Spreadsheet-based graphical user interface for modeling of products using the systems engineering process

• US 8,626,477 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XLDyn, LLC
• Original Assignee: XLDyn, LLC
• Inventors: Oh, Kong Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Kamini S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Cedric D
• Application Number:
  US13/040,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 703/6, 715/212
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven

Abstract

A spreadsheet environment is used as a graphical user interface for depicting and interacting with the various aspects of a system. In particular, the spreadsheet environment supports using OMG SysML to model a system and to execute tasks associated with the systems engineering process.

Claims

1. A method of modeling a system comprising a plurality of components, the method comprising:

using a computer to provide a spreadsheet environment comprising a plurality of workbooks, each workbook comprising a plurality of worksheets;

defining a plurality of shape objects within the spreadsheet environment, the shape objects representing the components of the system, each shape object having a component property comprising at least one of a spreadsheet environment-given name, a component type, a number of inputs and outputs, or parameters unique to the component type, wherein at least one component is a subsystem comprising a plurality of components, and wherein at least one shape object is a first superblock representing the subsystem, the components of the subsystem represented as a plurality of shape objects in a first worksheet of a workbook different from a second worksheet of the workbook in which other components of the system are represented, at least one shape object of the subsystem comprising a second superblock;

using a macro in the spreadsheet environment that provides user interface elements in the spreadsheet environment to manage the shape objects, relationships between the shape objects, and data associated with at least one of a dynamic system model, a business process model, or a workflow model in the spreadsheet environment, wherein at least one of the relationships between the shape objects comprises a connection between at least two shape objects defined using a graphic connector element having a property comprising respective identities of the at least two shape objects;

using the spreadsheet environment to interact with a federated system comprising a plurality of applications for working with the system;

using the spreadsheet environment in which the system model resides to model at least one of a dynamic system, a business process, or a workflow;

using the spreadsheet environment to generate a plurality of diagrams of the system or subsystem in a graphical system modeling language, the plurality of diagrams reflecting at least one of a requirements view, an activities view, a hierarchical view, a parametric view, a component and subsystem interaction view, a state transition view, or a cross allocation view;

in response to receiving a user input indicating activation of a diagram of the system or subsystem, executing an application of the federated system;

using the spreadsheet environment to diagram a plurality of system models and a plurality of subsystem models;

using a macro in the spreadsheet environment to perform at least one action on at least one of the system models or subsystem models to perform at least one of dynamic system simulation, process automation, and performance index calculations; and

using a simulation result to update a spreadsheet cell that is part of a tabular requirements diagram stored in the workbook.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action is selected from conducting a simulation of the system model, simulating a dynamic system, automating a process, and calculating a performance index.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a range within the spreadsheet environment; and

using the range to store at least one of a table and a value in the graphical system modeling language.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the system model in a database; and

synchronizing the database with the workbook in the spreadsheet environment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a tree control to navigate the components of the system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a hyperlink with a first shape object representing a first component of the system; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the hyperlink, invoking one of a product evaluation and validation tool and a worksheet corresponding to a second component of the system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical system modeling language is OMG SysML.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to model a system comprising a plurality of components by:

using the computer to provide a spreadsheet environment comprising a plurality of workbooks, each workbook comprising a plurality of worksheets;

defining a plurality of shape objects within the spreadsheet environment, the shape objects representing the components of the system, each shape object having a component property comprising at least one of a spreadsheet environment-given name, a component type, a number of inputs and outputs, or parameters unique to the component type, wherein at least one component is a subsystem comprising a plurality of components, and wherein at least one shape object is a first superblock representing the subsystem, the components of the subsystem represented as a plurality of shape objects in a first worksheet of a workbook different from a second worksheet of the workbook in which other components of the system are represented, at least one shape object of the subsystem comprising a second superblock;

using a macro in the spreadsheet environment that provides user interface elements in the spreadsheet environment to manage the shape objects, relationships between the shape objects, and data associated with at least one of a dynamic system model, a business process model, or a workflow model in the spreadsheet environment, wherein at least one of the relationships between the shape objects comprises a connection between at least two shape objects defined using a graphic connector element having a property comprising respective identities of the at least two shape objects;

