Configuring a state diagram with graphical source code

• US 8,656,351 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Intruments Corporation
• Inventors: Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Hogan, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): UNG, LANNY N
• Application Number:
  US13/226,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20110321006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 717/109
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A system and method for configuring a state diagram with graphical source code is described. The state diagram may be created in response to user input. The state diagram may include a plurality of state icons and a plurality of connector elements interconnecting the state icons, where the state icons represent a plurality of states and wherein the connector elements represent transitions between the states. Graphical source code may be associated with one or more of the state icons.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions executable by one or more processors to:

create a state diagram, wherein in creating the state diagram the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to display a plurality of state icons on a display device and display a plurality of connector elements interconnecting the state icons on the display device, wherein the state icons represent a plurality of states and wherein the connector elements represent transitions between the states;

wherein the plurality of state icons includes a first state icon representing a first state, wherein in creating the state diagram the program instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to associate the first state icon with graphical source code, wherein the graphical source code comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical source code, wherein the plurality of interconnected nodes are not state icons, and wherein the graphical source code specifies one or more of;

program code to be executed when the first state is active;

or

program code specifying one or more transition conditions for transitioning from the first state to a different state.

2. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the graphical source code is configured to be compiled into executable code.

3. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to associate the first state icon with the graphical source code in response to user input associating the graphical source code with the first state icon.

4. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 3,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to associate the first state icon with the graphical source code in response to user input associating a graphical source code module with the first state icon, wherein the graphical source code module includes the graphical source code.

5. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the graphical source code comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to associate the first state icon with the graphical source code in response to user input associating the nodes of the graphical source code with the first state icon.

6. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 5,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to associate the first state icon with the graphical source code in response to user input dragging and dropping the nodes of the graphical source code onto the first state icon.

7. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the program instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to generate a graphical program from the state diagram, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to include the graphical source code with which the first state icon is associated in the generated graphical program.

8. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 7,

wherein the graphical program generated from the state diagram includes a graphical source code framework corresponding to the plurality of states and the transitions between the states, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to include the graphical source code with which the first state icon is associated in the graphical source code framework.

9. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 7,

wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to automatically generate the graphical program without any user input specifying the graphical program during said generating.

10. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the graphical source code with which the first state icon is associated is first graphical source code, wherein the plurality of state icons further includes a second state icon representing a second state, wherein in creating the state diagram the program instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to associate the second state icon with second graphical source code;

wherein the program instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to generate a graphical program from the state diagram, wherein in generating the graphical program the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to;

include the first graphical source code with which the first state icon is associated in the graphical program;

include the second graphical source code with which the second state icon is associated in the graphical program; and

connect the first graphical source code to the second graphical source code in the graphical program.

11. A method comprising:

a computer system creating a state diagram, wherein creating the state diagram includes displaying a plurality of state icons on a display device and displaying a plurality of connector elements interconnecting the state icons on the display device, wherein the state icons represent a plurality of states and wherein the connector elements represent transitions between the states;

wherein the plurality of state icons includes a first state icon representing a first state, wherein the method further comprises the computer system associating the first state icon with graphical source code, wherein the graphical source code comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical source code, wherein the plurality of interconnected nodes are not state icons, and wherein the graphical source code specifies one or more of;

program code to be executed when the first state is active;

or

program code specifying one or more transition conditions for transitioning from the first state to a different state.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein the computer system associates the first state icon with the graphical source code in response to user input associating the graphical source code with the first state icon.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

the computer system generating a graphical program from the state diagram, wherein generating the graphical program comprises including the graphical source code with which the first state icon is associated in the graphical program.

14. The method of claim 11,

wherein the graphical source code with which the first state icon is associated is first graphical source code, wherein the plurality of state icons further includes a second state icon representing a second state, wherein the method further comprises:

the computer system associating the second state icon with second graphical source code;

the computer system generating a graphical program from the state diagram, wherein generating the graphical program comprises;

including the first graphical source code with which the first state icon is associated in the graphical program;

including the second graphical source code with which the second state icon is associated in the graphical program; and

connecting the first graphical source code to the second graphical source code in the graphical program.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to;

create a state diagram, wherein in creating the state diagram the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to display a plurality of state icons on a display device and display a plurality of connector elements interconnecting the state icons on the display device, wherein the state icons represent a plurality of states and wherein the connector elements represent transitions between the states;

wherein the plurality of state icons includes a first state icon representing a first state, wherein in creating the state diagram the program instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to associate the first state icon with graphical source code, wherein the graphical source code comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical source code, wherein the plurality of interconnected nodes are not state icons, and wherein the graphical source code specifies one or more of;

program code to be executed when the first state is active;

or

program code specifying one or more transition conditions for transitioning from the first state to a different state.