is particularly problematic whenever the measurement task changes, as the necessary settings must be readjusted on each instrument.

[0004] German patent DE 100 37 698 A1 discloses a measuring system with several individual measuring devices connected via a network. While a connection of the Changed description

[0005] The instructions explain the measuring instruments and their communication, but do not demonstrate how to simplify the setup of the instruments for a common measurement task. A disadvantage of the presented measurement system is that performing a measurement task using at least two instruments requires significant user effort.

[0006] Document DE 10 2011 009 583 A1 describes a method for generating a remote control sequence for measuring instruments. The measuring instruments are operated individually.

[0007] Document US 2012 / 0173181 A1 describes a control unit for measuring instruments. The control unit is an external device that can be connected to and control at least two measuring instruments.

[0008] Document US 2009 / 0291688 A1 shows a mobile communication device performing measurements regarding current transmission conditions.

[0009] The invention is based on the objective of creating a measuring instrument, a measuring system and a method for operating a measuring system, which enable a simple setting of measurement parameters for all measuring instruments involved.

[0010] The object of the invention is achieved for the measuring device by the features of independent claim 1, for the measuring system by the features of claim 4, and for the method by the features of independent claim 10. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims relating thereto.

[0011] A measuring device according to the invention comprises a measuring unit and a synchronization unit. The measuring unit is configured to perform a measurement task based on initial measurement parameters. The synchronization unit is configured to synchronize these initial measurement parameters with another measuring device. This second measuring device is then configured to perform the measurement task jointly with the second measuring device, based on at least the initial measurement parameters. This eliminates the need to manually enter the measurement parameters into the second measuring device, resulting in a significant reduction in user effort.

[0012] Advantageously, the measuring device has an input unit designed for entering the initial measurement parameters. This input unit includes a synchronization button. When this button is pressed, the synchronization function synchronizes the entered initial measurement parameters with the rest of the measuring device. This allows for a very simple synchronization of the measurement parameters.

[0013] Preferably, the input device is further configured to input second measurement parameters, wherein the second measurement parameters are modifications of the first measurement parameters for the other measuring device. The measuring device is configured only with the first measurement parameters. The synchronization device is then configured to synchronize the second measurement parameters with the other measuring device when the synchronization button is pressed. This ensures that the measuring devices do not need to be configured with identical measurement parameters. Instead, it is possible to transfer a set of identical measurement parameters—the first measurement parameters—to all measuring devices and subsequently transfer modifications for a specific measuring device as second measurement parameters.

[0014] A measuring system according to the invention comprises a first measuring device as described above and at least one further measuring device. The further measuring device also has a synchronization device. In this case, the synchronization device of the first measuring device is configured to transmit the first measurement parameters to the synchronization device of the further measuring device. The further measuring device is configured to configure itself based on the first measurement parameters and to perform the measurement task together with the first measuring device based on at least the first measurement parameters. This ensures that the first measuring device and the further measuring device can be configured based on the first measurement parameters with very little user effort.

[0015] Preferably, the first measuring device of the measuring system has an input device configured for entering the first measurement parameters. This input device includes a synchronization button. In this case, the synchronization device is configured to synchronize the entered first measurement parameters with the subsequent measuring device when the synchronization button is pressed.

[0016] Furthermore, the input device in this case is preferably configured to input second measurement parameters, wherein the second measurement parameters are changes to the first measurement parameters for the second measuring device, and wherein the first measuring device is configured only with the first measurement parameters. The synchronization device is then configured to synchronize the second measurement parameters with the second measuring device when the synchronization button is pressed. The synchronization device of the first measuring device is preferably configured to transmit the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters to the synchronization device of the second measuring device. The second measuring device is then preferably configured to configure itself based on the first measurement parameters and based on the second measurement parameters.The measurement task is then performed jointly by the measuring device and the second measuring device based on the first and second measurement parameters. This makes it possible to configure the measuring devices differently without increasing the user's workload.

[0017] Preferably, the synchronization device of the additional measuring instrument is designed to first synchronize the first measurement parameters and then the second measurement parameters. In this process, the first measurement parameters are overwritten by the second measurement parameters in the additional measuring instrument if they do not match. This makes it possible to transfer the measurement parameters with a very small data volume.