using the spreadsheet environment to generate a system model comprising a plurality of diagrams of the system or subsystem in a graphical system modeling language, the plurality of diagrams reflecting at least one of a requirements view, an activities view, a hierarchical view, a parametric view, a component and subsystem interaction view, a state transition view, or a cross allocation view;

using the spreadsheet environment in which the system model was generated to interact with a federated system comprising a plurality of applications for modeling a performance measure associated with the subsystem;

using the spreadsheet environment in which the system model was generated to model at least one of a dynamic system, a business process, or a workflow; and

in response to receiving a user input indicating activation of a diagram of the system, using a macro to execute at least one of a dynamic system model, a business process model, or a workflow model in the spreadsheet environment in which the system model was generated or an application of the federated system.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one action is selected from conducting a simulation of the system model, simulating a dynamic system, automating a process, and calculating a performance index.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, storing further instructions for:

defining a range within the spreadsheet environment; and

using the range to store at least one of a table and a value in the graphical system modeling language.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, storing further instructions for:

storing the system model in a database; and

synchronizing the database with the workbook in the spreadsheet environment.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, storing further instructions for providing a tree control to navigate the components of the system.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, storing further instructions for:

associating a hyperlink with a first shape object representing a first component of the system; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the hyperlink, invoking one of a product evaluation and validation tool and a worksheet corresponding to a second component of the system.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the graphical system modeling language is OMG SysML.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor configured to receive and to execute processor-executable instructions;

a memory device in communication with the processor and storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to model a system comprising a plurality of components by

using the processor to provide a spreadsheet environment comprising a plurality of workbooks, each workbook comprising a plurality of worksheets;

defining a plurality of shape objects within the spreadsheet environment, the shape objects representing the components of the system, each shape object having a component property comprising at least one of a spreadsheet environment-given name, a component type, a number of inputs and outputs, or parameters unique to the component type, wherein at least one component is a subsystem comprising a plurality of components, and wherein at least one shape object is a first superblock representing the subsystem, the components of the subsystem represented as a plurality of shape objects in a first worksheet of a workbook different from a second worksheet of the workbook in which other components of the system are represented, at least one shape object of the subsystem comprising a second superblock;

using a macro in the spreadsheet environment that provides user interface elements in the spreadsheet environment to manage the shape objects, relationships between the shape objects, and data associated with at least one of a dynamic system model, a business process model, or a workflow model in the spreadsheet environment, wherein at least one of the relationships between the shape objects comprises a connection between at least two shape objects defined using a graphic connector element having a property comprising respective identities of the at least two shape objects;

using the spreadsheet environment to generate a system model comprising a plurality of diagrams of the system or subsystem in a graphical system modeling language, the plurality of diagrams reflecting at least one of a requirements view, an activities view, a hierarchical view, a parametric view, a component and subsystem interaction view, a state transition view, or a cross allocation view;

using the spreadsheet environment in which the system model was generated to interact with a federated system comprising a plurality of applications for determining a performance measure associated with the subsystem;

using the spreadsheet environment in which the system model was generated to model at least one of a dynamic system, a business process, or a workflow;

in response to receiving a user input indicating activation of a diagram of the system or subsystem, using a macro to execute at least one of a dynamic system model, a business process model, or a workflow model in the spreadsheet environment in which the system model was generated or an application of the federated system.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the at least one action is selected from conducting a simulation of the system model, simulating a dynamic system, automating a process, and calculating a performance index.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the memory device stores further instructions for:

defining a range within the spreadsheet environment; and

using the range to store at least one of a table and a value in the graphical system modeling language.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the memory device stores further instructions for:

storing the system model in a database; and

synchronizing the database with the workbook in the spreadsheet environment.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the memory device stores further instructions for providing a tree control to navigate the components of the system.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the memory device stores further instructions for:

associating a hyperlink with a first shape object representing a first component of the system; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the hyperlink, invoking one of a product evaluation and validation tool and a worksheet corresponding to a second component of the system.