System and method for automatically generating a graphical program in response to a state diagram

• US 7,200,838 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Hogan, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kang; Insun
• Application Number:
  US09/747,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 717/109, 717/125, 717/104, 717/105, 717/100, 717/127, 717/103, 717/7, 703/2, 703/22, 709/318, 704/9, 345/771, 345/764, 345/522, 434/118, 714/109, 719/328, 700/83
• US Class Current: 717/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

System and method for programmatically generating a graphical program in response to state diagram information. The state diagram information specifies a plurality of states and state transitions. A graphical program generation program (GPG program), receives the state diagram information and automatically, i.e., programmatically, generates a graphical program (or graphical program portion) based on the state diagram information. The GPG program automatically includes graphical source code in a block diagram of the graphical program, which serves as a framework of the states specified by the state diagram information and the state transitions, with various “placeholders” or “containers” enabling the user to easily fill in the graphical program with source code specifying execution instructions for each state and Boolean conditions for each state transition. The specific graphical source code automatically generated depends on programming features supported by a particular graphical programming development environment with which the graphical program is associated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating a graphical program based on a state diagram, comprising:

receiving state diagram information, wherein the state diagram information represents the state diagram and specifies a plurality of states;

automatically generating the graphical program in response to the state diagram information, wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating graphical source code corresponding to the plurality of states, wherein the graphical source code comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable by a computer, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical program creates the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said creating.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the state diagram represents desired operation of a software program.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the state diagram represents desired operation of a hardware device.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the state diagram represents a desired algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the state diagram represents a test sequence.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically generating the graphical program comprises automatically generating a block diagram including the graphical source code corresponding to the specified one or more plurality of states.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein, for at least one state of the plurality of states, the state diagram information specifies program code associated with the state;

wherein the automatically generated graphical source code includes the specified program code.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein, for at least one state, the state diagram information specifies program code associated with the state;

wherein the automatically generated graphical source code is operable to invoke the specified source code.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the state diagram information further specifies one or more state transitions, wherein each state transition specifies a transition from a first state to a second state;

wherein said automatically generating further comprises automatically generating graphical source code corresponding to the specified state transitions.

10. The method of claim 9,

wherein the automatically generated graphical source code includes placeholder graphical source code for each state transition.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

for one or more state transitions, a user manually entering graphical source code specifying a Boolean condition associated with the state transition.

12. The method of claim 9,

wherein the state diagram information specifies at least two state transitions from a particular state;

wherein the state diagram information also specifies a priority ordering for the at least two state transitions;

wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating graphical source code such that, during execution of the graphical program, Boolean conditions associated with the at least two state transitions are evaluated in the specified priority ordering.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein the state diagram information further specifies an initially active state;

wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating graphical source code such that the graphical program begins execution in the initially active state.

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein the state diagram information further specifies one or more stop states;

wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating graphical source code such that if during execution of the graphical program one of the stop states becomes active, then the graphical program is caused to stop execution.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information specifying a change to the state diagram information;

automatically updating the graphical program to reflect the specified change.

16. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically generating the graphical program comprises calling an application programming interface (API) enabling the automatic generation of a graphical program.

17. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically generating the graphical program comprises automatically requesting a server program to generate the graphical program.

18. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating a new graphical program, comprising:

receiving information specifying a state diagram, wherein the state diagram specifies first functionality;

executing a graphical program generation (GPG) program;

the GPG program automatically generating the new graphical program using said information, wherein the new graphical program includes graphical source code corresponding to the state diagram, wherein the new graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate operation of the graphical program, wherein the new graphical program is executable by a computer to perform the first functionality, and wherein said automatically generating the new graphical program creates the new graphical program without any user input specifying the new graphical program during said creating.

19. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating a graphical program based on a state diagram, comprising:

displaying an initial state diagram;

automatically generating a graphical program corresponding to the initial state diagram, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable by a computer, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical program creates the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said creating;

receiving user input specifying a change to the initial state diagram;

automatically updating the graphical program to correspond to the specified change, in response to the user input specifying the change, wherein said automatically updating the graphical program updates the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said updating.

20. A system for automatically generating a graphical program, the system comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the memory stores a graphical program generation (GPG) program;

wherein the processor is operable to execute the GPG program in order to;

receive state diagram information, wherein the state diagram information specifies one or more states;

automatically generate the graphical program in response to the state diagram information, wherein said programmatically generating comprises programmatically generating graphical source code corresponding to the specified one or more states, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable to perform the functionality, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical program creates the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said creating.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein said automatically generating the graphical program comprises automatically generating a block diagram including the graphical source code corresponding to the specified one or more states.

22. A memory medium for automatically generating a graphical program based on a state diagram, the memory medium comprising program instructions executable to:

receive state diagram information, wherein the state diagram information specifies a plurality of states and one or more transitions between the plurality of states;

automatically generate the graphical program in response to the state diagram information, wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating graphical source code corresponding to the specified one or more states, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate operation of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable by a computer to perform functionality specified by the state diagram information, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical program creates the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said creating.

23. The memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said automatically generating the graphical program comprises automatically generating a block diagram including the graphical source code corresponding to the specified one or more plurality of states.

24. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating a graphical program based on state diagram information, comprising:

receiving the state diagram information, wherein the state diagram information specifies a plurality of states and transitions between the states;

automatically generating the graphical program in response to the state diagram information, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, wherein a first one or more nodes comprise graphical source code executable to implement first functionality corresponding to a first one or more states, wherein a second one or more nodes are user-configurable to implement second functionality of a corresponding second one or more states, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical program creates the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said creating.

25. The method of claim 24,

wherein the automatically generated graphical program includes placeholder graphical source code for each of the second one or more states.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

for each of the second one or more nodes, a user manually entering graphical source code specifying execution instructions to be performed when the state is active during execution of the graphical program.

27. The method of claim 25,

wherein the placeholder graphical source code for each state comprises a case in a graphical case structure.

28. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating a graphical program based on a state diagram, comprising:

receiving state diagram information, wherein the state diagram information represents the state diagram and specifies a plurality of states;

automatically generating the graphical program in response to the state diagram information, wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating graphical source code corresponding to the plurality of states, wherein the graphical source code comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable by a computer, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical program creates the graphical program without any user input selecting the nodes or establishing connections between the nodes.

29. A memory medium comprising program instructions for automatically generating a graphical data flow program based on a state diagram, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to implement:

receiving state diagram information, wherein the state diagram information represents the state diagram and specifies a plurality of states;

automatically generating the graphical data flow program in response to the state diagram information, wherein the graphical data flow program comprises a plurality of nodes and connections between the nodes, wherein the connections indicate that data produced by one node is used by another node, wherein the graphical data flow program is executable by a computer to implement functionality indicated by the state diagram information, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical data flow program creates the graphical data flow program without any user input specifying the graphical data flow program during said creating.

30. The memory medium of claim 29, wherein said automatically generating the graphical data flow program creates the graphical data flow program without any user input selecting the nodes or creating the connections between the nodes.

31. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein said automatically generating the graphical data flow program comprises automatically generating a block diagram.

32. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein each of the plurality of nodes corresponds to one of the plurality of states.

33. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein, for at least one state of the plurality of states, the state diagram information specifies program code associated with the state;

wherein the automatically generated graphical data flow program includes the specified program code.

34. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein, for at least one state, the state diagram information specifies program code associated with the state;

wherein the automatically generated graphical data flow program is operable to invoke the specified source code.

35. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein the state diagram information further specifies one or more state transitions, wherein each state transition specifies a transition from a first state to a second state;

wherein said automatically generating further comprises automatically generating portions of the graphical data flow program corresponding to the specified state transitions.

36. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein the automatically generated graphical data flow program includes placeholder graphical source code for each state transition.

37. The memory medium of claim 36,

wherein the state diagram information specifies at least two state transitions from a particular state;

wherein the state diagram information also specifies a priority ordering for the at least two state transitions;

wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating the graphical data flow program such that, during execution of the graphical data flow program, Boolean conditions associated with the at least two state transitions are evaluated in the specified priority ordering.

38. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein the state diagram information further specifies an initially active state;

wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating the graphical data flow program such that the graphical program begins execution in the initially active state.

39. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein the state diagram information further specifies one or more stop states;

wherein said automatically generating comprises automatically generating the graphical data flow program such that if during execution of the graphical data flow program one of the stop states becomes active, then the graphical data flow program is caused to stop execution.

40. The memory medium of claim 29, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

receiving information specifying a change to the state diagram information;

automatically updating the graphical data flow program to reflect the specified change.

41. The memory medium of claim 29,

wherein the state diagram information comprises an executable program.

42. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating a graphical data flow program based on a state diagram, the method comprising:

receiving state diagram information, wherein the state diagram information represents the state diagram and specifies a plurality of states;

automatically generating the graphical data flow program in response to the state diagram information, wherein the graphical data flow program comprises a plurality of nodes and connections between the nodes, wherein the connections indicate that data produced by one node is used by another node, wherein the graphical program is executable by a computer to implement functionality indicated by the state diagram information, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical program creates the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said creating.

43. A memory medium comprising program instructions for automatically generating a graphical data flow program based on a state diagram, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to implement:

receiving information that specifies a plurality of states, transitions between the states, and conditions for transitions between the states;

automatically generating the graphical data flow program in response to the information, wherein the graphical data flow program comprises a plurality of nodes and connections between the nodes, wherein the connections indicate that data produced by one node is used by another node, wherein the graphical data flow program is executable by a computer to implement functionality indicated by the information, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical data flow program creates the graphical data flow program without any user input specifying the graphical data flow program during said creating.

44. The memory medium of claim 43, wherein said automatically generating the graphical data flow program creates the graphical data flow program without any user input selecting the nodes or creating the connections between the nodes.

45. A memory medium comprising program instructions for automatically generating a graphical data flow program based on a state diagram, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to implement:

receiving information that specifies a plurality of states, transitions between the states, and start and stop states;

automatically generating the graphical data flow program in response to the information, wherein the graphical data flow program comprises a plurality of nodes and connections between the nodes, wherein the connections indicate that data produced by one node is used by another node, wherein the graphical data flow program is executable by a computer to implement functionality indicated by the information, and wherein said automatically generating the graphical data flow program creates the graphical data flow program without any user input specifying the graphical data flow program during said creating.

46. The memory medium of claim 45, wherein said automatically generating the graphical data flow program creates the graphical data flow program without any user input selecting the nodes or creating the connections between the nodes.