Self-determining behavior node for use in creating a graphical program

• US 7,216,334 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• 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., Rogers, Steven W., Gabbert, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fowlkes; Andre R
• Application Number:
  US10/094,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20030172369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 717104-109, 717136-161, 703 1- 22
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A system and method for creating a graphical program utilizing one or more self-determining behavior (SDB) nodes. An SDB node may include associated generation code for programmatically generating execution-time code associated with the SDB node. The generation code associated with the SDB node may programmatically generate or modify the execution-time code based on or in response to any of various factors.

Claims

1. A method for creating a first graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a first node in a block diagram of the first graphical program, wherein the first node includes generation code for automatically generating execution-time code for the first node;

receiving first input to edit the first graphical program after said displaying the first node in the block diagram;

the generation code included in the first node executing to automatically generate first execution-time code for the first node based on the first input, wherein the generation code automatically generates the execution-time code without user input specifying the execution-time code; and

executing the first graphical program, wherein executing the first graphical program comprises executing the first node, wherein executing the first node comprises executing the first execution-time code automatically generated by the generation code included in the first node.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein said generation code included in the first node executing to automatically generate the first execution-time code comprises the generation code included in the first node executing to automatically generate the first execution-time code prior to execution of the first graphical program.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the generation code included in the first node is operable to automatically generate different portions of execution-time code having different functionality for the first node.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second input to edit the first graphical program after said receiving the first input;

the generation code included in the first node automatically generating second execution-time code for the first node based on the second input;

wherein the second execution-time code for the first node replaces the first execution-time code for the first node;

wherein the automatically generated second execution-time code implements different functionality than the automatically generated first execution-time code.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the generation code included in the first node executes to automatically generate the first execution-time code for the first node in response to the first input received to edit the first graphical program.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

compiling the first graphical program;

wherein the generation code included in the first node executes to automatically generate the first execution-time code for the first node during the compilation of the first graphical program.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first node does not have any execution-time code when the first node is initially displayed in the block diagram of the first graphical program.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first node has initial execution-time code when the first node is initially displayed in the block diagram of the first graphical program;

wherein said generation code included in the first node automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises the generation code included in the first node replacing the initial execution-time code with the first execution-time code.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first node has initial execution-time code when the first node is initially displayed in the block diagram of the first graphical program;

wherein said generation code included in the first node automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises the generation code included in the first node modifying the initial execution-time code.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein said generation code included in the first node automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises the generation code included in the first node automatically generating an execution-time block diagram for the first node, wherein the execution-time block diagram for the first node is different than the block diagram in which the first node is displayed, wherein the execution-time block diagram for the first node visually indicates execution-time functionality of the first node;

wherein said executing the first execution-time code for the first node comprises executing the execution-time block diagram for the first node.

11. The method of claim 10,

wherein said generation code included in the first node automatically generating the execution-time block diagram for the first node comprises the generation code included in the first node automatically including a plurality of interconnected nodes in the execution-time block diagram for the first node without user input specifying nodes in the plurality of interconnected nodes.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein said generation code included in the first node automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises the generation code included in the first node automatically generating first graphical code for the first node, wherein the first graphical code for the first node visually indicates execution-time functionality of the first node;

wherein said executing the first execution-time code for the first node comprises executing the first graphical code for the first node.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the first graphical code for the first node includes a plurality of objects, wherein the generation code included in the first node automatically generates the first graphical code for the first node without user input specifying the objects.

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein said generation code included in the first node automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises the generation code included in the first node automatically generating first text-based code for the first node;

wherein said executing the first execution-time code for the first node comprises executing the first text-based code for the first node.

15. The method of claim 1,

wherein the block diagram in which the first node is displayed is a first block diagram;

wherein the first node includes a second block diagram that comprises the generation code, wherein the second block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality performed by the generation code.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

executing the second block diagram, wherein said executing the second block diagram comprises executing the plurality of interconnected nodes in the second block diagram;

wherein the second block diagram executes to perform said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node.

17. The method of claim 1,

wherein the generation code included in the first node comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality performed by the generation code.

18. The method of claim 1,

wherein the generation code included in the first node comprises text-based code that defines functionality performed by the generation code.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a configuration user interface for configuring the first node;

wherein said receiving the first input to edit the first graphical program comprises receiving user input to the configuration user interface to configure the first node;

wherein said generation code included in the first node automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the first input comprises the generation code included in the first node automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the user input to the configuration user interface.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein said receiving user input to the configuration user interface to configure the first node comprises receiving user input specifying desired execution functionality for the first node;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the user input to the configuration user interface comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code to implement the specified execution functionality for the first node.

