Method and system for software design that combines signal flow and object reference connections

• US 20070150861A1
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Bray, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/187,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150861A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A method and system for designing and generating instructions for a computing device are disclosed. The system includes one or more consoles and a product library configured to store software blocks. A console includes a user interface for receiving user input and displaying graphical representations of software blocks selected from the product library. The user interface is adapted to permit a selection of graphical connections between the graphical representations of software blocks. The selection of graphical connections includes a signal flow connection and an object reference connection.

Claims

1. A system for designing and generating instructions for a computing device, the system comprising:

a library configured to store software blocks; and

a console including a user interface for receiving user input and displaying graphical representations of software blocks selected from the library,

wherein the user interface is adapted to permit a selection of graphical connections between the graphical representations, the selection of graphical connections including an object reference connection and a signal flow connection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the object reference connection represents one of a plurality of types of connections.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal flow connection represents a directional data flow connection.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a compiler for generating the instructions based on the graphical representations of the software blocks and the graphical connections.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the console includes a data interface adapted to receive system parameters associated with a work machine controller configured to implement the instructions and the compiler generates the instructions based on the system parameters.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the library configured to store the software blocks is stored local to the console.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the library configured to store the software blocks is stored remote from the console; and

the console includes a data interface for remotely accessing the library configured to store the software blocks.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a menu for selecting the software blocks.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a menu for selecting the graphical connections between the graphical representations of the software blocks.

10. A method for designing and generating instructions for a computing device, the method comprising:

displaying, through a user interface, a menu associated with software blocks;

receiving input, through the user interface, for selecting software blocks from the menu and for connecting the selected software blocks; and

automatically generating the instructions based on the received input,

wherein the user interface is adapted to permit a selection of graphical connections between the graphical representations, the selection of graphical connections including an object reference connection and a signal flow connection.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the object reference connection represents one of a plurality of types of connections.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal flow connection represents a directional data flow connection.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the generated instructions include a file for storing the selected software blocks, the method further including:

transferring to the file the selected software blocks from a library configured to store the software blocks.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the library configured to store the software blocks is stored local to a console adapted to display the menu of software blocks.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the library configured to store the software blocks is stored remote from a console configured to display the menu of software blocks, and the console includes a data interface for remotely accessing the library configured to store the software blocks.

16. The method of claim 10, further including:

receiving, through a data interface, system parameters associated with a work machine controller configured to implement the instructions; and

automatically generating the instructions based on the system parameters.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the menu associated with software blocks is a first menu and wherein receiving input, through the user interface, for connecting the selected blocks includes displaying a second menu adapted to permit the selection of graphical connections between the graphical representations of the software blocks.