Providing block state information for a model based development process

• US 7,743,361 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Clark, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brophy; Matthew J
• Application Number:
  US11/025,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 717/104, 717/105, 703/14, 703/22
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A method and system for providing a block for use in a block diagram in a graphical modeling environment which is capable of outputting information regarding the dynamic state of the block.

Claims

1. In a graphical modeling environment, a method comprising:

providing a graphical model of a dynamic system, the graphical model comprising an entity that has an input port for receiving an input, an output port for providing an output, the entity containing state information distinct from the input and the output;

selecting the entity;

performing a functional transformation on the state information of the selected entity to produce a result without modifying the input and the output of the selected entity, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information; and

outputting the result of the functional transformation by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the selected entity, the result providing dynamic state information of the selected entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user selects whether to output the state information via a graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the graphic user interface comprises a dialog box.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transformation operates on the state information of the selected entity at previous times.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transformation operates on the state information of the selected entity at future times.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein execution of the graphical model is time-driven.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual display comprises a frequency plot.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual display comprises a time-based plot.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical modeling environment is a MATLAB graphical modeling environment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the graphical modeling environment is SIMULINK.

11. A computer-readable medium for use with an electronic device holding instructions executable by the electronic device for performing a method, the method comprising:

providing a graphical model of a dynamic system, the graphical model comprising an entity that has an input port for receiving an input, an output port for providing an output, the entity containing state information distinct from the input and the output;

selecting the entity;

performing a functional transformation on the state information of the selected entity to produce a result without modifying the input and the output of the selected entity, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information; and

outputting the result of the functional transformation by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the selected entity, the result providing dynamic state information of the selected entity.

12. A system for generating and displaying a graphical modeling application, comprising:

user-operable input means for inputting data to the graphical modeling application;

a display device for displaying a graphical model; and

an electronic device including memory for storing computer program instructions and data, and a processor for executing the stored computer program instructions, the computer program instructions including instructions for;

providing a graphical model of a dynamic system, the graphical model comprising an entity that has an input port for receiving an input, an output port for providing an output, the entity containing state information distinct from the input and the output,

selecting the entity,

performing a functional transformation on the state information of the selected entity to produce a result without modifying the input and the output of the selected entity, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information, and

outputting the result of the functional transformation by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the selected entity, the result providing dynamic state information of the selected entity.

13. A computing device comprising:

a processor executing;

a graphical modeling environment for generating a graphical model, the graphical model comprising a block having an input port to communicate with an input signal and an output port to communicate with an output signal, the block containing state information that is distinct from the input signal and the output signal;

means for performing a functional transformation on the state information of the block to produce a result without modifying the input signal and the output signal of the block, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information; and

a storage for storing the result of the functional transformation outputted by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the block, the result providing dynamic state information of the block.

14. In a graphical modeling environment, a method comprising:

providing a block diagram model of a dynamic system, the block diagram model comprising a block that has an input port for receiving an input, an output port for providing an output, the block containing state information distinct from the input and the output;

selecting the block;

performing a functional transformation on the state information of the selected block to produce a result without modifying the input and the output of the selected block, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information; and

outputting the result of the functional transformation by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the selected block, the result providing dynamic state information of the selected block.

15. A computing device comprising:

a processor executing;

a graphical modeling environment for generating a graphical model comprising one or more blocks and one or more signals, a block of the graphical model comprising;

an input port for receiving input signals for the block;

an output port for outputting output signals in response to signals received by the block; and

state information, distinct from input signal and output signals, the state information reflecting the dynamic state of the block as it interacts with an input signal received on the input port and produces an output signal on the output port;

means for performing a functional transformation on the state information of the block to produce a result without modifying the input signal and the output signal of the block, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information; and

a storage for storing the result of the functional transformation outputted by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the block, the result providing the dynamic state information of the block.

16. A system for generating and displaying a graphical modeling application, comprising:

a distribution server for providing to a client device, a block having an input port for receiving an input signal, an output port for providing an output signal, the block containing state information distinct from the input signal and the output signal;

a client device in communication with the distribution server;

means for performing a functional transformation on the state information of the block to produce a result without modifying the input signal and the output signal of the block, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information; and

a storage for storing the result of the functional transformation outputted by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the block, the result providing dynamic state information of the block.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the client device is operable to output the state information of the provided block.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the client device is an electronic device including memory for storing computer program instructions and data, and a processor for executing the stored computer program instructions, the computer program instructions including instructions for providing a block diagram model of a dynamic system wherein a selected block in the block diagram model contains state information, performing a functional transformation on the state information, and outputting the state information from the block.

19. In a network having a server, executing a graphical modeling environment, and a client device in communication with the server, a method comprising:

providing, at the server, a block diagram model of a dynamic system;

receiving, at the server from the client device, a selection of a block in the block diagram model, the block having an input port for receiving an input signal, an output port for providing an output signal and the block containing state information distinct from the input signal and the output signal;

performing a functional transformation on the state information of the selected block to produce a result without modifying the input signal and the output signal of the selected block, the functional transformation performing a mathematical transformation on the state information; and

outputting by reference to a visual display or a data file instead of outputting the result of the functional transformation on the output port of the selected block, from the server to the client device, the result of the functional transformation, the result providing dynamic state information of the selected block.