SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT FOR BUILDING SERVICES FOR A PLATFORM INSTANCE

• US 20160283200A1
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: N.Io Innovation LLC
• Original Assignee: Societal Innovations Ipco Limited
• Inventors: Standley, Douglas A., Dodge, Matthew R., Bye, Randall E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,891,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4494 data driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

An improved system and method are disclosed for creating a configuration for a platform instance using a development environment that has a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes creating a service to be run by the platform instance and providing a graphical representation of a block library containing available blocks that are available for use by the service. Input is received via the GUI identifying at least some of the available blocks as selected blocks, where the selected blocks are to be run by the service. Input is received via the GUI arranging the selected blocks into an order of execution. The development environment generates and stores at least one configuration file containing the order of execution for use by the platform instance.

Claims

1. A method for creating a configuration for a platform instance that is to be used on a digital device, the method comprising:

creating, within a development environment having a graphical user interface (GUI), a service to be run by the platform instance;

providing, via the GUI, a graphical representation of a block library containing a plurality of available blocks that are available for use by the service, wherein each available block contains first executable code that provides task specific functionality and second executable code that enables the block to function within the platform instance;

receiving, via the GUI, input identifying at least some of the available blocks as selected blocks, wherein the selected blocks are to be run by the service;

receiving, via the GUI, input arranging the selected blocks into an order of execution that defines which of the selected blocks are to receive output produced by others of the selected blocks when run by the service;

generating, by the development environment, at least one configuration file for use by the platform instance, wherein the configuration file includes information that represents the order of execution so that output produced by the selected blocks can be correctly directed to others of the selected blocks when the platform instance runs the service; and

storing the configuration file for use by the platform instance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the platform instance is configured to run the selected blocks in a decoupled manner within the service with each selected block having no awareness of the other selected blocks, and wherein the configuration file is generated as a service configuration file for configuring the service to direct the output of the selected blocks according to the order of execution.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein generating the service configuration file further includes identifying a service class in the service configuration file, wherein the service class is to be used by the platform instance to instantiate the service.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising generating, by the development environment, a block configuration file for the plurality of selected blocks.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising generating, by the development environment, a unique block configuration file for each of the selected blocks.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein generating the unique block configuration file for each of the selected blocks further includes identifying one of a plurality of available block classes in each of the unique block configuration files, wherein the identified block class is to be used by the platform instance to instantiate the selected block corresponding to the unique block configuration file.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration file is generated as a service configuration file for configuring the service to configure each selected block that produces output for another selected block to direct the output to the other selected block.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration file is generated as a block configuration file for configuring each selected block that produces output for another selected block to direct the output to the other selected block.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, via the GUI, input selecting a first block of the selected blocks, wherein the first block includes a plurality of configurable parameters;

receiving, via the GUI, at least one configuration value to assign to at least one of the configurable parameters, wherein the configuration value will be used when the first block is run within the platform instance;

generating, by the development environment, a block configuration file for the first block, wherein the block configuration file contains the configuration value; and

storing the block configuration file for use by the platform instance.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the block configuration file further includes identifying a name of the service within the block configuration file.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the configuration value defines a destination outside of the service for output produced by the first block.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the at least one configuration file includes generating a platform instance configuration file that identifies the service and any other services that are to be run by the platform instance, a service configuration file for the service and for each of the other services, and a block configuration file for the selected blocks and for any other blocks used by the other services.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the configuration file for use by the platform instance includes storing the configuration file in a memory of a device containing the platform instance.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the configuration file for use by the platform instance includes storing the configuration file in a memory for download by a device containing the platform instance.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising loading the selected blocks into a memory accessible to the platform instance, wherein the available blocks that were not selected are not loaded into the memory.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing, by the GUI, a user selectable actuator for deleting the service from the platform instance.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing, by the GUI, a user selectable actuator for starting and stopping the service on the platform instance.

18. A development environment comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions executable by the processor for

providing a graphical user interface (GUI);

providing a block library containing a plurality of available blocks that are available for use by a service that is to be run by a platform instance, wherein each available block contains first executable code that provides task specific functionality and second executable code that enables the block to function within the platform instance;

receiving first user input via the GUI selecting at least a first block and a second block from the available blocks;

receiving second user input linking the first block to the second block to define an order of execution between the first and second blocks; and

generating at least one configuration file for the platform instance, wherein the configuration file includes the order of execution.

19. The development environment of claim 18 further comprising a block editor that enables a user to edit the first executable code of one of the available blocks.

20. The development environment of claim 18 further comprising a configuration file editor that enables a user to edit configurable parameters used by a core of the platform instance.

21. The development environment of claim 18 further comprising instructions for receiving third user input creating a service that is to run the first block and the second block.

22. The development environment of claim 18 wherein the development environment is located on a device having access to the platform instance via an application programming interface (API).

23. The development environment of claim 18 wherein the development environment is part of the platform instance.

24. The development environment of claim 18 wherein the development environment is located on a server that is separate from a device on which the platform instance is located.

25. The development environment of claim 18 wherein the development environment interacts with the platform instance via a Representational State Transfer (REST) application programming interface (API) of the platform instance.

26. The development environment of claim 18 wherein the development environment is an application programming interface (API) client.