Deployment and execution of a program on an embedded device

• US 8,074,201 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Ghercioiu, Marius, Ceteras, Ciprian, Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Monoses, Ioan, Crisan, Gratian I.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAO, THUY CHAN
• Application Number:
  US10/283,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,324 Days
• Field of Search: 717/101, 717/113, 717/165, 717/177, 703/21, 703/24, 703/2, 709/200
• US Class Current: 717/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading

Abstract

System and method for deploying and executing a program, e.g., a graphical program, on an embedded device. The program and a plurality of execution system components are stored on a host computer. The program is analyzed programmatically to determine a subset of the plurality of components required for execution of the program. The subset of components and the program are combined into a file while preserving execution order of the program. The file is transmitted to the device. The file is used to construct a combined program which includes executable code for the program and the subset of components. The device includes a minimal execution engine which executes the subset of components to execute the program. The file may be streamed to the device for streaming execution, where received portions of the subset of components needed for execution of received portions of the program are stored until no longer needed.

Claims

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

utilizing a computer system to perform;

storing a plurality of components of a program execution system in a memory medium;

storing a program in the memory medium, wherein the program is distinct from the program execution system, and wherein the program execution system is for executing the program;

programmatically analyzing the program to determine a subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system required for execution of the program; and

combining the subset of the plurality of components and the program into a file, wherein said combining comprises interspersing the subset of the plurality of components with the program according to an execution order of the program;

transmitting the file to a target device, wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the interspersed subset of the plurality of components and the program according to the execution order of the program;

wherein the target device is configured to execute the subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system to execute the program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the target device executing the subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system to execute the program.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

the target device transmitting data to a computer system in response to said executing.

4. The method of claim 2,

wherein the program comprises a graphical program, comprising a block diagram portion and a user interface portion;

wherein said transmitting the program to the target device comprises transmitting the block diagram portion of the program to the target device; and

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

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the target device includes a memory medium having a first size;

wherein the file has a second larger size;

the method further comprising;

the target device receiving and storing a first portion of the file, wherein the first portion includes a first portion of the program and a first portion of the subset of the plurality of components;

the target device executing the first portion of the program and the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components;

the target device receiving and storing a second portion of the file, wherein the second portion includes a second portion of the program and a second portion of the subset of the plurality of components; and

the target device executing the second portion of the program and the second portion of the subset of the plurality of components.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a first component of the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components is also required to execute the second portion of the program, the method further comprising:

the target device storing the first component for said executing the second portion of the program.

7. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising:

the target device receiving and storing a third portion of the file, wherein the third portion includes a third portion of the program and a third portion of the subset of the plurality of components; and

the target device executing the third portion of the program and the third portion of the subset of the plurality of components.

8. The method of claim 5,

wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the subset of the plurality of components according to an execution order of the program.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein a first component of the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components is not required to execute the second portion of the subset of the plurality of components, the method further comprising:

the target device flushing the first component of the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components.

10. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

the target device generating a combined program from the file;

wherein said target device executing the subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system to execute the program comprises;

the target device executing the combined program.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a graphical program.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program.

13. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

creating the graphical program, wherein said creating the graphical program comprises;

arranging a plurality of nodes on a display; and

interconnecting the plurality of nodes in response to user input.

14. The method of claim 11,

wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion.

15. The method of claim 14,

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

16. The method of claim 11,

wherein the graphical program comprises a graphical data flow program.

17. The method of claim 1,

wherein the program is configured to perform one or more of:

an industrial automation function;

a process control function;

a test and measurement function;

or

a surveillance function.

18. A system for executing a program, the system comprising:

a computer system, comprising;

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium stores the program and a plurality of components of a program execution system, wherein the program is distinct from the program execution system, wherein the program execution system is for executing the program, wherein the memory medium also stores program instructions executable to analyze the program to determine a subset of the plurality of components required for execution of the program, and wherein the subset of the plurality of components comprises a minimal execution system; and

a target device coupled to the computer system via a transmission medium, wherein the target device comprises;

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor;

wherein the memory medium of the computer system further stores program instructions which are executable by the processor of the computer system to;

combine the subset of the plurality of components and the program into a file, wherein said combining comprises interspersing the subset of the plurality of components with the program according to an execution order of the program;

transmit the file to the target device, wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the interspersed subset of the plurality of components and the program according to the execution order of the program;

wherein the processor of the target device executes the program using the minimal execution system;

wherein said using the minimal execution system comprises using the subset of the plurality of components.

19. The system of claim 18,

wherein the processor of the target device is further configured to construct an executable program based on the program and the subset of the plurality of components.

20. The system of claim 19,

wherein the minimal execution system is executable by the processor of the target device to execute the executable program.

21. The system of claim 18,

wherein the processor of the target device is further configured to construct a combined program based on the program and the subset of the plurality of components.

22. The system of claim 18,

wherein the memory medium of the target device further stores a linker/loader program;

wherein the linker/loader program is executable by the processor of the target device to construct a combined program based on the program and the subset of the plurality of components;

wherein the minimal execution system is executable by the processor of the target device to execute the combined program.

