Non-blocking local events in a state-diagramming environment

• US 20080059621A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Raghavan, Vijay, Mosterman, Pieter J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/543 Local
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

This invention is directed to a method for use in a state diagramming environment on a computing device. The method includes obtaining a state diagram via the environment and processing a first event for the state diagram via the environment. The method also includes triggering a second event, wherein the triggering is based on the first event. The method further includes broadcasting the second event in a non-blocking fashion that allows the first event to continue being processed.

Claims

1. In a computing device providing an environment for state diagramming, a method comprising:

obtaining a state diagram via the environment;

processing a first event for the state diagram; and

triggering a second event, wherein the triggering is based on the first event; and

broadcasting the second event in a non-blocking fashion that allows the first event to continue processing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the second event asynchronously with the first event after the second event is broadcast.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating processing of the second event after the processing of the first event has completed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating code from the state diagram.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the code is generated in C, C++, Java, Javascript, or a hardware description language (HDL).

6. In a computing device providing an environment for state diagramming, a method, comprising:

processing a state diagram in the environment; and

determining whether to broadcast a local event, triggered by another event, in a non-blocking fashion that allows the another event to continue being processed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining further comprises:

displaying a graphical representation that indicates whether the broadcasting is of a blocking or non-blocking type.

8. In a computing device providing an environment for state diagramming, a method, comprising:

processing a state diagram in the environment; and

determining whether to broadcast a local event, triggered by another event, in a non-blocking fashion that allows the another event to continue being processed, wherein the determining further comprises;

obtaining a delay time value for processing the local event; and

initiating processing of the local event based on the delay time value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the delay time value is specified in one or more selected from the group comprising:

real time units, a number of chart wakeups, a determined number of clock cycles, relative time units, and time units.

10. A medium for use with a computing device holding instructions executable by the computing device for performing a method, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a state diagram via the environment;

processing a first event for the state diagram; and

triggering a second event, wherein the triggering is based on the first event; and

broadcasting the second event in a non-blocking fashion that allows the first event to continue processing.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

processing the second event asynchronously with the first event after the second event is broadcast.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

initiating processing of the second event after the processing of the first event has completed.

13. The medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

generating code from the state diagram.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the code is generated in C, C++, Java, Javascript, or a hardware description language (HDL).

15. A medium for use with a computing device holding instructions executable by the computing device for performing a method, the method comprising:

processing a state diagram in the environment; and

determining whether to broadcast a local event, triggered by another event, in a non-blocking fashion that allows the another event to continue being processed.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the determining further comprises:

displaying a graphical representation that indicates whether the broadcasting is of a blocking or non-blocking type.

17. A medium for use with a computing device holding instructions executable by the computing device for performing a method, the method comprising:

processing a state diagram in the environment; and

determining whether to broadcast a local event, triggered by another event, in a non-blocking fashion that allows the another event to continue being processed, wherein the determining comprises;

obtaining a delay time value for processing the local event; and

initiating processing of the local event based on the delay time value.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the delay time value is specified in one or more selected from the group comprising:

real time units, a number of chart wakeups, a determined number of clock cycles, relative time units, and time units.

19. A system for generating and displaying a state diagram, the system comprising:

a processor to;

generate a state diagram environment;

process a first event running in the environment; and

process a local broadcast of a second event, the second event triggered by the first event, the broadcasting performed so as to allow the first event to continue being processed during the broadcast.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor comprises logic to:

process the second event asynchronously with respect to the first event.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor comprises logic to:

initiate processing of the second event after the processing of the first event has completed.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor comprises logic to:

generate code associated with the state diagram environment.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein generated code is C, C++, Java, Javascript, or a hardware description language (HDL).

24. A system for executing a state diagramming application, the system comprising:

a processor to;

generate a state diagram environment;

process a state diagram in the environment; and

determine whether to broadcast a local event, triggered by another event, in a non-blocking fashion that allows the another event to continue being processed.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor comprises logic to:

display a graphical representation that indicates whether the broadcasting is of a blocking or non-blocking type.

26. A system for executing a state diagramming application, the system comprising:

a processor to;

generate a state diagram environment;

process a state diagram in the environment; and

determine whether to broadcast a local event, triggered by another event, in a non-blocking fashion that allows the another event to continue being processed;

wherein the determining comprises;

obtaining a delay time value for processing the local event; and

initiating processing of the local event based on the delay time value.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the delay time value is specified in one or more selected from the group comprising:

real time units, a number of chart wakeups, a determined number of clock cycles, relative time units, and time units.

28. A transmitting device to transmit computer readable data to a destination, the computer readable data comprising:

instructions for processing a first event adapted to operate with a state diagram;

instructions related to a trigger associated with a first event; and

instructions for broadcasting a second event in a non-blocking fashion in response to the trigger, the non-blocking fashion allowing the first event to process without substantial interruption during the broadcasting.

29. The transmitting device of claim 28, the computer readable data further comprising:

instructions for processing the second event asynchronously with the first event after the second event is broadcast.

30. The transmitting device of claim 28, the computer readable data further comprising:

instructions for initiating processing of the second event after the processing of the first event has completed.

31. The transmitting device of claim 28, the computer readable data further comprising:

instructions for generating code from the state diagram.

32. The transmitting device of claim 31, wherein the code is generated in C, C++, Java, Javascript, or a hardware description language (HDL).

33. A device to transmit computer readable data comprising instructions to:

receive information associated with an environment for state diagramming;

receive a state diagram that operates in the environment; and

receive a user instruction that identifies whether a local event triggered by a first event should be broadcast in a non-blocking fashion, the non-blocking fashion allowing the first event to be processed without substantial interruption.

