Graphically specifying and indicating targeted execution in a graphical program

• US 8,612,870 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Fuller, David W III, Hayles, Timothy J., Correll, Jeffrey N., Breyer, John R., Komerup, Jacob, Shah, Darshan K., Vrancic, Aljosa
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US12/869,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/771
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23248 Integrate function blocks from different machines; CORBA, RMI protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23273 Select, associate the real hardware to be used in the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

System and method for distributed execution of a graphical program. A graphical program is displayed on a display of a computer system. Targeted execution of a first graphical program portion of the graphical program on an execution target is graphically specified. The graphical specification includes displaying a visual indication of the specified targeted execution on the display of the graphical program. During execution of the graphical program, the first graphical program portion executes on the specified execution target and a remainder of the graphical program executes on a default execution target.

Claims

1. A non-transitory memory medium that stores program instructions executable by a processor to perform:

displaying a graphical program on a display of a computer system, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program; and

graphically specifying targeted execution of a first graphical program portion of the graphical program on an execution target, wherein said graphically specifying comprises displaying a visual indication of the specified targeted execution on the display of the graphical program;

wherein during execution of the graphical program, the first graphical program portion executes on the specified execution target and a remainder of the graphical program executes on a default execution target.

2. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via color, wherein each node in the first graphical program portion has a color that indicates the targeted execution.

3. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via shading, wherein each node in the first graphical program portion has a shading that indicates the targeted execution.

4. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via shape, wherein each node in the first graphical program portion has a shape that indicates the targeted execution.

5. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via spatial separation from the remainder of the graphical program.

6. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via a target indicator node connected to each node in the first graphical program portion.

7. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via a graphical execution target indicator on each node in the first graphical program portion.

8. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via a bounding contour that delineates the first graphical program portion.

9. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

displaying an alphanumeric identifier of the execution target.

10. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 9, wherein said displaying an alphanumeric identifier of the execution target comprises one or more of:

displaying the alphanumeric identifier proximate to the first graphical program portion;

or

displaying the alphanumeric identifier in a legend on the display of the graphical program.

11. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein said graphically specifying targeted execution is performed in response to user input.

12. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 11, wherein the user input comprises:

user input selecting the first graphical program portion; and

user input specifying the execution target.

13. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

graphically specifying targeted execution of one or more additional graphical program portions of the graphical program on other respective execution targets, wherein said graphically specifying comprises displaying a visual indication of the specified targeted executions on the display of the graphical program;

wherein during execution of the graphical program, the one or more additional graphical program portions execute on the specified other respective execution targets and the remainder of the graphical program executes on the default execution target.

14. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

utilizing a computer to perform;

displaying a graphical program on a display of a computer system, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program; and

graphically specifying targeted execution of a first graphical program portion of the graphical program on an execution target, wherein said graphically specifying comprises displaying a visual indication of the specified targeted execution on the display of the graphical program;

wherein during execution of the graphical program, the first graphical program portion executes on the specified execution target and a remainder of the graphical program executes on a default execution target.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via color, wherein each node in the first graphical program portion has a color that indicates the targeted execution.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via shading, wherein each node in the first graphical program portion has a shading that indicates the targeted execution.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via shape, wherein each node in the first graphical program portion has a shape that indicates the targeted execution.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via spatial separation from the remainder of the graphical program.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via a target indicator node connected to each node in the first graphical program portion.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via a graphical execution target indicator on each node in the first graphical program portion.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

indicating the first graphical program portion via a bounding contour that delineates the first graphical program portion.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said displaying a visual indication comprises:

displaying an alphanumeric identifier of the execution target.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein said displaying an alphanumeric identifier of the execution target comprises one or more of:

displaying the alphanumeric identifier proximate to the first graphical program portion;

or

displaying the alphanumeric identifier in a legend on the display of the graphical program.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said graphically specifying targeted execution is performed in response to user input.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein the user input comprises:

user input selecting the first graphical program portion; and

user input specifying the execution target.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising:

utilizing the computer to perform;

graphically specifying targeted execution of one or more additional graphical program portions of the graphical program on other respective execution targets, wherein said graphically specifying comprises displaying a visual indication of the specified targeted executions on the display of the graphical program;

wherein during execution of the graphical program, the one or more additional graphical program portions execute on the specified other respective execution targets and the remainder of the graphical program executes on the default execution target.