Code generation and simulation for graphical programming

• US 10,318,251 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altair Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Altair Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Darnell, Peter, Kolk, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Viva
• Application Number:
  US15/400,485
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines

Abstract

A graphical block diagram can be used to execute multiple operating modes, such as a code generation or simulation mode. The graphical block diagram may include at least a first graphical block used solely in a first operating mode and a second graphical block used solely in a second operating mode. Each of the first and second graphical blocks includes a respective input receiving an input from a defined mode block. The defined mode block produces a mode output indicating a selection of one of the multiple operating modes. Other blocks of the graphical block diagram may be used in more than one operating mode. Depending on the value of the mode output, the graphical block diagram is interpreted according to the first or second operating mode. More than two operating modes are possible. The techniques described herein improve a model-based development platform.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

receiving, by the one or more processors, data representing a plurality of graphical blocks, at least some of the plurality of graphical blocks defining respective computer functions, the plurality of graphical blocks comprising at least a first graphical block used solely in a first operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of a graphical block diagram and a second graphical block used solely in a second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes of the graphical block diagram; and

responsive to user input, generating, using the one or more processors, the graphical block diagram for display on an output screen, the graphical block diagram comprising at least some of the plurality of graphical blocks including the first graphical block and the second graphical block, the graphical blocks of the graphical block diagram being interconnected, and each of the first graphical block and the second graphical block including a respective input receiving mode output from a defined mode block of the plurality of graphical blocks, wherein;

the defined mode block is configured to produce the mode output indicating a selection of one of the multiple operating modes;

upon a condition that the mode output provided to the first graphical block and the second graphical block indicates selection of the first operating mode, executing, by the one or more processors, the graphical block diagram according to the first operating mode using the first graphical block and not the second graphical block; and

upon a condition that the mode output provided to the first graphical block and the second graphical block indicates selection of the second operating mode, executing, by the one or more processors, the graphical block diagram according to the second operating mode using the second graphical block and not the first graphical block.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first operating mode comprises a code generation mode that generates code for execution based on a layout of the at least some of the plurality of graphical blocks within the graphical block diagram.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first operating mode comprises a simulation mode that simulates a response of a system based on a layout of the at least some of the plurality of graphical blocks within the graphical block diagram.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the defined mode block comprises a variable such that the mode output is a first value responsive to user selection of the first operating mode and is a second value responsive to user selection of the second operating mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the variable is a binary variable;

the plurality of graphical blocks includes a third graphical block that represents a Boolean not operation on an input value; and

one of;

upon a condition that the mode output is the first value, executing the graphical block diagram according to the first operating mode using the first graphical block and not the second graphical block by receiving the first value directly from a defined mode block at the input of the first graphical block and receiving the second value as an output from a third graphical block whose input is the first value;

or

upon a condition that the mode output is the second value, executing the graphical block diagram according to the second operating mode using the second graphical block and not the first graphical block by receiving the second value directly from a defined mode block at the input of the second graphical block and receiving the first

value as an output from the third graphical block whose input is the first value.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of graphical blocks includes a fourth graphical block used in at least the first operating mode and the second operating mode of the multiple operating modes.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the fourth graphical block represents a multiplexer operation on two inputs using a control input; and

one of;

upon a condition that the mode output is the first value, executing the graphical block diagram according to the first operating mode using a fourth graphical block by receiving the first value at the control input of the fourth graphical block and generating an output using a first input of the two inputs;

or

upon a condition that the mode output is the second value, executing the graphical block diagram according to the second operating mode using the fourth graphical block by receiving the second value at the control input of the fourth graphical block and generating the output using a second input of the two inputs.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the first input comprises a variable block representing an output of a system; and

the second input comprises an output of a simulation of the system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is configured to compile the graphical block diagram to run on a computer.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, data representing a graphical block diagram, the graphical block diagram comprising a plurality of graphical blocks, at least some of the plurality of graphical blocks defining respective computer functions, the plurality of graphical blocks being interconnected, the plurality of graphical blocks including at least a first graphical block used in each of a first operating mode of the graphical block diagram and a second operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the graphical block diagram, the first graphical block responsive to a variable indicating a selection of one of the multiple operating modes;

determining the variable;

upon a condition that the variable indicates selection of the first operating mode, executing the graphical block diagram according to the first operating mode using the first graphical block producing a first output; and

upon a condition that the variable indicates selection of the second operating mode, executing the graphical block diagram according to the second operating mode using the first graphical block producing a second output different from the first output.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical block diagram comprises a data flow diagram, and the first graphical block has an input receiving the variable from a defined mode block of the plurality of graphical blocks included in the graphical block diagram.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of graphical blocks comprise at least some graphical blocks defining respective states, and the graphical block diagram comprises a state transition diagram.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the variable is a condition for transitioning from the state defined by the first graphical block to a state represented by a second graphical block of the graphical block diagram.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical block diagram comprises at least a second graphical block used solely in the first operating mode of the plurality of operating modes and a third graphical block used solely in the second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes, each of the second graphical block and the third graphical block including a respective input receiving an input from a defined mode block of the graphical blocks, the defined mode block representing the variable;

upon the condition that the variable indicates selection of the first operating mode, executing the graphical block diagram according to the first operating mode using the first graphical block producing the first output, the second graphical block, and not the third graphical block; and

upon the condition that the variable indicates selection of the second operating mode, executing the graphical block diagram according to the second operating mode using the first graphical block producing the second output, the third graphical block, and not the second graphical block.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, data representing a graphical block diagram, the graphical block diagram comprising a plurality of graphical blocks, at least some of the plurality of graphical blocks defining respective computer functions, the plurality of graphical blocks being interconnected, the plurality of graphical blocks including at least a first graphical block used solely in a first operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the graphical block diagram and a second graphical block used solely in a second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes of the graphical block diagram, each of the first graphical block and the second graphical block including a respective input receiving an input from a defined mode block of the graphical blocks, and the defined mode block configured to produce a mode output indicating a selection of one of the multiple operating modes;

determining the mode output;

upon a condition that the mode output provided to the first graphical block and the second graphical block indicates selection of the first operating mode, executing the graphical block diagram according to the first operating mode using the first graphical block and not the second graphical block; and

upon a condition that the mode output provided to the first graphical block and the second graphical block indicates selection of the second operating mode, executing the graphical block diagram according to the second operating mode using the second graphical block and not the first graphical block.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the computing device, a user input that determines the mode output of the defined mode block.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the executing the first operating mode comprises:

generating code to implement the graphical block diagram in a standard batch code.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the standard batch code is C.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first graphical block comprises a target hardware-specific block, the first operating mode is a code generation mode, the second graphical block is a simulation block, and the second operating mode is a simulation mode.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the plurality of graphical blocks include a third graphical block used in at least the first operating mode and the second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes; and

one of;

upon a condition that the mode output is a first value, executing the graphical block diagram according to the first operating mode by receiving a first value of the mode output at a control input of the third graphical block and generating an output from the third graphical block responsive to the first value;

or

upon a condition that the mode output is a second value, executing the graphical block diagram according to the second operating mode by receiving a second value of the mode output at the control input of the third graphical block and generating an output from the third graphical block responsive to the second value, the second value different from the first value.