Tools for system-level design environments

• US 20060129371A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Taitel, Howard, Orofino, Donald Paul II, Ciolfi, John, Mani, Ramamurthy
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

Remote auxiliary tools are provided for non-intrusively and synchronously interacting with graphical models. The remote auxiliary tools are non-intrusively connected to the graphical model without requiring the addition of components to the model definition. The remote auxiliary tool can operate in an observer mode, a bypass mode, and/or a generator mode. In these modes, the remote auxiliary tool can synchronously read, modify, and/or generate data, respectively, in response to events within the executing block diagram.

Claims

1. In an electronic device supporting a graphical modeling environment, a method of using a remote auxiliary tool, the method comprising the steps of:

non-intrusively attaching interest in at least one of data and an execution event of a model in the graphical modeling environment;

non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution in the graphical modeling environment; and

operating the remote auxiliary tool to effect a desired result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is detachable from the model during execution of the model in the graphical modeling environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to the model one of prior to execution, during execution, and after execution of the model in the graphical modeling environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein textual object selection is used for attaching the remote auxiliary tool to the model.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to one of a block and a signal line.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein graphical object selection is used for attaching the remote auxiliary tool to the model.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to one of a block and a signal line.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the attaching of the remote auxiliary tool on the model using an indicator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises an observer tool.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises a bypass tool.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises a generator tool.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is expressed using block-diagram primitives.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is expressed using textual-programming primitives.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches in response to block-diagram execution events after occurrence of a condition.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports time-based block-diagram semantics.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports state transition diagramming semantics.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports dataflow block-diagram semantics.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment of the remote auxiliary tool to the model is annotated on the model using an indicator.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a selection tool to select an attachment location for the remote auxiliary tool to attach.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises a set of multiple remote auxiliary tools.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution comprises:

providing at least one remote auxiliary tool expressed in block-diagram primitives;

a compilation engine aggregating the at least one of the remote auxiliary tool non-intrusively with the model; and

an execution engine invoking the at least one remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model events.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution comprises:

providing an event-listener system, the event-listener system comprising;

an event engine; and

a listener application programming interface;

the event engine throwing events synchronously with block-diagram execution events; and

the listener application-programming interface one of registering interest in specific execution events, accessing and modifying data values of the block-diagram, and generating new execution events.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution comprises:

providing at least one remote auxiliary tool expressed in block-diagram primitives;

providing a callback system for incorporating a remote auxiliary tool, the system comprising;

an engine for generating callbacks; and

a callback application programming interface;

the engine generating callbacks for the at least one remote auxiliary tool synchronously with block-diagram execution events; and

the callback application-programming interface one of registering interest in specific execution events, accessing and modifying data values of the block-diagram, and generating new execution events.

24. In an electronic device supporting a graphical modeling environment, a remote auxiliary tool, comprising:

at least one implementation tool;

wherein the remote auxiliary tool non-intrusively attaching interest in at least one of data and an execution event of a model in the graphical modeling environment; and

wherein the remote auxiliary tool is synchronously invoked with execution of the model in the graphical modeling environment.

25. The tool of claim 24, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is detachable from the model during execution of the model in the graphical modeling environment.

26. The tool of claim 24, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to the model one of prior to execution, during execution, and after execution of the model in the graphical modeling environment.

27. The tool of claim 24, wherein textual object selection is used for attaching the remote auxiliary tool to the model.

28. The tool of claim 27, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to one of a block and a signal line.

29. The tool of claim 24, wherein graphical object selection is used for attaching the remote auxiliary tool to the model.

30. The tool of claim 29, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to one of a block and a signal line.

31. The tool of claim 24, further comprising an indicator displayed on the model indicating the attaching of the remote auxiliary tool on the model.

32. The tool of claim 24, wherein the at least one implementation tool comprises an observer tool.

33. The tool of claim 24, wherein the at least one implementation tool comprises a bypass tool.

34. The tool of claim 24, wherein the at least one implementation tool comprises a generator tool.

35. The tool of claim 24, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is expressed using block-diagram primitives.

36. The tool of claim 24, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is expressed using textual-programming primitives.

37. The tool of claim 24, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches in response to block-diagram execution events after occurrence of a condition.

