Visual syntax builder for space vehicle control

• US 6,570,591 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harris-Exigent, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris-Exigent, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dyer, Douglas M., Montroy, Albert T., Crovetto, Alexis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/495,547
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 345/762, 345/763, 345/967, 345/968, 717/11
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/244 Spacecraft control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming

Abstract

A method for graphically assisting system commanding can comprise the steps of: receiving a user-specified command; retrieving from a command database a command template corresponding to the specified command, the command template including at least one operational parameter corresponding to the specified command; for each retrieved operational parameter in the command template, adding to a graphical user interface (GUI) a GUI element corresponding to characteristics of the operational parameter; and, displaying the GUI. The user interface elements can include drop down boxes, sliders and text fields. The method can further comprise the steps of: for each GUI element in the GUI, accepting a value; and, formatting a command string containing the accepted values.

Claims

1. In a remotely located vehicle command and control system, a method for graphically assisting system commanding comprising the steps of:

receiving a user-command selected from the group consisting of a command for externally commanding said remotely located vehicle and a directive for internally commanding a local control system for said remotely located vehicle;

retrieving from a database a record containing a template corresponding to said user-command, said template including at least one operational parameter corresponding to said user-command;

for each retrieved operational parameter in said template, adding to a graphical user interface (GUI) a GUI element corresponding to characteristics of said operational parameter;

displaying said GUI, said GUI being dynamically conformed to said user-command by adding to said GUI elements in accordance with characteristics of said operational parameters corresponding to said user-command;

formatting said user-command and at least one of said operational parameters into a command string for entering at least one of said command and said directive; and

transmitting said command string to at least one object selected from the group consisting of said remotely located vehicle and said local control system.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

for each GUI element in said GUI, accepting a value; and

,

formatting said command string inclusive of said accepted values.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of choosing to perform said retrieving step using at least one of a command database having stored therein said commands for externally commanding said remotely located vehicle and a directive database having stored therein said directives for internally commanding said local control system.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of attaching a visual syntax builder to a database associated with a particular remotely located vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said accepting step comprises the steps of:

retrieving a list of user-commands from said database;

displaying said list in said GUI; and

,

permitting said user to select one of said user-commands in said list.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said template has a data type for each operational parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said GUI element is chosen include said data type.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said template has an indication of valid values for each operational parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said GUI element is chosen include said indication of valid values.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said user interface elements comprise drop down boxes, sliders and text fields.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of visually presenting said formatted command string to said user.

10. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of automatically executing said formatted command string.

11. A system for graphically assisting the formatting of a command string in a remotely located vehicle command and control system comprising:

a database for storing user-commands, said user commands selected from the group consisting of commands for externally commanding said remotely located vehicle and directives for internally commanding a local control system for said remotely located vehicle, at least one of said stored user-commands having at least one operational parameter;

a graphical user interface (GUI); and

,

at least one GUI element selected for addition to said GUI for accepting a value corresponding to an operational parameter associated with a selected user-command in said database;

said GUI element selected according to characteristics of said corresponding operational parameter.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a user-command formatter for formatting a command string containing said user-command and said accepted user-command value.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said database comprises templates, each template comprising a user-command and at least one operational parameter corresponding to said user-command.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said template further comprises a data type for each operational parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said GUI element is selected include said data type.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said template further comprises an indication of valid values for each operation parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said GUI element is chosen include said indication of valid values.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said GUI element is selected from the group consisting of drop down boxes, sliders and text fields.

17. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a GUI for visually presenting said formatted command string to a user.

18. The system according to claim 12, further comprising means for automatically executing said formatted command string.

19. In a remotely located vehicle command and control system, a machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program for graphically assisting system commanding, said computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

receiving a user-command selected from the group consisting of a command for externally commanding said remotely located vehicle and a directive for internally commanding a local control system for said remotely located vehicle;

retrieving from a database a record containing a template corresponding to said user-command, said template including at least one operational parameter corresponding to said user-command;

for each retrieved operational parameter in said template, adding to a graphical user interface (GUI) a GUI element corresponding to characteristics of said operational parameter;

displaying said GUI, said GUI being dynamically conformed to said user-command by adding to said GUI elements in accordance with characteristics of said operational parameters corresponding to said user-command;

formatting said user-command and at least one of said operational parameters into a command string for entering at least one of said command and said directive; and

transmitting said command string to at least one object selected from the group consisting of said remotely located vehicle and said local control system.

20. The machine readable storage according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

for each GUI element in said GUI, accepting a value; and

,

formatting said command string inclusive of said accepted values.

21. The machine readable storage according to claim 19, further comprising the step of choosing to perform said retrieving step using at least one of a command database having stored therein said commands for externally commanding said remotely located vehicle and a directive database having stored therein said directives for internally commanding said local control system.

22. The machine readable storage according to claim 19, further comprising the step of attaching a visual syntax builder to a database associated with a particular remotely located vehicle.

23. The machine readable storage according to claim 19, wherein said accepting step comprises the steps of:

retrieving a list of user-commands from said database;

displaying said list in said GUI; and

,

permitting said user to select one of said user-commands in said list.

24. The machine readable storage according to claim 19, wherein said template has a data type for each operational parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said GUI element is chosen include said data type.

25. The machine readable storage according to claim 19, wherein said template has an indication of valid values for each operational parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said GUI element is chosen include said indication of valid values.

26. The machine readable storage according to claim 19, wherein said user interface elements comprise drop down boxes, sliders and text fields.

27. The machine readable storage according to claim 20, further comprising the step of visually presenting said formatted command string to said user.

28. The machine readable storage according to claim 20, further comprising the step of automatically executing said formatted command string.

29. In a remotely located vehicle command and control system, a method of dynamically conforming a GUI to a specified user-command and corresponding operational parameters comprising the steps of:

retrieving from a database a record comprising at least one operational parameter and at least one of a command for externally commanding said remotely located vehicle and a directive for internally commanding a local control system for said remotely located vehicle;

dynamically assembling a graphical user interface (GUI) according to said retrieved record by adding to said GUI for each operational parameter in said record a GUI element corresponding to characteristics of said operational parameter; and

, displaying said GUI.

30. The method according to claim 29, further comprising the step of attaching a visual syntax builder to a database associated with a particular remotely located vehicle.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein said record further comprises a data type for each operational parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said user interface element is chosen include said data type.

32. The method according to claim 29, wherein said record further comprises an indication of valid values for each operational parameter;

and, said characteristics upon which said user interface element is chosen include said indication of valid values.

33. The method according to claim 29, wherein said user interface elements comprise drop down boxes, sliders and text fields.