Simplifying and reusing visual programming graphs

• US 10,642,580 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sempe Sosa, Luis Rene, Boswell, Justin, Deem, Michael Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Ziaul A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wei, Zengpu
• Application Number:
  US15/270,520
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 717109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

Techniques for simplifying and reusing visual programming graphs are described herein. In some examples, visual programming graphs may be simplified by decoupling execution signals from data resolution. Execution of a particular node may be triggered through a representation of a signal sent from a signal output slot of another node to a signal input slot on the node being triggered. Additionally, evaluation of data values may be represented by a connection between a data output slot on the node providing the data value to a data input slot on the node receiving the data value. Another technique for simplifying visual programming graphs may include combining and/or collapsing of multiple selected visual programming nodes into a single reusable visual programming node. In some examples, reusable combined visual programming nodes may be exposed using unlocked versions and/or locked versions.

Claims

1. A computing system for executing at least part of a visual programming graph comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories having stored therein instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the computing system perform operations comprising;

determining that a first node in the visual programming graph is associated with one or more data provider nodes, wherein the first node is connected, in the visual programming graph, to at least one of the one or more data provider nodes by connecting a data input slot of the first node to a data output slot of the at least one of the one or more data provider nodes;

generating, prior to execution of the visual programming graph, an execution sequence for activating and processing the first node and the one or more data provider nodes, the execution sequence comprising activating and processing one or more nodes that are not dependent on another node and subsequently activating and processing one or more nodes that are dependent on one or more activated and processed nodes until the one or more data provider nodes and the first node are activated and processed;

receiving, during the execution of the visual programming graph, a trigger to execute the first node, wherein the first node is connected, in the visual programming graph, to a second node of the one or more data provider nodes by connecting a signal input slot of the first node to a signal output slot of the second node, and wherein the trigger to execute the first node is a signal received at the signal input slot of the first node from the signal output slot of the second node; and

executing, based on receiving the trigger to execute the first node, the execution sequence to activate and process the one or more data provider nodes and the first node.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the visual programming graph is executed over a plurality of execution frames, and wherein the first node and the one or more data provider nodes are activated and processed during a same execution frame.

3. The computing system of claim 2, wherein activating and processing the first node and the one or more data provider nodes during the same execution frame ensures that one or more data values provided by the one or more data provider nodes are current values when used in the same execution frame.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein a visual programming interface employs a first directionality to express flow of signals between nodes and a second directionality to express transfer of data values between nodes, and wherein the first directionality is different from the second directionality.

5. A computer-implemented method for executing at least part of a visual programming graph comprising:

determining that a first node in the visual programming graph is associated with one or more data provider nodes;

generating, prior to execution of the visual programming graph, an execution sequence for activating and processing the first node and the one or more data provider nodes, the execution sequence comprising activating and processing one or more nodes that are not dependent on another node and subsequently activating and processing one or more nodes that are dependent on one or more activated and processed nodes until the one or more data provider nodes and the first node are activated and processed;

receiving, during the execution of the visual programming graph, a trigger to execute the first node, wherein the first node is connected, in the visual programming graph, to a second node by connecting a signal input slot of the first node to a signal output slot of the second node, and wherein the trigger to execute the first node is a signal received at the signal input slot of the first node from the signal output slot of the second node; and

executing, based on receiving the trigger to execute the first node, the execution sequence to activate and process the one or more data provider nodes and the first node.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first node is connected, in the visual programming graph, to at least one of the one or more data provider nodes by connecting a data input slot of the first node to a data output slot of the at least one of the one or more data provider nodes.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the visual programming graph is executed over a plurality of execution frames, and wherein the first node and the one or more data provider nodes are activated and processed during a same execution frame.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein activating and processing the first node and the one or more data provider nodes during the same execution frame ensures that one or more data values provided by the one or more data provider nodes are current values when used in the same execution frame.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein a visual programming interface employs a first directionality to express flow of signals between nodes and a second directionality to express transfer of data values between nodes, and wherein the first directionality is different from the second directionality.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the execution sequence is generated based, at least in part, on a depth-first search of a portion of the visual programming graph extending from one or more data input slots of the first node.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein at least one node in the visual programming graph has at least one of a signal input slot, a signal output slot, a data output slot or a data input slot generated based, at least in part, on an evaluation of a definition of a component in an entity-component system.

12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:

determining that a first node in a visual programming graph is associated with one or more data provider nodes;

generating, prior to execution of the visual programming graph, an execution sequence for activating and processing the first node and the one or more data provider nodes, the execution sequence comprising activating and processing one or more nodes that are not dependent on another node and subsequently activating and processing one or more nodes that are dependent on one or more activated and processed nodes until the one or more data provider nodes and the first node are activated and processed;

receiving, during the execution of the visual programming graph, a trigger to execute the first node, wherein the first node is connected, in the visual programming graph, to a second node by connecting a signal input slot of the first node to a signal output slot of the second node, and wherein the trigger to execute the first node is a signal received at the signal input slot of the first node from the signal output slot of the second node; and

executing, based on receiving the trigger to execute the first node, the execution sequence to activate and process the one or more data provider nodes and the first node.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the first node is connected, in the visual programming graph, to at least one of the one or more data provider nodes by connecting a data input slot of the first node to a data output slot of the at least one of the one or more data provider nodes.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the visual programming graph is executed over a plurality of execution frames, and wherein the first node and the one or more data provider nodes are activated and processed during a same execution frame.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein activating and processing the first node and the one or more data provider nodes during the same execution frame ensures that one or more data values provided by the one or more data provider nodes are current values when used in the same execution frame.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the first node sends a signal to trigger execution of another node that is executed in a subsequent execution frame.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the execution sequence is generated based, at least in part, on a depth-first search of a portion of the visual programming graph extending from one or more data input slots of the first node.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein at least one node in the visual programming graph has at least one of a signal input slot, a signal output slot, a data output slot or a data input slot generated based, at least in part, on an evaluation of a definition of a component in an entity-component system.