Wireless deployment / distributed execution of graphical programs to smart sensors

• US 7,340,737 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Ceteras, Ciprian, Monoses, Ioan, Crisan, Gratian I., Ghercioiu, Marius
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENDALL, CHUCK O
• Application Number:
  US10/283,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20040005859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 717100-114
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/964 CAD or CAM, e.g. interactive design tools

Abstract

System and method for deploying or executing a graphical program to a device in a wireless manner. A graphical program (GP) is created that implements a measurement function. Some or all of the GP is transmitted to a hub over a network. The hub executes the transmitted GP and sends corresponding commands to a measurement device via wireless means in accordance with a wireless communication protocol. The measurement device executes the commands to perform the measurement function, thereby generating resultant data, which is received from the measurement device via wireless means. The GP may include a block diagram that executes on the measurement device, and a user interface portion that is displayed by a first computer system. Transmitting the GP to the hub may include generating a machine-executable program based on the GP and transmitting the machine-executable program to the hub for execution.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing a measurement function, the method comprising:

storing a graphical program in a memory, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion, wherein the block diagram portion comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

transmitting at least a portion of the graphical program to a hub device over a network, wherein the hub device comprises an embedded device;

the hub device executing the at least a portion of the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises executing at least a portion of the block diagram portion, wherein the hub device does not execute the user interface portion;

the hub device sending one or more commands to a smart sensor via wireless means in accordance with a wireless communication protocol in response to said executing;

the smart sensor performing the measurement function in response to said one or more commands, thereby generating resultant data; and

the hub device receiving and storing the resultant data from the smart sensor via wireless means.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating the graphical program, wherein the graphical program implements the measurement function.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said creating the graphical program comprises:

arranging the plurality of nodes on a display; and

interconnecting the plurality of nodes in response to user input.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the graphical program comprises a graphical data flow program.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the graphical program is operable to perform one or more of:

an industrial automation function;

a process control function; and

a test and measurement function.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein said performing the measurement function includes the smart sensor measuring a physical phenomenon to acquire data.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the user interface is displayed on a display of a first computer system and the block diagram executes on the hub device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the resultant data from the hub device.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein said transmitting at least a portion of a graphical program to a hub device over a network comprises:

generating a machine-executable program based on the at least a portion of a graphical program; and

transmitting the machine-executable program to the hub device; and

wherein said hub device executing the at least a portion of the graphical program comprises;

the hub device executing the machine-executable program.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein said transmitting the at least a portion of the graphical program to the hub device over the network comprises transmitting at least a portion of the block diagram portion to the hub device;

wherein said transmitting the at least a portion of the graphical program to the hub device over the network does not transmit the user interface portion to the hub device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising

the hub device sending one or more commands to each of one or more additional smart sensors via wireless means in accordance with the wireless communication protocol in response to said executing;

each of the plurality of smart sensors performing the measurement function in response to said one or more commands, thereby generating resultant data; and

the hub device receiving and storing the resultant data from each of the one or more additional smart sensors via wireless means.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the smart sensor comprises:

a sensor; and

a processing unit coupled to the sensor.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit of the smart sensor comprises one or more of:

a processor and memory; and

/or

a programmable hardware element.

14. A computer-implemented method performing a measurement function, the method comprising:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program implements the measurement function;

storing the graphical program in a memory of a host computer, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion, wherein the block diagram portion comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

transmitting the graphical program from the host computer to a hub device over a network, wherein the hub device comprises an embedded device;

the hub device executing the block diagram portion of the graphical program, thereby sending one or more commands to a wireless smart sensor device via wireless means, wherein the hub device does not execute the user interface portion;

the wireless smart sensor device performing the measurement function in response to the one or more commands, thereby generating resultant data;

the hub device receiving and storing the resultant data from the wireless smart sensor device;

the hub device sending the resultant data to the host computer; and

the host computer executing the user interface portion of the graphical program to display the resultant data.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the block diagram portion comprises a first portion implementing the measurement function, and a second portion implementing an analysis function, the method further comprising:

the hub device executing the second portion of the block diagram portion of the graphical program to analyze the resultant data, thereby generating analysis results; and

the hub device sending the analysis results to the host computer.

16. The method of claim 14,

wherein the smart sensor comprises an embedded device, including a built-in sensor, wherein the built-in sensor is operable to measure physical phenomena.