23. A non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium which stores:

a plurality of components of a program execution system; and

program instructions which are executable to;

receive a program, wherein the program is distinct from the program execution system, wherein the program execution system is for executing the program;

programmatically analyze the program to determine a subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system required for execution of the program;

combine the subset of the plurality of components and the program into a file, wherein said combining comprises interspersing the subset of the plurality of components with the program according to an execution order of the program; and

transmit the file to a target device, wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the interspersed subset of the plurality of components and the program according to the execution order of the program;

wherein the plurality of components of the program execution system are executable on the target device to execute the program.

24. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 23,

wherein the program includes first functionality;

and

wherein the determined subset of the plurality of components are required to execute the first functionality of the program.

25. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 23,

wherein the target device comprises a linker/loader program that is configured to dynamically link the transmitted subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system and the program.

26. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 23,

wherein the plurality of components are a first portion of the program execution system, wherein the program execution system further includes a second portion, wherein the target device stores the second portion of the program execution system, wherein the plurality of components are designed to operate with the second portion of the program execution system.

27. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 23,

wherein the memory medium further stores program instructions which are executable by the target device to:

execute the subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system to execute the program.

28. A system for executing a program, the system comprising:

means for storing a plurality of components of a program execution system in a memory medium;

means for storing a program in the memory medium, wherein the program is distinct from the program execution system, and wherein the program execution system is for executing the program;

means for programmatically analyzing the program to determine a subset of the plurality of components required for execution of the program;

means for combining the subset of the plurality of components and the program into a file, wherein said combining comprises interspersing the subset of the plurality of components with the program according to an execution order of the program; and

means for transmitting the file to a target device, wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the interspersed subset of the plurality of components and the program according to the execution order of the program; and

means for executing the subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system to execute the program on the target device.

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

storing a plurality of components of a program execution system in a memory medium;

storing a graphical program in the memory medium, wherein the graphical program is distinct from the program execution system, and wherein the program execution system is for executing the graphical program;

programmatically analyzing the graphical program to determine a subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system required for execution of the graphical program; and

combining the subset of the plurality of components and the program into a file, wherein said combining comprises interspersing the subset of the plurality of components with the program according to an execution order of the program;

transmitting the file to a target device, wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the interspersed subset of the plurality of components and the program according to the execution order of the program;

wherein the target device is configured to execute the subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system to execute the graphical program.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

the target device executing the subset of the plurality of components of the program execution system to execute the graphical program.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

the target device transmitting data to a computer system in response to said executing.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said storing the plurality of components of the program execution system comprises:

storing the program execution system in a memory medium, wherein the program execution system is configured to execute programs;

determining a first subset of the program execution system, wherein the first subset is required for execution of a second subset of the program execution system, and wherein the first subset of the program execution system comprises a minimal execution system which is configured to be deployed on a target device;

storing the first subset of the program execution system;

determining a plurality of components of the second subset of the program execution system, wherein each of the plurality of components comprises a respective one or more functions; and

storing the components of the program execution system.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first subset of the execution system comprises one or more of:

a minimal execution engine;

or

a network manager.

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

storing a plurality of components of a graphical program execution system in a memory medium;

receiving a graphical program to the memory medium, wherein the graphical program is distinct from the graphical program execution system, and wherein the graphical program execution system is for executing the graphical program;

programmatically analyzing the graphical program in response to said receiving to determine a subset of the plurality of components of the graphical program execution system required for execution of the graphical program;

combining the subset of the plurality of components and the graphical program into a file, wherein said combining comprises interspersing the subset of the plurality of components with the graphical program according to an execution order of the graphical program;

transmitting the file to a target device, wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the interspersed subset of the plurality of components and the graphical program according to the execution order of the graphical program;

wherein the target device is configured to execute the subset of the plurality of components of the graphical program execution system to execute the program.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

the target device executing the subset of the plurality of components of the graphical program execution system to execute the graphical program.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

the target device transmitting data to a computer system in response to said executing.

37. The method of claim 34,

wherein the target device includes a memory medium having a first size;

wherein the file has a second larger size;

the method further comprising;

the target device receiving and storing a first portion of the file, wherein the first portion includes a first portion of the graphical program and a first portion of the subset of the plurality of components;

the target device executing the first portion of the graphical program and the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components;

the target device receiving and storing a second portion of the file, wherein the second portion includes a second portion of the graphical program and a second portion of the subset of the plurality of components; and

the target device executing the second portion of the graphical program and the second portion of the subset of the plurality of components.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein a first component of the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components is also required to execute the second portion of the graphical program, the method further comprising:

the target device storing the first component for said executing the second portion of the graphical program.

39. The method of claim 37,

wherein said transmitting the file to the target device comprises transmitting the subset of the plurality of components according to an execution order of the graphical program.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein a first component of the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components is not required to execute the second portion of the subset of the plurality of components, the method further comprising:

the target device flushing the first component of the first portion of the subset of the plurality of components.

41. The method of claim 37, the method further comprising:

the target device generating a combined graphical program from the file;

wherein said target device executing the subset of the plurality of components of the graphical program execution system to execute the graphical program comprises;

the target device executing the combined graphical program.

42. The method of claim 34,

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

an industrial automation function;

a process control function;

a test and measurement function;

or

a surveillance function.