Creation and Deployment of RESTful Web Services in a Graphical Programming Language

• US 20150040100A1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kalapati, Charles A., Spangler, Paul A., Winston, Jared A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,201,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/47 Retargetable compilers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

Method and memory medium for generating a web service. A plurality of graphical data flow programs may be provided, and user input selecting one or more of plurality of graphical data flow programs for inclusion in a web service may be received, The web service may be generated based on the one or more graphical data flow programs. Each graphical data flow program may implement a respective web method, where each web method may implement or request a respective action. The web service may be deployable to a server for hosting, where the web service is invocable over a network to perform the corresponding one or more web methods.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium that stores program instructions executable by a processor to perform:

providing a plurality of graphical data flow programs, wherein each graphical data flow program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical data flow program, and wherein each graphical data flow program implements a respective web method, wherein each web method implements or requests a respective action;

receiving user input selecting one or more of the plurality of graphical data flow programs for inclusion in a web service, thereby specifying a corresponding one or more web methods to be included in the web service; and

generating the web service based on the selected one or more graphical data flow programs, wherein the web service is deployable to a server for hosting, wherein the web service is invocable over a network to perform the corresponding one or more web methods.

2. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the web service comprises a Representational State Transfer (REST) software architecture.

3. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein said generating the web service comprises compiling the selected one or more graphical data flow programs.

4. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 3, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

receiving user input specifying a platform for said compiling, wherein said compiling comprises compiling the selected one or more graphical data flow programs for compatibility with the platform specified.

5. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 4, wherein the platform specified is a real-time target comprising a real-time operating system.

6. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 3, wherein said compiling comprises compiling the selected one or more graphical data flow programs for cross-platform compatibility.

7. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

receiving user input invoking initial creation of a new web service, wherein the new web service is not specified; and

providing and displaying a node for the new web service in a graphical user interface (GUI), in response to the user input invoking creation of the new web service, wherein the user input selecting the one or more graphical data flow programs for inclusion in the web service specifies the new web service.

8. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

in response to the user input invoking initial creation of a new web service;

providing and displaying at least one sub node for static resources in the GUI;

providing and displaying at least one sub node for startup resources in the GUI, wherein the startup resources perform initialization and communication with the web methods; and

providing and displaying at least one sub node for web resources in the GUI, wherein the web resources comprise the one or more of the one or more graphical data flow programs selected for inclusion in the web service.

9. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein said generating the web service further comprises generating an installer for the web service.

10. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

including the web service and an executable program in an installer, wherein the installer is executable to install the web service and the executable program, and wherein the executable program and the web service are configured to operate in conjunction.

11. A method for generating a web service, the method comprising:

utilizing a computer to perform;

providing a plurality of graphical data flow programs, wherein each graphical data flow program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical data flow program, and wherein each graphical data flow program implements a respective web method, wherein each web method implements or requests a respective action;

receiving user input selecting one or more of the plurality of graphical data flow programs for inclusion in the web service, thereby specifying a corresponding one or more web methods to be included in the web service; and

generating the web service based on the selected one or more graphical data flow programs, wherein the web service is deployable to a server for hosting, wherein the web service is invocable over a network to perform the corresponding one or more web methods.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the web service comprises a Representational State Transfer (REST) software architecture.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said generating the web service comprises compiling the selected one or more graphical data flow programs.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

utilizing the computer to perform;

receiving user input specifying a platform for said compiling, wherein said compiling comprises compiling the selected one or more graphical data flow programs for compatibility with the platform specified.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the platform specified is a real-time target comprising a real-time operating system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said compiling comprises compiling the selected one or more graphical data flow programs for cross-platform compatibility.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

utilizing the computer to perform;

receiving user input invoking initial creation of a new web service, wherein the new web service is not specified; and

providing and displaying a node for the new web service in a graphical user interface (GUI), in response to the user input invoking creation of the new web service, wherein the user input selecting the one or more graphical data flow programs for inclusion in the web service specifies the new web service.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

utilizing the computer to perform;

in response to the user input invoking initial creation of a new web service;

providing and displaying at least one sub node for static resources in the GUI;

providing and displaying at least one sub node for startup resources in the GUI, wherein the startup resources perform initialization and communication with the web methods; and

providing and displaying at least one sub node for web resources in the GUI, wherein the web resources comprise the one or more of the one or more graphical data flow programs selected for inclusion in the web service.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said generating the web service further comprises generating an installer for the web service.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

utilizing the computer to perform;

including the web service and an executable program in an installer, wherein the installer is executable to install the web service and the executable program, and wherein the executable program and the web service are configured to operate in conjunction.