1.17 PROBE FIRMWARE OVERVIEW
The probe is equipped with a firmware that manages all the probe operations. The most important
management functions are described in the following subsection.
1.17.1 User interface
Whenever the CTD runs in “VERBOSE MODE”, interaction with the user is carried out by means of the
"USER INTERFACE". With the term “USER INTERFACE” or "MMI" (Man Machine Interface), we mean
the firmware layers that react to the user input and instruct the lower layers of the firmware to perform
the desired action. The "USER INTERFACE" is a so-called menu driven interface, that is, at any time it
is possible to select just one option among various possible choices. Each option will in turn perform
the desired action or invoke a sub-menu containing further topics. The "USER INTERFACE" makes
extensive use of different kinds of menus, among which we have: menu, sub-menus and data entry
menus. A brief and exhaustive description of these menus will follow in the next subsection.
1.17.1.1 Menu & Submenus
A menu is shown mentioning first the menu title, firmware release and current date & time and then a
list of the available items, one for each line. Each item is shown with four capital letters contained in
two square brackets followed by an explanatory message. A number contained in the "<>" brackets
allows fast selection of items. The programme has one main menu and four submenus. The "MAIN
MENU", which is shown at the end of the "START-UP PROCEDURE", allows the selection of the
underlying menus. To select an item (and invoke the related submenu), the user must enter the four
capital letters contained in the square brackets or the number contained in the "<>" brackets. Once one
of the submenus is shown, it is possible to return to the upper layer by means of the <ESC> key. Typing
the <ESC> key from the "MAIN MENU" makes the CTD operate in the “LOW POWER MODE” (see the
related subsection). The <ENTER> key re-displays the shown menu. Although the selectable items are
shown in capital letters, the command can also be invoked with lower-case letters or numbers indicated
inside the <> bracket.
1.17.1.2 Data entry functions
These kinds of functions allow the user to modify the shown items. The way the items are modified
depends on the type of data itself. A set of rules guides the user during the item modification:
❖ The <ENTER> key, whenever the item is shown, skips the data entry to the next available item,
without changing the item itself.
❖ The <ESC> key always aborts data item modification; the value reverts to its initial values.
❖ Any key different from <ESC> and <ENTER> starts data entry for the shown item.
❖ Whenever the modification of the item starts, the <ENTER> key confirms the new item.
❖ The numerical entry is automatically range checked. If the modified value is outside the range, this
is shown and the user is requested to re-enter the data.
❖ Numerical data input is performed following the English rules such as “.” for the decimal point.
The introduction of coefficients can be accomplished by means of the exponent notation (i.e. 10e-
37).
Data entry functions automatically end after a pre-defined time-out (30 s). This prevents the probe from
halting during a data entry function inadvertently not completed by the operator. Whenever the data
entry function terminates due to the time-out, the item under modification remains unchanged.
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