Model based network communications

• US 8,200,849 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Raichek, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US12/134,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]

Abstract

In an implementation, a model executing at a target device may use networking services integrated within the model instead of using networking services of the operating system kernel. Latency and non-deterministic behavior associated with using networking services of the operating system kernel may be reduced. Computer-readable media may include instructions for compiling a model, that represents a design, for execution on a target computing device, the compiled model including one or more software components for directly communicating with a network adapter on the target computing device to handle network communications. The computer-readable media may additionally include instructions for transmitting the compiled model to the target computing device, the model, when executed, providing control over network communications at the target computing device.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing executable instructions for execution by processing logic, the executable instructions comprising:

one or more instructions, which, when executed by the processing logic, cause the processing logic to obtain a compiled model, that represents a design, for execution on a target computing device, the compiled model including one or more components for directly communicating with a network adapter on the target computing device to handle network communications; and

one or more instructions, which, when executed by the processing logic, cause the processing logic to transmit the compiled model to the target computing device, the model, when executed, providing control over network communications at the target computing device, where the control provided over network communications by the model occurs separately from network communications provided by an operating system executing on the target computing device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, where the one or more instructions to cause the processing logic to obtain the model includes one or more instructions to cause the processing logic to compile the model to obtain a compiled representation of the model.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, where the model is a graphical model.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 3, where the model is expressed using a declarative specification.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 4, where the graphical model includes a time-based block diagram or a data flow diagram.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, where the model is expressed using an imperative specification.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, where the model is expressed using an array-based specification.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, where the control over network communications at the target computing device is in real time.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, where the one or more components for directly communicating with the network adapter include one or more components for Ethernet communications.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, where the one or more components for directly communicating with the network adapter include software drivers.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, where the model is expressed using a plurality of graphical blocks, a block defining a functionality of the model.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, where the plurality of blocks of the graphical model include one or more network aware blocks that communicate data related to the network communications.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, where the network aware blocks communicate data related to the network communications based on one or more pointers to one or more buffers in which the data is stored.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, where the plurality of blocks of the graphical model include one or more network unaware blocks that communicate data related to the network communications.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, where the network unaware blocks communicate data related to the network communications as vectors or other structures.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, where the plurality of graphical blocks of the model include one or more network communications blocks that, when included in the model, provide one or more network communication services for the model.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, where the network communications blocks include one or more Ethernet communications blocks that, when included in the model, provide one or more Ethernet communication services for the model.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing executable instructions for execution by processing logic, the executable instructions comprising:

one or more instructions, which, when executed by the processing logic, cause the processing logic to receive a compiled application at a target computing device that is executing an operating system, the application representing a design, the application having been compiled to include one or more software components for directly communicating with a network adapter on the target computing device to handle network communications, where the communication through the network adapter occurs without using network services provided by the operating system; and

one or more instructions, which, when executed by the processing logic, cause the processing logic to execute the compiled application at the target computing device, the application, when executed, providing control over network communications handled through the network adapter.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, where the control over network communications handled through the network adapter is handled in real time.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, where the one or more software components include a driver for Ethernet communications, the non-transitory computer-readable media further comprising:

one or more instructions, which, when executed by the processing logic, cause the processing logic to perform Ethernet communications.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, where the instructions for receiving the compiled application at the target device include one or more instructions for receiving the compiled application through a second network adapter that is accessed through communication services provided by an operating system of the target computing device.

22. A computing device comprising:

a network adapter;

processing logic; and

a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the processing logic to;

implement an operating system, and

implement a model that runs under control of the operating system, the model including one or more software components for directly communicating with the network adapter, where the one or more software components communicate with the network adapter without using networking services provided by the operating system.

23. The computing device of claim 22, further comprising:

a second network adapter, where the model communicates with the second network adapter using software components supported by the operating system.

24. The computing device of claim 23, where the one or more software components include one or more drivers for Ethernet communications, and where the memory further includes instructions to:

perform Ethernet communications.

25. The computing device of claim 22, where portions of the model related to communicating with the network adapter pass references to network data.

26. The computing device of claim 25, where the network data are passed as one or more pointers to one or more buffers.

27. A system comprising:

a computing device including;

a network adapter,

processing logic,

an operating system, and

a compiled version of a model, executed by the processing logic under control of the operating system, the model interacting with one or more network devices over a communications network using one or more software components that are compiled as part of the model and that directly communicate with the network adapter, where the one or more software components communicate with the one or more network devices without using networking services provided by the operating system.

28. The system of claim 27, where the one or more network devices include at least one of sensors or actuators.

29. The system of claim 27, where the one or more software components include Ethernet drivers and where the one or more software components communicate with the one or more network devices using an Ethernet protocol.

30. A method comprising:

obtaining a compiled model, that represents a design, for execution on a target computing device, the compiled model including one or more components for directly communicating with a network adapter on the target computing device to handle network communications, where the obtaining is performed by a network device; and

transmitting the compiled model to the target computing device, the model, when executed, providing control over network communications at the target computing device, where the control provided over network communications by the model occurs separately from network communications provided by an operating system executing on the target computing device, and where the transmitting is performed by the network device.

31. The method of claim 30, where the control over network communications at the target computing device is in real time.

32. A method comprising:

receiving a compiled application at a target computing device that is executing an operating system, the application representing a design, the application having been compiled to include one or more software components for directly communicating with a network adapter on the target computing device to handle network communications; and

executing the compiled application at the target computing device, the application, when executed, providing control over network communications handled through the network adapter, where the control provided over network communications by the application occurs separately from network communications provided by the operating system.