Clarity in model-based design

• US 10,416,842 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Bartlett, Andrew C., Torgerson, Jay R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US14/861,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/10 Numerical modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A device may identify a primary model element of a set of model elements. The device may select one or more secondary model elements of the set of model elements. The one or more secondary model elements may be associated with the primary model element. The device may consolidate the one or more secondary model elements into a representation of the one or more secondary model elements. The representation of the one or more secondary model elements may be associated with the primary model element. The device may selectively de-consolidate the representation of the one or more secondary model elements based on detecting at least one of a user interaction or a run-time event.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

provide a representation of a model, that includes a set of model elements, for display via a user interface,

the set of model elements including a first model element that operates in connection with a second model element;

select the first model element from the set of model elements based on a user input,

the first model element including a set of parameters associated with describing the first model element,

the set of parameters associated with describing the first model element including a particular parameter associated with determining a type of consolidated representation of the first model element to provide for display via the user interface;

determine a consolidated representation of the first model element to be provided for display via the user interface based on the particular parameter,

the consolidated representation of the first model element being in relation to the second model element and altering a representation of the second model element, the altering comprising associating the consolidated representation of the first model element with the representation of the second model element; and

provide the consolidated representation of the first model element for display via the user interface; and

selectively update the user interface based on a detected event,

the selectively updating the user interface including at least one of changing the user interface to cause the first model element to be displayed or altering the consolidated representation of the first model element to provide information associated with the detected event.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the consolidated representation of the first model element for display, further cause the one or more processors to:

remove the first model element from display via the user interface, the first model element being associated with a port of the second model element; and

include an indication of the first model element as a badge-type of representation associated with the second model element, the badge-type of representation being associated with an icon being displayed in relation to the second model element.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

select a particular view of the set of model elements,

the first model element including a parameter indicating that the first model element is to be removed from display when the particular view is selected; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to remove the first model element from display via the user interface, further cause the one or more processors to;

remove the first model element from display based on selecting the particular view.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

detect the event,

the event being a user interaction associated with selecting the first model element;

and where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively update the user interface, further cause the one or more processors to;

remove the badge-type of representation and provide the first model element for display based on detecting the event; and

provide one or more user interface elements associated with modifying information associated with the first model element.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

detect, during execution of the set of model elements, the event,

the event being an alert associated with the first model element; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively update the user interface, further cause the one or more processors to;

alter the badge-type of representation based on the alert.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

detect, during execution of the set of model elements, the event,

the event being related to a status of the first model element during the execution of the set of model elements; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively update the user interface, further cause the one or more processors to;

alter the consolidated representation of the first model element to provide information regarding the status of the first model element.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the consolidated representation of the first model element for display, further cause the one or more processors to:

remove the first model element from display via the user interface; and

include an indication of the first model element as a bumper-type representation associated with the second model element,

the bumper-type representation being associated with a border at least partially surrounding the second model element.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

detect the event,

the event being associated with execution of the first model element; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively update the user interface, further cause the one or more processors to;

alter the border surrounding the second model element to provide an indication of the event.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

detect the event,

the event being a user interaction with the border surrounding the second model element;

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively update the user interface, further cause the one or more processors to;

provide one or more user interface elements associated with altering the first model element based on the user interaction with the border surrounding the second model element; and

alter the consolidated representation of the first model element based on detecting a user interaction with the one or more user interface elements.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

classify a set of levels of the model that includes the set of model elements,

the set of levels corresponding to a granularity with which information associated with the set of model elements is provided for display via the user interface determine that a particular level, of the set of levels, is selected for display,

the particular level corresponding to the consolidated representation of the first model element being displayed; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the consolidated representation of the first model element for display, are further to;

provide the consolidated representation of the first model element for display based on the determining that the particular level is selected for display.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first model element is separate from the second model element.

11. A method, comprising:

selecting, based on user input, multiple model elements from a set of model elements, of a model, being provided for display via a user interface as secondary model elements, the selecting the multiple model elements as the secondary model elements being performed by a device;

selecting a model element from the set of model elements being provided for display via the user interface as a primary model element,

the selecting the model element as the primary model element being performed by the device,

the primary model element operating in connection with the secondary model elements;

representing information regarding the secondary model elements via a graphical alteration associated with the primary model element,

the graphical alteration being a consolidated representation of the secondary model elements via the primary model element to indicate a presence of the secondary model elements in the model,

the graphical alteration associating the consolidated representation of the secondary model elements with a representation of the primary model element,

the graphical alteration including removing the secondary model elements from display via the user interface, and

the representing information regarding the secondary model elements being performed by the device;

detecting a run-time event associated with the primary model element and the consolidated representation of the secondary model elements,

the detecting the event being performed by the device; and

selectively de-consolidating the secondary model elements based on detecting the event,

the selective deconsolidating being performed by the device.