38. The tool of claim 24, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports time-based block-diagram semantics.

39. The tool of claim 24, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports state transition diagramming semantics.

40. The tool of claim 24, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports dataflow block-diagram semantics.

41. The tool of claim 24, wherein the attachment of the remote auxiliary tool to the model is annotated on the model using an indicator.

42. The tool of claim 24, further comprising a selection tool used to select an attachment location for the remote auxiliary tool to attach.

43. The tool of claim 24, wherein the at least one implementation tool comprises a set of multiple remote auxiliary tools.

44. The tool of claim 24, further comprising a compilation engine for aggregating at least one remote auxiliary tool non-intrusively into the model, and an execution engine for attaching the at least one remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model events.

45. The tool of claim 24, further comprising an event-listener system having an event engine for throwing events synchronously with block-diagram execution events, and a listener application-programming interface for one of registering interest in specific execution events, accessing and modifying data values of a block-diagram, and generating new execution events.

46. The tool of claim 24, further comprising a callback system for incorporating a remote auxiliary tool, the callback system having an engine generating callbacks for at least one remote auxiliary tool synchronously with block-diagram execution events, and a callback application-programming interface for one of registering interest in specific execution events, accessing and modifying data values of a block-diagram, and generating new execution events.

47. A medium for use in a graphical modeling environment on an electronic device, the medium holding instructions executable using the electronic device for performing a method of using a remote auxiliary tool, the method comprising the steps of:

non-intrusively attaching interest in at least one of data and an execution event of a model in the graphical modeling environment;

non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution in the graphical modeling environment; and

operating the remote auxiliary tool to effect a desired result.

48. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is detachable from the model during execution of the model in the graphical modeling environment.

49. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to the model one of prior to execution, during execution, and after execution of the model in the graphical modeling environment.

50. The medium of claim 47, wherein textual object selection is used for attaching the remote auxiliary tool to the model.

51. The medium of claim 50, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to one of a block and a signal line.

52. The medium of claim 47, wherein graphical object selection is used for attaching the remote auxiliary tool to the model.

53. The medium of claim 52, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches to one of a block and a signal line.

54. The medium of claim 47, further comprising displaying the attaching of the remote auxiliary tool on the model using an indicator.

55. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises an observer tool.

56. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises a bypass tool.

57. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises a generator tool.

58. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is expressed using block-diagram primitives.

59. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool is expressed using textual-programming primitives.

60. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool attaches in response to block-diagram execution events after occurrence of a condition.

61. The medium of claim 47, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports time-based block-diagram semantics.

62. The medium of claim 47, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports state transition diagramming semantics.

63. The medium of claim 47, wherein the graphical modeling environment supports dataflow block-diagram semantics.

64. The medium of claim 47, wherein the attachment of the remote auxiliary tool to the model is annotated on the model using an indicator.

65. The medium of claim 47, further comprising using a selection tool to select an attachment location for the remote auxiliary tool to attach.

66. The medium of claim 47, wherein the remote auxiliary tool comprises a set of multiple remote auxiliary tools.

67. The medium of claim 47, wherein non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution comprises:

providing at least one remote auxiliary tool expressed in block-diagram primitives;

a compilation engine aggregating the at least one remote auxiliary tool non-intrusively into the model; and

an execution engine invoking the at least one remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model events.

68. The method of claim 47, wherein non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution comprises:

providing an event-listener system, the event-listener system comprising;

an event engine; and

a listener application programming interface;

the event engine throwing events synchronously with block-diagram execution events; and

the listener application-programming interface one of registering interest in specific execution events, accessing and modifying data values of the block-diagram, and generating new execution events.

69. The medium of claim 47, wherein non-intrusively invoking the remote auxiliary tool synchronously with model execution comprises:

providing at least one remote auxiliary tool expressed in block-diagram primitives;

providing a callback system for incorporating a remote auxiliary tool, the system comprising;

an engine for generating callbacks; and

a callback application programming interface;

the engine generating callbacks for the at least one remote auxiliary tool synchronously with block-diagram execution events; and

the callback application-programming interface one of registering interest in specific execution events, accessing and modifying data values of the block-diagram, and generating new execution events.