Action languages for unified modeling language model

• US 20070277151A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Brewton, Nathan, Mosterman, Pieter, Mestchian, Ebrahim, Brunel, Jean-Yves
• Granted Patent: US 9,311,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/31 Programming languages or programming paradigms

Abstract

Methods, mediums and systems are provided to enable a user to program the behaviors of a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model in a graphical programming or modeling environment, such as block diagram programming environment. The UML model is exported into a text-based format, which is subsequently imported into the graphical programming or modeling environment. The graphical programming or modeling environment represents the UML model using functional blocks so that the user can program the behaviors of the UML model. The graphical programming or modeling environment also enables the user to simulate or execute the UML model to determine the behaviors of the UML model

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform the steps of:

importing a UML model into a block diagram environment;

processing the UML model in the block diagram environment to add an action language for the UML model; and

debugging execution of the UML model.

2. The medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions that when executed cause a computer to perform the step of:

halting execution of the UML model at desired points.

3. The medium of claim 2, further comprising instructions that when executed cause a computer to perform the step of:

setting breakpoints on elements of the UML model for halting execution of the UML model.

4. The medium of claim 2, wherein execution of the UML model is halted programmatically based on conditional breakpoints.

5. A computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform the steps of:

importing a UML model into a block diagram environment;

processing the UML model in the block diagram environment to add an action language for the UML model; and

profiling execution of the UML model to generate a report on computational cycles spent on evaluating elements of the UML model during execution.

6. The medium of claim 5, wherein the report provides information on where execution of the UML model may be optimized.

7. The medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions that when executed cause a computer to perform the step of:

determining a worst-case execution time for elements in the UML model.

8. A computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform the steps of:

importing a UML model into a block diagram environment;

processing the UML model in the block diagram environment to add an action language for the UML model; and

searching for properties associated with elements in the UML model.

9. A computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform the steps of:

importing a UML model into a block diagram environment;

processing the UML model in the block diagram environment to add an action language for the UML model; and

generating code for the UML model with the action language for the UML model in the block diagram environment; and

providing a hyperlink from a portion of the generated code to a corresponding element in the UML model.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the hyperlink allows a user to directly navigate between the generated code and the elements in the UML model.

11. A computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform the steps of:

importing a UML model into a dynamically-typed modeling environment; and

processing the UML model in the dynamically-typed modeling environment to add an action language for the UML model.

12. A computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform the steps of:

importing a UML model into a block diagram environment;

processing the UML model in the block diagram environment to add an action language for the UML model; and

detecting incompatibility between elements in a block diagram corresponding to the UML model.

13. The medium of claim 12, further comprising highlighting on the block diagram the incompatible elements.

14. The medium of claim 12, further comprising providing information regarding the incompatibility to a user on a user interface.

15. The medium of claim 14, further comprising allowing the user to edit the block diagram to remedy the incompatibility.

16. The medium of claim 15, further comprising reflecting the edits made to the block diagram on the UML model.

17. A computer-implemented method for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the method comprising:

importing a UML model into a block diagram environment;

processing the UML model in the block diagram environment to add an action language for the UML model; and

debugging execution of the UML model.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising halting execution of the UML model at desired points.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising setting breakpoints on elements of the UML model for halting execution of the UML model.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein execution of the UML model is halted programmatically based on conditional breakpoints.

21. A computer-implemented method for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the method comprising:

importing a UML model into a block diagram environment;

processing the UML model in the block diagram environment to add an action language for the UML model; and

profiling execution of the UML model to generate a report on computational cycles spent on evaluating elements of the UML model during execution.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the report provides information on where execution of the UML model may be optimized.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining a worst-case execution time for elements in the UML model.

24. A system for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the system comprising:

a UML model;

a block diagram environment for importing the UML model and processing the UML model to add an action language for the UML model; and

a search facility for searching properties associated with elements in the UML model.

25. A system for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the system comprising:

a UML model;

a block diagram environment for importing the UML model and processing the UML model to add an action language for the UML model;

a code generator for generating code for the UML model with the action language for the UML model in the block diagram environment; and

a hyperlink from a portion of the generated code to a corresponding element in the UML model.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the hyperlink allows a user to directly navigate between the generated code and the related elements in the UML model.

27. A system for providing an action language for a Unified Modeling Language (UML) model, the system comprising:

a UML model; and

a dynamically-typed modeling environment for importing the UML model and processing the UML model to add an action language for the UML model.