Implementing a model on programmable hardware

• US 7,177,786 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Butler, Cary P., Odom, Brian K., Andrade, Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US11/214,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 703/2, 703/22, 702/119, 702/119.57, 702/123, 702/127, 716/1, 716 16- 18, 717/106, 717/125, 717/140, 345/700, 345/711
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2733 Test interface between tester and unit under test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for generating a hardware implementation of graphical code. The method comprises first creating a graphical program. A first portion of the graphical program may optionally be compiled into machine code for execution by a CPU. A second portion of the graphical program is converted into a hardware implementation according to the present invention. The operation of converting the graphical program into a hardware implementation comprises exporting the second portion of the graphical program into a hardware description, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the second portion of the graphical program, and then configuring a programmable hardware element utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured hardware element. The configured hardware element thus implements a hardware implementation of the second portion of the graphical program.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a device, the method comprising:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program includes a block diagram, wherein the graphical program implements a model of a system;

generating a hardware description based on the graphical program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the graphical program;

configuring a programmable hardware element in the device utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured programmable hardware element, wherein the configured programmable hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the model.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the model.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the graphical program comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) for providing input to the model and displaying output from the model;

the method further comprising compiling the first portion of the graphical program and executing the first portion of the graphical program on a processor to present the GUI on a display.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the graphical program comprises one or more panels for providing input to the model and displaying output from the model;

the method further comprising compiling the first portion of the graphical program and executing the first portion of the graphical program on a processor to present the one or more panels on a display.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving user input to the at least one of the one or more panels during said executing;

providing the user input to the configured programmable hardware element; and

the configured programmable hardware element adjusting operation of the model in response to the user input.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program is a data flow diagram.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program implements a model of a physical system.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the block diagram has associated data structures which represent the block diagram;

and

wherein said generating the hardware description comprises;

traversing the data structures; and

converting the data structures into a hardware description format in response to said traversing.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein, after said configuring, the configured hardware element in the device is operable to implement the model in accordance with the functionality represented by the block diagram.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one constant.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one global variable.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one control terminal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one indicator terminal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one sub-program node.

15. The method of claim 1,

wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected nodes, and wherein said generating the hardware description comprises converting each of said plurality of interconnected icons into a hardware description format.

16. The method of claim 1,

wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of nodes, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of nodes are connected to indicate data flow among the at least a subset of the plurality of nodes, wherein the plurality of nodes includes a structure node, and wherein the structure node represents control flow of data among one or more of the plurality of nodes.

17. The method of claim 16,

wherein the structure node indicates iteration for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

18. The method of claim 16,

wherein the structure node indicates looping for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

19. The method of claim 16,

wherein the structure node indicates conditional branching for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

20. The method of claim 16,

wherein the structure node indicates a first portion of the graphical program, wherein the structure node indicates one of iteration, looping or conditional branching for the first portion of the graphical program.

21. The method of claim 16,

wherein the structure node includes an interior portion, wherein a first portion of the graphical program is comprised in the interior portion, and wherein the first portion of the graphical program comprised in the interior portion of the structure node execute according to control flow as indicated by the structure node.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said generating includes examining one or more structure node parameters associated with the structure node, and wherein said generating uses the one or more structure node parameters in generating the hardware description.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the structure node is one of an iteration node or a looping node;

wherein the structure node includes at least one of a period parameter and a phase delay parameter, wherein the period parameter indicates a period of execution for cycles of the structure node, and wherein the phase delay parameter indicates a phase delay of cycles of the structure node.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the structure node is an iteration node, wherein the iteration node indicates iteration of the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram for a plurality of times;

wherein the iteration node includes an iteration number which indicates a number of iterations for the graphical program; and

wherein said generating uses the iteration number in generating the hardware description.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the structure node is a looping node, wherein the looping node indicates looping of the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram for a plurality of times;

wherein the looping node includes a loop condition which indicates a number of executions for the graphical program; and

wherein said generating uses the loop condition in generating the hardware description.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein said generating the hardware description based on the graphical program comprises converting each of said nodes into a hardware description format;

wherein, for said structure node, said converting comprises;

determining inputs and outputs to/from the structure node;

creating a hardware description of a control block which performs the control function indicated by the structure node;

traversing input dependencies of the node; and

creating a hardware description of an AND gate, including listing connections of said input dependencies of the node to said AND gate.

27. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a device, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program includes a block diagram, wherein the graphical program implements a model of a system;

generating a hardware description based on the graphical program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the graphical program;

configuring a programmable hardware element in the device utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured programmable hardware element, wherein the configured programmable hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the model.

28. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the model.

29. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein a first portion of the graphical program comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) for providing input to the model and displaying output from the model;

the method further comprising compiling the first portion of the graphical program and executing the first portion of the graphical program on a processor to present the GUI on a display.

30. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein a first portion of the graphical program comprises one or more panels for providing input to the model and displaying output from the model;

the method further comprising compiling the first portion of the graphical program and executing the first portion of the graphical program on a processor to present the one or more panels on a display.

31. The memory medium of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving user input to the at least one of the one or more panels during said executing; and

providing the user input to the configured programmable hardware element;

wherein the configured programmable hardware element is operable to adjust operation of the model in response to the user input.

32. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the graphical program is a data flow diagram.

33. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the graphical program implements a model of a physical system.

34. The memory medium of claim 27,

wherein the block diagram has associated data structures which represent the block diagram;

and

wherein said generating the hardware description comprises;

traversing the data structures; and

converting the data structures into a hardware description format in response to said traversing.

35. The memory medium of claim 27,

wherein, after said configuring, the configured hardware element in the device is operable to implement the model in accordance with the functionality represented by the block diagram.

36. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one constant.

37. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one global variable.

38. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one control terminal.

39. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one indicator terminal.

40. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one sub-program node.

41. The memory medium of claim 27,

wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected nodes, and wherein said generating the hardware description comprises converting each of said plurality of interconnected icons into a hardware description format.

42. The memory medium of claim 27,

wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of nodes, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of nodes are connected to indicate data flow among the at least a subset of the plurality of nodes, wherein the plurality of nodes includes a structure node, and wherein the structure node represents control flow of data among one or more of the plurality of nodes.

43. The memory medium of claim 42,

wherein the structure node indicates iteration for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

44. The memory medium of claim 42,

wherein the structure node indicates looping for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

45. The memory medium of claim 42,

wherein the structure node indicates conditional branching for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

46. The memory medium of claim 42,

wherein the structure node indicates a first portion of the graphical program, wherein the structure node indicates one of iteration, looping or conditional branching for the first portion of the graphical program.

47. The memory medium of claim 42,

wherein the structure node includes an interior portion, wherein a first portion of the graphical program is comprised in the interior portion, and wherein the first portion of the graphical program comprised in the interior portion of the structure node execute according to control flow as indicated by the structure node.

48. The memory medium of claim 42, wherein said generating includes examining one or more structure node parameters associated with the structure node, and wherein said generating uses the one or more structure node parameters in generating the hardware description.

49. The memory medium of claim 48, wherein the structure node is one of an iteration node or a looping node;

wherein the structure node includes at least one of a period parameter and a phase delay parameter, wherein the period parameter indicates a period of execution for cycles of the structure node, and wherein the phase delay parameter indicates a phase delay of cycles of the structure node.

50. The memory medium of claim 42, wherein the structure node is an iteration node, wherein the iteration node indicates iteration of the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram for a plurality of times;

wherein the iteration node includes an iteration number which indicates a number of iterations for the graphical program; and

wherein said generating uses the iteration number in generating the hardware description.

51. The memory medium of claim 42, wherein the structure node is a looping node, wherein the looping node indicates looping of the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram for a plurality of times;

wherein the looping node includes a loop condition which indicates a number of executions for the graphical program; and

wherein said generating uses the loop condition in generating the hardware description.

52. The memory medium of claim 42, wherein said generating the hardware description based on the graphical program comprises converting each of said nodes into a hardware description format;

wherein, for said structure node, said converting comprises;

determining inputs and outputs to/from the structure node;

creating a hardware description of a control block which performs the control function indicated by the structure node;

traversing input dependencies of the node; and

creating a hardware description of an AND gate, including listing connections of said input dependencies of the node to said AND gate.

53. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a device, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program includes a block diagram, wherein the graphical program implements a model of a process;

generating a hardware, description based on the graphical program, wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the graphical program;

configuring a programmable hardware element in the device utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured programmable hardware element, wherein the configured programmable hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the model.

54. A system which generates a hardware implementation of graphical code, the system comprising:

a computer system comprising a processor and memory, wherein the memory stores a graphical program, wherein the graphical program includes a block diagram, wherein the graphical program implements a model of a system;

wherein the memory also stores a software program which is executable to generate a hardware description based on at least a portion of the graphical program, and wherein the hardware description describes a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program;

a device coupled to the computer system, wherein the device includes a programmable hardware element;

wherein the computer system is operable to configure the programmable hardware element utilizing the hardware description to produce a configured hardware element, and wherein the configured hardware element implements a hardware implementation of the at least a portion of the graphical program.

55. The system of claim 54,

wherein the block diagram has associated data structures which represent the block diagram;

and

wherein in generating the hardware description, the software program is executable to;

traverse the data structures; and

convert the data structures into a hardware description format in response to said traversing.

56. The system of claim 54,

wherein the configured hardware element in the device is operable to implement the model in accordance with the functionality represented by the block diagram.

57. The system of claim 54, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one constant.

58. The system of claim 54, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one global variable.

59. The system of claim 54, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one control terminal.

60. The system of claim 54, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one indicator terminal.

61. The system of claim 54, wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected icons, and wherein the plurality of interconnected icons includes one or more function nodes and one or more icons representing at least one sub-program node.

62. The system of claim 54,

wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected nodes, and wherein said generating the hardware description comprises converting each of said plurality of interconnected icons into a hardware description format.

63. The system of claim 54,

wherein the block diagram includes a plurality of nodes, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of nodes are connected to indicate data flow among the at least a subset of the plurality of nodes, wherein the plurality of nodes includes a structure node, and wherein the structure node represents control flow of data among one or more of the plurality of nodes.

64. The system of claim 63,

wherein the structure node indicates iteration for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

65. The system of claim 63,

wherein the structure node indicates looping for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

66. The system of claim 63,

wherein the structure node indicates conditional branching for the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram.

67. The system of claim 63,

wherein the structure node indicates a first portion of the graphical program, wherein the structure node indicates one of iteration, looping or conditional branching for the first portion of the graphical program.

68. The system of claim 63,

wherein the structure node includes an interior portion, wherein a first portion of the graphical program is comprised in the interior portion, and wherein the first portion of the graphical program comprised in the interior portion of the structure node execute according to control flow as indicated by the structure node.

69. The system of claim 63, wherein in generating, the software program is executable to examine one or more structure node parameters associated with the structure node, and wherein in generating the software program is executable to use the one or more structure node parameters.

70. The system of claim 63, wherein the structure node is one of an iteration node or a looping node;

wherein the structure node includes at least one of a period parameter and a phase delay parameter, wherein the period parameter indicates a period of execution for cycles of the structure node, and wherein the phase delay parameter indicates a phase delay of cycles of the structure node.

71. The system of claim 63, wherein the structure node is an iteration node, wherein the iteration node indicates iteration of the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram for a plurality of times;

wherein the iteration node includes an iteration number which indicates a number of iterations for the graphical program; and

wherein in generating, the software program is executable to use the iteration number in generating the hardware description.

72. The system of claim 63, wherein the structure node is a looping node, wherein the looping node indicates looping of the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the block diagram for a plurality of times;

wherein the looping node includes a loop condition which indicates a number of executions for the graphical program; and

wherein in generating, the software program is executable to use the loop condition in generating the hardware description.

73. The system of claim 63, wherein in generating the hardware description based on the graphical program, the software program is executable to convert each of said nodes into a hardware description format;

wherein, for said structure node, in converting each of said nodes, the software program is executable to;

determine inputs and outputs to/from the structure node;

access a hardware description of a control block which performs the control function indicated by the structure node from a library of hardware descriptions;

traverse input dependencies of the node; and

create a hardware description of an AND gate, including listing connections of said input dependencies of the node to said AND gate.