17. A computer-implemented method for executing a graphical program, the method comprising:

creating the graphical program;

storing the graphical program in a memory of a host computer, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion, wherein the block diagram portion comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

accessing a hub device over a network, wherein the hub device comprises an embedded device;

downloading the graphical program from the host computer to the hub device over the network;

the hub device executing the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises executing at least a portion of the block diagram portion, wherein the hub device does not execute the user interface portion, wherein said executing the graphical program further comprises;

sending one or more commands to a plurality of distributed wireless smart sensor devices via wireless means;

each of the wireless smart sensor devices executing the one or more commands to generate data; and

each of the plurality of the wireless smart sensor devices sending the data to the hub device; and

the host computer receiving, storing, and displaying the data from the hub device, wherein said displaying is performed by the user interface portion of the graphical program.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein each smart sensor device comprises an embedded device, including a built-in sensor, wherein the built-in sensor is operable to measure physical phenomena.

19. A system for executing graphical programs, the system comprising:

a computer system which stores a graphical program in a memory, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion, wherein the block diagram portion comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

an external hub device coupled to the computer system, wherein the external hub device comprises an embedded device; and

at least one smart sensor device;

wherein the external hub device is operable to communicate with the at least one smart sensor device in a wireless fashion;

wherein the computer system is operable to provide the graphical program to the external hub device;

wherein the external hub device is operable to;

execute the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises executing at least a portion of the block diagram portion, wherein the hub device does not execute the user interface portion; and

send commands to the at least one smart sensor device in a wireless fashion in accordance with said executing;

wherein the at least one smart sensor device is operable to execute the commands to perform a function.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the external hub device is coupled to the computer system over a network.

21. The system of claim 19,

wherein the at least one smart sensor device is operable receive and execute the commands to acquire data from an external phenomenon;

and

wherein the at least one smart sensor device is operable to provide the acquired data to the external hub device in a wireless fashion.

22. The system of claim 21,

wherein the external hub device is operable to analyze the acquired data.

23. The system of claim 21,

wherein the external hub device is operable to provide the acquired data to the computer system;

and

wherein the computer system is operable to analyze the acquired data.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein, in executing the graphical program the external hub device is operable to execute a graphical program execution engine.

25. The system of claim 19,

wherein, in providing the graphical program to the external hub device, the computer system is operable to:

generate a machine-executable program based on the graphical program; and

communicate the machine-executable program to the hub device; and

wherein, in executing the graphical program, the external hub device is operable to;

execute the machine-executable program.

26. The system of claim 19,

wherein the smart sensor device comprises an embedded device, including a built-in sensor, wherein the built-in sensor is operable to measure physical phenomena.

27. A system for executing graphical programs, the system comprising:

a computer system which stores a graphical program in a memory, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion, wherein the block diagram portion comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

a hub device coupled to the computer system, wherein the hub device comprises an embedded device; and

one or more smart sensor devices;

wherein the hub device is operable to communicate with each of the one or more smart sensor devices in a wireless fashion;

wherein the computer system is operable to provide the graphical program to the hub device;

wherein the hub device is operable to execute the graphical program using a first smart sensor device of the one or more smart sensor devices in a wireless fashion, wherein said executing comprises executing at least a portion of the block diagram portion, wherein the hub device does not execute the user interface portion.

28. The system of claim 27,

wherein each of the one or more smart sensor devices comprises an embedded device, including a built-in sensor, wherein the built-in sensor is operable to measure physical phenomena.

29. A computer-implemented method for performing a measurement function, the method comprising:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program implements the measurement function;

storing the graphical program in a memory, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion, wherein the block diagram portion comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

generating a machine-executable program based on the graphical program;

transmitting the machine-executable program to a hub device over a network, wherein the hub device comprises an embedded device;

the hub device executing the machine-executable program, wherein said executing comprises executing at least a portion of the block diagram portion, wherein the hub device does not execute the user interface portion;

the hub device sending one or more commands to a smart sensor via wireless means in accordance with a wireless communication protocol in response to said executing;

the smart sensor performing the measurement function in response to said one or more commands, thereby generating resultant data; and

the hub device receiving and storing the resultant data from the smart sensor via wireless means.

30. The method of claim 29,

wherein the smart sensor comprises an embedded device, including a built-in sensor, wherein the built-in sensor is operable to measure physical phenomena.