[0018] Preferably, the additional measuring device has an input device with a synchronization button. The synchronization device of the first measuring device and the synchronization device of the additional measuring device are then configured to synchronize the first measurement parameters, or the first and second measurement parameters, when the synchronization button of the additional measuring device is pressed after the synchronization button of the first measuring device has been pressed. This allows for a further reduction in user effort, particularly when numerous measuring devices are available.

[0019] Preferably, the first and second measuring devices are connected via a wired or wireless network. This allows for the easy transfer of the necessary information for synchronization.

[0020] The measuring system preferably comprises a plurality of additional measuring devices. The synchronization device of the first measuring device is then configured to synchronize the first measurement parameters, or the first and second measurement parameters, with the additional measuring devices. The first measuring device is then configured to perform the measurement task together with the additional measuring devices, based either solely on the first measurement parameters or on both the first and second measurement parameters. This allows a wide variety of measurement tasks to be handled flexibly.

[0021] A method according to the invention serves to operate a measuring system with at least one first measuring device and a further measuring device. Initial measuring parameters are set on the first measuring device. Subsequently, the first measuring device and the further measuring device are synchronized. The first measuring device and the further measuring device then jointly perform a measurement task. This enables measuring devices to perform measurement tasks together with very little user effort.

[0022] The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the drawing, which illustrates an advantageous embodiment of the invention. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 an embodiment of the measuring system according to the invention in a block diagram and Fig. 2 an embodiment of the method according to the invention in a flowchart.

[0023] First, using Fig. Figure 1 shows the construction and operation of an embodiment of the measuring device and an embodiment of the measuring system according to the invention. Based on Fig. Section 2 then describes in detail the functioning of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. Identical elements have not been repeatedly shown and described in similar figures.

[0024] Fig. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the measuring system 1 according to the invention. The measuring system 1 includes a first measuring device 10 and a further measuring device 20. Optionally, the measuring system also has further measuring devices 30 and 40.

[0025] The first measuring device 10 has a measuring unit 11, which is connected to a control unit 13. The control unit 13 in turn is connected to a synchronization unit 12, a display unit 14 and an input unit 15.

[0026] The further measuring device 20 also has a measuring device 21, connected to it a control device 23 and connected to it a synchronization device 22, a display device 24 and an input device 25.

[0027] The synchronization device 12 of the first measuring device 10 is connected by means of a connection 2 to the synchronization device 22 of the further measuring device 20. The control devices 13, 23 control all devices 11, 12, 14, 15 and 21, 22, 24, 25 of the measuring devices 10 and 20 respectively, which are connected to them.

[0028] The additional measuring devices 30 and 40 are similar in design to the additional measuring device 20. They may be identical or different measuring devices. The additional measuring devices 30 and 40 are also connected to the synchronization device 12 of the first measuring device 10.

[0029] If a joint measurement task is to be performed by the first measuring device 10 and the second measuring device 20, a user can enter the measurement parameters using the input device 15 of the first measuring device 10. The user can enter initial measurement parameters that are to be used by both the first measuring device 10 and the second measuring device 20. Alternatively, the user can enter secondary measurement parameters that are to be used only by the second measuring device 20. Preferably, the input is made only at the input device 15 of the first measuring device 10. However, input can also be made at the input device 25 of the second measuring device 20.

[0030] The entered measurement parameters are processed by the control unit 13 and transmitted by the synchronization unit 12 of the measuring device 10 to the synchronization unit 22 of the other measuring device 20 via connection 2. The transmission preferably occurs as soon as a user presses a synchronization button on the measuring device 10, which is part of the input unit 15. Preferably, the synchronization can also depend on the condition that a synchronization button, which is part of the input unit 25, has also been pressed on the other measuring device 20. This is particularly useful when several measuring devices are connected and the measuring devices involved in the measurement task are selected by pressing the synchronization buttons.