21. The method of claim 19,

wherein the configuration user interface enables a user to configure the first node to perform one or more operations from a plurality of operations;

wherein said receiving the user input to the configuration user interface to configure the first node comprises receiving user input to the configuration user interface to specify one or more desired operations for the first node from the plurality of operations;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the user input to the configuration user interface comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code to implement the one or more desired operations, such that the first node is operable to perform the one or more desired operations during execution of the graphical program.

22. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the first input to edit the first graphical program comprises receiving user input to the block diagram of the first graphical program;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node based on the first input comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the user input to the block diagram of the first graphical program.

23. The method of claim 22,

wherein said receiving the user input to the block diagram of the first graphical program comprises receiving user input to connect the first node to one or more other nodes in the block diagram;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on said connecting the first node to the one or more other nodes in the block diagram.

24. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the first input to edit the first graphical program comprises receiving user input to connect an input to an input terminal of the first node;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the input connected to the input terminal of the first node.

25. The method of claim 24,

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node based on the input connected to the input terminal of the first node comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on a data type of the input connected to the input terminal of the first node.

26. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the first input to edit the first graphical program comprises receiving user input to connect an output from an output terminal of the first node to an input terminal of a second node in the block diagram of the first graphical program;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on said connecting the output from the output terminal of the first node to the input terminal of the second node.

27. The method of claim 22,

wherein said receiving user input to the block diagram of the first graphical program comprises receiving user input to the first node displayed in the block diagram;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the user input to the first node displayed in the block diagram.

28. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the first input to edit the first graphical program comprises receiving input to edit a user interface of the first graphical program;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the input to edit the user interface of the first graphical program.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating the first node prior to said displaying the first node in the block diagram of the first graphical program;

wherein said creating the first node comprises creating the generation code and including the generation code in the first node so that the first node encapsulates the generation code.

30. The method of claim 1,

wherein the block diagram of the first graphical program includes a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the first graphical program.

31. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first graphical program comprises the block diagram and a user interface portion, wherein the user interface portion is displayed separately from the block diagram.

32. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first graphical program comprises a graphical data flow program.

33. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first input to edit the first graphical program comprises user input to edit the first graphical program;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises automatically generating the first execution-time code based on the user input.

34. The method of claim 1,

wherein the generation code included in the first node executes to automatically generate the first execution-time code for the first node at edit-time of the first graphical program.

35. The method of claim 1,

wherein said displaying the first node in the block diagram of the first graphical program comprises displaying a first instance of the first node in the block diagram of the first graphical program, wherein the automatically generated first execution-time code is associated with the first instance of the first node;

wherein the method further comprises;

displaying a second instance of the first node in a block diagram of a second graphical program, wherein the second instance of the first node includes generation code for automatically generating execution-time code for the second instance of the first node;

receiving second input to edit the second graphical program;

the generation code included in the second instance of the first node executing to automatically generate second execution-time code for the second instance of the first node in the second graphical program based on the second input; and

executing the second graphical program, wherein executing the second graphical program comprises executing the second instance of the first node in the second graphical program, wherein executing the second instance of the first node in the second graphical program comprises executing the second execution-time code;

wherein the second execution-time code automatically generated for the second instance of the first node in the second graphical program has functionality that is different from functionality of the first execution-time code automatically generated for the first instance of the first node in the first graphical program.

36. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first node further includes design-time behavior code operable to affect design-time behavior of the first node.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

receiving second input to edit the first graphical program; and

the design-time behavior code included in the first node executing to affect design-time behavior of the first node in response to the second input.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

the design-time behavior code included in the first node executing to affect design-time behavior of the first node in response to the first input.

39. The method of claim 38,

wherein said design-time behavior code included in the first node executing to affect design-time behavior of the first node comprises the design-time behavior code included in the first node executing to affect an appearance of the first node displayed in the block diagram of the first graphical program.

40. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the first execution-time code automatically generated for the first node.

41. The method of claim 1,

wherein a graphical programming development environment is used in creating the first graphical program;

wherein the graphical programming development environment does not allow a user to view the first execution-time code automatically generated for the first node.

42. The method of claim 1,

wherein said displaying the first node in the block diagram of the first graphical program comprises displaying a first instance of the first node in the block diagram of the first graphical program;

wherein the automatically generated first execution-time code is associated with the first instance of the node in the first graphical program;

wherein the method further comprises;

displaying a second instance of the first node in the block diagram of the first graphical program, wherein the second instance of the first node includes generation code for automatically generating execution-time code for the second instance of the first node;

receiving second input to edit the first graphical program; and

the generation code included in the second instance of the first node automatically generating second execution-time code for the second instance of the first node in response to the second input, wherein the automatically generated second execution-time code is different than the automatically generated first execution-time code.

43. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first node is stored on a memory medium as one or more data structures representing the first node;

wherein the generation code included in the first node is stored in the one or more data structures representing the first node.

