Multi-dimensional programming device and multi-dimensional programming method

• US 6,973,642 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masateru Minemoto
• Original Assignee: Masateru Minemoto
• Inventors: Minemoto, Masateru
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roche, Trenton J.
• Application Number:
  US10/032,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 717/104, 717/105, 717/113, 717/156, 717/109, 345418-428, 707/1, 707/101, 707/103.R, 707/102, 715/501.1, 715/502, 715/503, 711/203
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

An object is to provide a multi-dimensional programming device and a multi-dimensional programming method for creating multi-dimensional, horizontally written flowcharts, which solves problems experienced in vertically written program flowcharts or the like, and also, drastically changes the programming technique. A central processing unit reads an object MD (i.e., object information) from an object MD file (i.e., an object file unit) in which object information for making multi-dimensional horizontally written flowcharts such as a two-dimensional flowchart, a three-dimensional flowchart and a four-dimensional flowchart is stored. Next, the central processing unit uses the object information to edit the multi-dimensional flowchart according to input instructions from a programmer. Then the multi-dimensional horizontally written flowchart is drafted based on the edited multi-dimensional flowchart and is displayed on a display device. Meanwhile, the central processing unit saves the edited multi-dimensional flowchart into an object file unit.

Claims

1. A multi-dimensional programming device, comprising:

an object file unit storing object information for creating a multi-dimensional horizontally written flowchart, an object editing unit for using object information read from said object file unit to edit said multi-dimensional flowchart, a drafting unit for drafting said edited multi-dimensional flowchart, and a saving unit for saving said edited multi-dimensional flowchart in said object file unit, said object information including program flowchart symbol information, coordinate information, cell information and character information, said coordinate information including a combination of (i) a time axis, a data axis and a control axis, (ii) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis and a CPU axis, (iii) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis and an event axis, (iv) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis and a condition axis, and (v) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and a PC axis.

2. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein a screen is drafted with the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and the PC axis as its coordinate information, and said screen is constructed and arranged such that a horizontal axis is used for the time axis and a vertical axis is used for the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and the PC axis.

3. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein said object editing unit (i) makes programming space displayable on a screen by means of three-dimensional basic coordinates which use a horizontal axis for the time axis and a vertical axis for at least the data axis and the control axis, and (ii) performs editing of said screen according to an input command signal.

4. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 3, wherein said object editing unit enables dimensional switching to take a cross section of said programming space to reveal an inside portion of a program.

5. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein said object editing unit is constructed and arranged to make flat surfaces of draftable programming spaces into a group and to assign tabs to said flat surfaces in a screen construction in which the vertical axis represents the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and the PC axis.

6. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein said object editing unit includes a function for at least one of shrinking and restoring said coordinate information by units of rows and columns.

7. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein said object editing unit includes a function for burying a given coordinates axis into another coordinates axis centered around the time axis throughout a programming space.

8. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein said saving unit contains information associated with a horizontal slit having one line of cell objects, and information associated with a flat surface object corresponding to said horizontal slit.

9. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein said multi-dimensional horizontally written flowchart is at least one of a two-dimensional flowchart, a three-dimensional flowchart and a four-dimensional flowchart.

10. The multi-dimensional programming device according to claim 1, wherein said program flowchart symbol information includes a start terminator and an end terminator.

11. A multi-dimensional programming method, comprising the steps of:

storing object information for creating a multi-dimensional horizontally written flowchart in an object file unit, reading object information from said object file unit, using said object information, editing said multi-dimensional flowchart, drafting said edited multi-dimensional horizontally written flowchart using a drafting unit, and, using a saving unit, saving said edited multi-dimensional flowchart into said object file unit, said object information including program flowchart symbol information, coordinate information, cell information and character information, said coordinate information including a combination of (i) a time axis, a data axis and a control axis, (ii) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis and a CPU axis, (iii) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis and an event axis, (iv) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis and a condition axis, and (v) the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and a PC axis.

12. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, wherein said multi-dimensional horizontally written flowchart is at least one of a two-dimensional flowchart, a three-dimensional flowchart and a four-dimensional flowchart.

13. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, wherein said program flowchart symbol information includes a start terminator and an end terminator.

14. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of drafting a screen with the time axis, the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and the PC axis as its coordinate information, and using a horizontal axis for the time axis and a vertical axis for the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and the PC axis.

15. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of using said object editing unit to (i) make programming space displayable on a screen by means of three-dimensional basic coordinates which use a horizontal axis for the time axis and a vertical axis for at least the data axis and the control axis, and (ii) perform editing of said screen according to an input command signal.

16. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of using said object editing unit to enable dimensional switching to take a cross section of said programming space to reveal an inside portion of a program.

17. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of using said object editing unit to make flat surfaces of draftable programming spaces into a group and to assign tabs to said flat surfaces in a screen construction in which the vertical axis represents the data axis, the control axis, the CPU axis, the event axis, the condition axis and the PC axis.

18. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, wherein said object editing unit includes a function for at least one of shrinking and restoring said coordinate information by units of rows and columns.

19. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, wherein said object editing unit includes a function for burying a given coordinates axis into another coordinates axis centered around the time axis throughout a programming space.

20. The multi-dimensional programming method according to claim 11, wherein said saving unit contains information associated with a horizontal slit having one line of cell objects, and information associated with a flat surface object corresponding to said horizontal slit.