12. The method of claim 11, where representing the information regarding the secondary model elements via the graphical alteration associated with the primary model element further comprises:

adding a graphical badge to a representation of the primary model element, the graphical badge representing information associated with the secondary model elements.

13. The method of claim 11, where representing the information regarding the secondary model elements via the graphical alteration associated with the primary model element further comprises:

adding a graphical border to a representation of the primary model element, the graphical border representing the secondary model elements,

the secondary model elements being associated with affecting input information and/or output information associated with the primary model element.

14. The method of claim 11, where representing the information regarding the secondary model elements via the graphical alteration associated with the primary model element further comprises:

adding a panel to a port of the primary model element,

the panel representing an interaction of the secondary model elements with the port.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring execution of the set of model elements;

determining that a condition associated with the set of model elements is satisfied; and

performing, based on determining that the condition associated with the set of model elements is satisfied, at least one of;

consolidating the secondary model elements into the graphical alteration associated with the primary model element;

de-consolidating the secondary model elements from the graphical alteration associated with the primary model element;

or

altering an appearance of the graphical alteration of the secondary model elements.

16. The method of claim 15, where altering the appearance of the graphical alteration of the secondary model elements further comprises at least one of:

altering a size of the graphical alteration;

altering a color of the graphical alteration;

altering a visibility of the graphical alteration;

or

altering an iconography of the graphical alteration.

17. A device, comprising:

one or more processors to;

identify a primary model element of a set of model elements,

select one or more secondary model elements of the set of model elements based on user input,

the one or more secondary model elements operating in connection with the primary model element;

consolidate the one or more secondary model elements into a consolidated representation of the one or more secondary model elements,

the consolidated representation of the one or more secondary model elements being in relation to the primary model element and altering a representation of the primary model element,

the altering comprising associating the consolidated representation of the one or more secondary model elements with the primary model element; and

selectively de-consolidate the one or more secondary model elements based on detecting a run-time event.

18. The device of claim 17, where the one or more processors, are further to:

selectively alter the consolidated representation of the one or more secondary model elements based on detecting at least one of a user interaction or a run-time event to provide information regarding the user interaction or the run-time event.

19. The device of claim 17, where the one or more processors are further to:

select the primary model element as a secondary model element of another primary model element; and

consolidate the primary model element into a representation of the primary model element associated with the other primary model element.

20. The device of claim 17,

where the primary model element is a connector;

and

where the one or more processors, when consolidating the one or more secondary model elements, are further to;

cause the one or more secondary model elements to be consolidated into the connector;

detect a user interaction with the connector; and

where the one or more processors, when selectively de-consolidating the one or more secondary model elements, are further to;

de-consolidate the one or more secondary model elements based on detecting the user interaction with the connector.

21. The device of claim 17, where the one or more processors, when selecting the one or more secondary model elements, are further to:

determine that the one or more secondary model elements are associated with performing one or more data type conversions for the primary model element; and

identify the one or more secondary model elements based on determining that the one or more secondary model elements are associated with performing the one or more data type conversions for the primary model element.

22. The device of claim 17, where the one or more processors, when selectively de-consolidating the one or more secondary model elements, are to:

identify a layer, of a set of layers, associated with the user interaction or the run-time event,

the set of layers being associated with a set of secondary model elements,

the set of secondary model elements including the one or more secondary model elements,

the layer being associated with the one or more secondary model elements; and

de-consolidate the one or more secondary model elements based on the layer.

23. The device of claim 17, where the one or more processors, are further to:

receive an indication, via a user interface, of a display mode of the user interface; and

where the one or more processors, when selectively de-consolidating the one or more secondary model elements, are to;

selectively de-consolidate the one or more secondary model elements based on the display mode of the user interface.

24. A device, comprising:

one or more processors to;

detect a user interaction, via a user interface, with a primary model element of a set of model elements;

generate a secondary model element separate from the primary model element that operates in connection with the primary model element based on detecting the user interaction with the primary model element,

the secondary model element being associated with a particular data type; and

provide a consolidated representation of the secondary model element for display within the user interface,

the consolidated representation of the secondary model element being in relation to the primary model element and altering a representation of the primary model element,

the altering comprising associating the consolidated representation of the secondary model element with the representation of the primary model element,

the consolidated representation of the secondary model element being a consolidation of the secondary model element.

25. The device of claim 24, where the one or more processors are further to:

receive, via a dialog of the user interface, information indicating the particular data type of the secondary model element; and

where the one or more processors, when generating the secondary model element, are to;

generate the secondary model element based on the particular data type.

26. The device of claim 24, where the one or more processors are further to:

selectively de-consolidate the secondary model element based on detecting a user interaction or a run-time event.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein:

the detected user interaction comprises selection of a port of the primary model element; and

the secondary model element receives;

output from the port of the primary model element, or

provides input to the port of the primary model element.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein:

the secondary model element converts;

the output from the port to the particular data type or from the particular data type, or

the input to the port to the particular data type or from the particular data type.