44. A method for creating a first graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a first node in a block diagram of the first graphical program, wherein the first node includes generation code for automatically generating execution-time code, wherein the generation code is operable to automatically generate different types of execution-time code;

receiving input to edit the first graphical program after said displaying the first node in the block diagram; and

executing the generation code included in the first node to automatically generate first execution-time code for the first graphical program, wherein the first execution-time code implements first functionality, wherein the first execution-time code is automatically generated based on the input.

45. The method of claim 44,

wherein the first execution-time code automatically generated by the generation code included in the first node comprises execution-time code for the first node in the first graphical program.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

executing the first graphical program, wherein said executing the first graphical program includes executing the first execution-time code.

47. A method for creating a first graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a first node in a block diagram of the first graphical program, wherein the first node includes generation code for automatically generating execution-time graphical code for the first node;

receiving first input to edit the first graphical program after said displaying the first node in the block diagram;

the generation code included in the first node executing to automatically generate first execution-time graphical code for the first node based on the first input, wherein the first execution-time graphical code comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the first execution-time graphical code, wherein the generation code included in the first node automatically generates the plurality of interconnected nodes in the first execution-time graphical code without user input specifying nodes in the plurality of interconnected nodes; and

executing the first graphical program, wherein executing the first graphical program comprises executing the first node, wherein executing the first node comprises executing the first execution-time graphical code generated by the generation code included in the first node.

48. The method of claim 47,

wherein the block diagram of the first graphical program comprises a first block diagram;

wherein said generation code included in the first node executing to automatically generate the first execution-time graphical code for the first node comprises the generation code included in the first node executing to automatically generate a second block diagram for the first node, wherein the second block diagram is encapsulated by the first node in the first graphical program, wherein the second block diagram comprises the plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate the functionality of the first execution-time graphical code.

49. A method for creating a first graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a first node in a first block diagram of the first graphical program, wherein the first node includes a second block diagram, wherein the second block diagram includes a plurality of interconnected nodes operable to automatically generate execution-time code associated with the first node;

receiving first input to edit the first graphical program; and

the plurality of interconnected nodes in the second block diagram included in the first node executing to automatically generate first execution-time code for the first node based on the first input.

50. A method for creating a graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a first node in the graphical program, wherein the first node includes generation code for automatically generating execution-time code, wherein the generation code is operable to automatically generate different types of execution-time code;

connecting one or more input terminals of the first node to receive one or more outputs from one or more other nodes in the graphical program, in response to user input;

determining one or more data types of data provided by the one or more outputs connected to the one or more input terminals of the first node;

executing the generation code included in the first node to automatically generate first execution-time code, wherein the first execution-time code is automatically generated based on the one or more data types; and

executing the graphical program, wherein said executing the graphical program includes executing the first execution-time code automatically generated by the generation code included in the first node.

51. A computer-implemented method for creating a node for inclusion in a graphical program, the method comprising:

creating an iconic appearance for the node; and

storing one or more data structures representing the node, wherein said storing comprises storing generation code for the node in the one or more data structures representing the node;

wherein when the node is included in a first graphical program being developed, the generation code stored in the one or more data structures representing the node is executable to automatically generate execution-time code for the node, wherein the execution-time code for the node executes when the node executes during execution of the first graphical program.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

creating the generation code for the node in response to user input.

53. The method of claim 51,

wherein the generation code for the node comprises a block diagram that includes a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the generation code;

wherein said storing the generation code for the node in the one or more data structures representing the node comprises storing the block diagram in the one or more data structures representing the node.

54. The method of claim 51,

wherein the generation code for the node comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the generation code.

55. The method of claim 51,

wherein the first graphical program is created using a first graphical programming development environment installed on a first computer system;

wherein the method further comprises deploying the node to the first graphical programming development environment installed on the first computer system;

wherein said deploying the node to the first graphical programming development environment installed on the first computer system comprises storing the one or more data structures representing the node on a memory medium of the first computer system, wherein said storing the one or more data structures representing the node on the memory medium of the first computer system comprises storing the generation code for the node in the one or more data structures representing the node on the memory medium of the first computer system.

56. The method of claim 51,

wherein said storing the one or more data structures representing the node further comprises storing design-time behavior code for the node in the one or more data structures representing the node;

wherein when the node is included in the first graphical program being developed, the design-time behavior code is executable to affect design-time behavior of the node.

57. The method of claim 56,

wherein the design-time behavior code for the node comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the design-time behavior code.

58. The method of claim 51,

wherein the generation code stored in the one or more data structures representing the node is executable to automatically generate the execution-time code for the node before execution of the first graphical program.

59. The method of claim 51,

wherein the generation code stored in the one or more data structures representing the node is executable to automatically generate different types of execution-time code for the node;

wherein the different types of execution-time code have different functionality.