[0031] After the transmission of the first measurement parameters, or the first and second measurement parameters, to the synchronization device 22 of the additional measuring device 20, these parameters are processed by the control device 23 and used to configure the additional measuring device 20. First, the additional measuring device 20 is configured based on the first measurement parameters. Once these settings are complete, if second measurement parameters have been transmitted, a configuration is performed based on these second parameters. The second measurement parameters overwrite the first measurement parameters if they differ. Preferably, however, only those measurement parameters that differ from the first measurement parameters are transmitted as second measurement parameters; that is, the second measurement parameters preferably have a smaller number than the first measurement parameters. This saves transmission bandwidth for the transmission of the second measurement parameters.

[0032] Once the first measuring device 10 is configured with the first measurement parameters and the further measuring device 20 is configured with the first measurement parameters or with the first measurement parameters and with the second measurement parameters, the measuring devices 11, 21 of the measuring devices 10 20 jointly perform the measurement task.

[0033] Connection 2 can be a wired or a wireless connection. Specifically, connection 2 can be a LAN connection, an IEC bus connection, a USB connection, a Bluetooth connection, a WLAN connection, or a WiFi connection.

[0034] If a joint measurement is to be carried out with the additional measuring devices 20, 30, and 40, the procedure is similar to that used for only one additional measuring device 20. First, initial measurement parameters are synchronized with all measuring devices 10, 20, 30, and 40. Subsequently, second measurement parameters are synchronized with each additional measuring device 20, 30, and 40. These parameters can be identical for all additional measuring devices 20, 30, and 40, or alternatively, individually adapted for each of the additional measuring devices.

[0035] In Fig. Figure 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the inventive method for operating a measuring system in a flowchart. In a first step 100, first measurement parameters are entered into a first measuring device 10.

[0036] In an optional second step 101, second measurement parameters are entered into the first measuring device 10. As described previously, the first measurement parameters are those to be used by all measuring devices involved in the measurement task. The second measurement parameters, as described previously, are those to be used only by another measuring device in the measurement system.

[0037] In a third step, 102, the first measurement parameters are synchronized with the other measuring device. The first measurement parameters are transferred and set by the other measuring device.

[0038] In an optional fourth step 103, the second measurement parameters are synchronized with the other measuring device. This step is only performed if second measurement parameters were entered in the second step 101. In this case, the second measurement parameters are transferred to the other measuring device.

[0039] In a fifth step 104, which is also optional and is only performed if the second measurement parameters were entered in the second step 101, some of the first measurement parameters are replaced by the second measurement parameters in the further measuring device. That is, if the second measurement parameters differ from the first measurement parameters, the values ​​of the second measurement parameters are used.

[0040] In a final sixth step 105, a measurement task is carried out jointly by the first measuring device 10 and the second measuring device 20. The first measuring device 10 uses the first measurement parameters, and the second measuring device 20 uses the first measurement parameters and, if necessary, the second measurement parameters.

[0041] Alternatively, the measuring system can have two or more additional measuring devices. In this case, the initial measurement parameters are transmitted to and used by all of these additional measuring devices. If secondary measurement parameters are entered, they are optionally only assigned to one of the additional measuring devices. Separate secondary measurement parameters can be entered for each of the additional measuring devices. This allows for a different configuration of each individual measuring device with very little user effort.

[0042] The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In particular, a wide variety of measuring instruments can be used. For example, network analyzers, logic analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, etc., are conceivable. Furthermore, it is possible to use identical or different measuring instruments. All features described above, shown in the figures, or claimed in the claims can be combined advantageously within the scope of the invention.