34. The device of claim 33, the data further comprising instructions to:

obtain a delay time value for processing the local event; and

initiate processing of the local event based on the delay time value.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the delay time value is specified in one or more selected from the group comprising:

real time units, a number of chart wakeups, a determined number of clock cycles, relative time units, and time units.

36. The device of claim 33, the data further comprising instructions to:

display a graphical representation that indicates whether the broadcasting is of a blocking or non-blocking type.

37. A method comprising:

operating on a representation of a state machine comprising three elements;

generating a static list for the three elements, the list representing a sequence in which the three elements are to be evaluated;

evaluating a first one of the three elements to generate an event that interacts only with a third one of the three elements that is third in the sequence; and

evaluating the second one of the three elements prior to evaluating the third one of the three elements with respect to the event to generate a behavior related to one or more of the three elements.

38. A method comprising:

operating on a representation of a state machine;

generating a static list of elements of the representation, the list representing a predetermined sequence in which certain elements are to be evaluated; and

evaluating the elements of the representation in the order of the static list to generate a behavior related to one or more of the elements, wherein the evaluation of a particular element generates an event associated with another element that is not next in the predetermined sequence.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the evaluating comprises:

marking an event as active in a group of active events when the event is generated; and

querying the group of active events to determine if any of the active events result in a response or a reaction during the evaluation of an element.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the representation is a diagram that interacts with a graphical modeling environment.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a state-diagramming environment and the diagram is a state diagram.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a discrete event modeling environment and the diagram is an entity flow diagram.

43. A medium for use with a computing device holding instructions executable by the computing device for performing a method, the method comprising:

operating on a representation of a state machine comprising three elements;

generating a static list for the three elements, the list representing a sequence in which the three elements are to be evaluated;

evaluating a first one of the three elements to generate an event that interacts only with a third one of the three elements that is third in the sequence; and

evaluating the second one of the three elements prior to evaluating the third one of the three elements with respect to the event to generate a behavior related to one or more of the three elements.

44. A medium for use with a computing device holding instructions executable by the computing device for performing a method, the method comprising:

operating on a representation of a state machine;

generating a static list of elements of the representation, the list representing a predetermined sequence in which certain elements are to be evaluated; and

evaluating the elements of the representation according to the predetermined sequence to generate a behavior related to one or more of the elements, wherein the evaluation of one of the elements generates an event associated with another one of the elements that is not adjacent to the one of the elements in the predetermined sequence.

45. The medium of claim 44, wherein the evaluating comprises:

marking an event as active in a group of active events when the event is generated; and

querying the group of active events to determine if any of the active events result in a response or a reaction during the evaluation of an element.

46. The medium of claim 44, wherein the representation is a diagram that interacts with a graphical modeling environment.

47. The medium of claim 46, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a state-diagramming environment and the diagram is a state diagram.

48. The medium of claim 46, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a discrete event modeling environment and the diagram is an entity flow diagram.

49. A system for generating and displaying a representation of a state machine, the system comprising:

a processor to;

generate a representation of a state machine comprising three elements;

operate on the representation of the state machine;

generate a static list for the three elements, the list representing a sequence in which the three elements are to be evaluated;

evaluate a first one of the three elements to generate an event that interacts with only a third one of the three elements that is third in the sequence; and

evaluate the second one of the three elements prior to evaluating the third one of the three elements with respect to the event to generate a behavior related to one or more of the three elements.

50. A system for generating and displaying a graphical modeling environment, the system comprising:

a processor to;

operate on a representation of a state machine;

generate a static list of elements of the representation, the list representing a predetermined sequence in which certain elements are to be evaluated; and

evaluate the elements of the representation according to the predetermined sequence to generate a behavior related to one or more of the elements, wherein the evaluation of a particular element generates an event associated with another element that is not next to the particular element in the sequence.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein evaluating the elements comprises:

marking the event as active in a group of active events when the event is generated; and

querying the group of active events to determine if any of the active events result in a response or a reaction during the evaluation of an element.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the representation is a diagram that interacts with a graphical modeling environment.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a state-diagramming environment and the diagram is a state diagram.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a discrete event modeling environment and the diagram is an entity flow diagram.

55. The system of claim 52, wherein the diagram is a network flow diagram.

56. A distribution system for conveying computer readable data to a destination over a transmission medium, the computer readable data comprising instructions for:

rendering a representation of a state machine;

operating on the representation of the state machine comprising three elements;

generating a static list for the three elements, the list representing a sequence in which the three elements are to be evaluated;

evaluating a first one of the three elements to generate an event that interacts only with a third one of the three elements that is third in the sequence; and

evaluating the second one of the three elements prior to evaluating the third one of the three elements with respect to the event to generate a behavior related to one or more of the three elements.

57. A distribution system for conveying computer readable data to a destination over a transmission medium, the computer readable data comprising instructions for:

rendering a representation of a state machine;

operating on the representation of the state machine;

generating a static list of elements of the representation, the list representing a predetermined sequence in which certain elements are to be evaluated; and

evaluating the elements of the representation according to the predetermined sequence to generate a behavior related to one or more of the elements, wherein the evaluation of a particular element generates an event associated with another element that is not adjacent to the particular element in the sequence.

58. The distribution system of claim 57, wherein evaluating the elements comprises:

marking the event as active in a group of active events when the event is generated; and

querying the group of active events to determine if any of the active events result in a response or a reaction during the evaluation of an element.

59. The distribution system of claim 57 wherein the representation is a diagram that interacts with a graphical modeling environment.

60. The distribution system of claim 59, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a state-diagramming environment and the diagram is a state diagram.

61. The distribution system of claim 59, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a discrete event modeling environment and the diagram is an entity flow diagram.