60. The method of claim 59,

wherein the type of execution-time code actually generated for the node depends on input received to one or more of:

the first graphical program;

a graphical programming development environment used to create the first graphical program.

61. The method of claim 59, further comprising:

determining code generation dependency information;

wherein the type of execution-time code actually generated for the node depends on the code generation dependency information.

62. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

determining code generation dependency information, wherein determining the code generation dependency information comprises determining information based on one or more of;

a state of the node;

a state of the first graphical program;

a state of a graphical programming development environment application used to create the first graphical program;

wherein the generation code stored in the one or more data structures representing the node is executable to automatically generate the execution-time code for the node based on the code generation dependency information.

63. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

determining first information comprising information external to the first graphical program and external to a graphical programming development environment application used to create the first graphical program;

wherein the generation code stored in the one or more data structures representing the node is executable to automatically generate the execution-time code for the node based on the first information.

64. The method of claim 63,

wherein said determining the first information comprises determining information from a second application external to the graphical programming development environment application used to create the first graphical program;

wherein the generation code stored in the one or more data structures representing the node is executable to automatically generate the execution-time code for the node based on the information from the second application.

65. The method of claim 63,

wherein said determining the first information comprises receiving information from a computer server via a network;

wherein the generation code stored in the one or more data structures representing the node is executable to automatically generate the execution-time code for the node based on the information received from the computer server.

66. A method for creating a first graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a first node in the first graphical program, wherein the first node includes generation code executable to automatically generate execution-time code for the first node, wherein the generation code is operable to automatically generate different types of execution-time code for the first node;

determining first information that affects the automatic generation of execution-time code for the first node;

executing the generation code included in the first node to automatically generate first execution-time code for the first node, wherein the automatic generation of the first execution-time code depends on the first information; and

executing the first graphical program, wherein executing the first graphical program comprises executing the first node, wherein executing the first node comprises executing the first execution-time code generated by the generation code included in the first node.

67. The method of claim 66,

wherein said displaying the first node in the first graphical program comprises displaying the first node in a first block diagram of the first graphical program;

wherein said automatically generating the first execution-time code for the first node comprises automatically generating a second block diagram for the first node, wherein automatically generating the second block diagram comprises automatically generating a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the first execution-time code for the first node;

wherein said executing the first execution-time code for the first node comprises executing the second block diagram for the first node.

68. The method of claim 66,

wherein said determining the first information that affects the automatic generation of execution-time code for the first node comprises determining information based on one or more of:

a state of the first node;

a state of the first graphical program;

a state of a graphical programming development environment application used to create the first graphical program.

69. The method of claim 66,

wherein said determining the first information that affects the automatic generation of execution-time code for the first node comprises determining information external to the first graphical program and external to a graphical programming development environment application used to create the first graphical program;

wherein the generation code included in the first node executes to automatically generate the first execution-time code for the first node based on the information external to the first graphical program and external to the graphical programming development environment application.

70. The method of claim 66,

wherein said determining the first information comprises determining information from a second application external to a graphical programming development environment application used to create the first graphical program;

wherein the generation code included in the first node executes to automatically generate the first execution-time code for the first node based on the information from the second application.

71. The method of claim 66,

wherein said determining the first information comprises receiving information from a computer server via a network;

wherein the generation code included in the first node executes to automatically generate the first execution-time code for the first node based on the information received from the computer server.

72. The method of claim 66,

wherein said executing the generation code included in the first node comprises executing the generation code included in the first node to automatically generate the first execution-time code for the first node while compiling the first graphical program.

73. The method of claim 66, further comprising:

launching a graphical programming development environment used to create the first graphical program;

wherein said determining the first information comprises determining the first information in response to said launching the graphical programming development environment;

wherein said executing the generation code included in the first node comprises executing the generation code included in the first node to automatically generate the first execution-time code based on the first information when the graphical programming development environment is launched.

74. A memory medium comprising program instructions and data to implement:

a node for inclusion in a graphical program, wherein the node includes;

a first block diagram for execution during creation of the graphical program, wherein the first block diagram includes a first plurality of interconnected nodes visually indicating first functionality; and

a second block diagram for execution during execution of the graphical program, wherein the second block diagram includes a second plurality of interconnected nodes visually indicating second functionality;

wherein the first block diagram is executable during creation of the graphical program to automatically generate the second block diagram, wherein the second block diagram executes during execution of the node in the graphical program.

75. A self-determining behavior (SDB) node for use in a graphical program, the self-determining behavior node comprising:

data specifying an iconic appearance, wherein the data is useable to display an iconic appearance representing the node in response to including the node in the graphical program;

one or more input and/or output terminals for connecting the node to other nodes in the graphical program; and

generation code, wherein the generation code comprised in the node is operable to automatically generate execution-time code for the node in the graphical program, wherein the execution-time code automatically generated by the generation code comprised in the node executes when the node executes during execution of the graphical program.