Claims

[1] Measuring instrument (10) with a measuring device (11) which is configured to perform a measurement task based on initial measurement parameters, characterized by , that the measuring instrument (10) has a synchronization device (12) which is designed to synchronize the first measurement parameters with another measuring instrument (20), and that the measuring instrument (10) is designed to perform a measurement task together with the further measuring instrument (20) based on at least the first measurement parameters. [2] Measuring device according to claim 1, characterized by , that the measuring instrument (10) has an input device (15) which is designed to input the first measurement parameters, that the input device (15) has a synchronization button, and that the synchronization device (12) is designed to synchronize entered first measurement parameters with the further measuring device (20) when the synchronization button is pressed. [3] Measuring device according to claim 2, characterized by , that the input device (15) is configured to input second measurement parameters, wherein the second measurement parameters are changes to the first measurement parameters for the further measuring device (20), and wherein the measuring device (10) is configured only with the first measurement parameters, that the synchronization device (12) is trained, to synchronize the second measurement parameters with the other measuring device (20) when the synchronization button is pressed. [4] Measuring system comprising a first measuring instrument (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3 and a further measuring instrument (20), characterized by , that the further measuring device (20) has a synchronization device (22), that the synchronization device (12) of the first measuring device (10) is configured to transmit the first measurement parameters to the synchronization device (22) of the further measuring device (20), and that the further measuring device (20) is designed, - to configure itself based on the initial measurement parameters, and - to perform a measurement task together with the measuring instrument (10) based on at least the first measurement parameters. [5] Measuring system according to claim 4, characterized by , that the first measuring instrument (10) is a measuring instrument according to claim 3, that the synchronization device (12) of the first measuring device (10) is configured to transmit the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters to the synchronization device (22) of the further measuring device (20), and that the further measuring device (20) is designed, - to configure itself based on the first measurement parameters and based on the second measurement parameters, and - to carry out the measurement task together with the first measuring instrument (10) based on the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters. [6] Measuring system according to claim 5, characterized by , that the synchronization device (22) of the further measuring device (20) is designed to assist in synchronization - first, to synchronize the initial measurement parameters, and - then to perform a synchronization of the second measurement parameters, whereby the second measurement parameters override the first measurement parameters if the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters do not match. [7] Measuring system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized by , that the additional measuring device (20) has an input device (25) with a synchronization button, that the synchronization device (12) of the first measuring device (10) and the synchronization device (22) of the further measuring device (20) are designed, to synchronize only the first measurement parameters or the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters when the synchronization button of the second measuring device (20) is pressed after the synchronization button of the first measuring device (10) has been pressed. [8] Measuring system according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized by , that the first measuring device (10) and the second measuring device (20) are connected via a wired or wireless connection (2). [9] Measuring system according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized by , that the measuring system (1) includes a plurality of further measuring devices (20, 30, 40), that the synchronization device (12) of the first measuring instrument (10) is configured to synchronize the first measurement parameters or the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters with the further measuring instruments (20, 30, 40), and that the first measuring instrument (10) is designed to perform a measurement task together with the other measuring instruments (20, 30, 40) based on the first measurement parameters or based on the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters. [10] Method for operating a measuring system (1) comprising at least one first measuring instrument (10) and a further measuring instrument (20), where the first measurement parameters are set on the first measuring device (10), characterized by the following steps: - Synchronization of the first measurement parameters between the first measuring device (10) and the second measuring device (20), and - joint performance of a measurement task by the measuring instrument (10) and the other measuring instrument (20). [11] Method according to claim 10, characterized by , that the synchronization of the first measurement parameters between the first measuring device (10) and the further measuring device (20) includes the following steps: - Pressing a synchronization button on the first measuring device (10), - Pressing a synchronization button on the other measuring device (20), - Transferring the first measurement parameters from the first measuring device (10) to the next measuring device (20), and - Configure the additional measuring device (20) using the first measurement parameters. [12] Method according to claim 11, characterized by , that second measurement parameters are set on the first measuring instrument (10), wherein the second measurement parameters are changes to the first measurement parameters for the further measuring instrument (20), and wherein the measuring instrument (10) is configured only with the first measurement parameters, and that the second measurement parameters are synchronized with the further measuring device (20). [13] Method according to claim 12, characterized by , that the measurement task is carried out jointly by the measuring instrument (10) and the further measuring instrument (20) based on the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters. [14] Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized by , that during synchronization - first, a synchronization of the initial measurement parameters is performed, and - subsequently, a synchronization of the second measurement parameters is carried out, whereby the second measurement parameters override the first measurement parameters if the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters do not match. [15] Method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized by , that only the first measurement parameters or the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters are synchronized with a plurality of further measuring devices (20, 30, 40), and that the measurement task is carried out jointly by the first measuring instrument (10) and the further measuring instruments (20, 30, 40) based on the first measurement parameters or based only on the first measurement parameters and the second measurement parameters.

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