Specifications

University of Hertfordshire
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In this chapter, the conclusion is drawn. The achievements and the problems
author met during the project processing are mentioned as well as solutions. In
addition, some further works are suggested.
8.1 Conclusion
This report introduced all related information about this project step by step by using simple
langurage, so any no-technique person can understand complete concepts.
There are so many options of Operating Systems, Programming languages, GPIB cards, and GPIB
drivers. Some of them can be used in this project, some cannot. Author selected Linux as the server
Operating System, C for server program, Java Applet for client, in addition, PC-LAB GPIB Card
and sgpib driver were used to communicate the Spectrum Analyser and the server.
To remotely control, the users commands should be delivered to the Spectrum Analyser. The report
briefly introduces two communications between the client and the Spectrum Analyser. One is
TCP/IP, the communication between the client and the server is on the Internet, and the Internet is
connected by TCP/IP. And the other is GPIB connection, which was used to communicate between
the server and the Spectrum Analyser. By using sgpib commands and HP 8591 EM Spectrum
Analyser programming commands, the Spectrum Analyser can be controlled just like by using
corresponding key functions. TCP and socket programming are more suitable for program in
server/client architecture. The server program was developed, some functions can be implemented,
such as to preset the Spectrum Analyser, to identify the Spectrum Analysers model and to set the
start frequency, stop frequency, center frequency and span.
8.2 Achievements
The aim of the project is to develop a system to control a HP 8591EM Spectrum Analyser remotely
via Internet using a Web browser. The server uses the Linux operating system. It is connected to an
HP 8591 EM Spectrum Analyser via a GPIB interface. Then client can use web Browser to control
the Spectrum Analyser, and execute some basic function, for example, to set the start and stop
frequency and resolution bandwidth. It should also be possible to set the Spectrum Analyser to 'zero
span' mode on a particular frequency and to feed the demodulated audio output from the Spectrum
Analyser into the server so that it can then be sent to the client using a streaming audio feed via the