Method of graphically linking multiple disjoint models

• US 8,751,199 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Behboodian, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivas, Omar Fernandez
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLE, ANGEL J.
• Application Number:
  US11/646,873
• Time in Patent Office: 2,722 Days
• Field of Search: 703/2, 715/201, 715/826, 717/106
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2117/08 HW-SW co-design, e.g. HW-SW partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines

Abstract

The disclosed methods, mechanisms, and system provide the ability to associate one or more disjointed models such that a second model can be accessed from a first model thereby allowing easier navigation between models. A graphical link to a second model is provided as part of a first model. Activating the graphical link opens the second model for viewing or editing. Links between additional models may also be provided. Thus, by using the provided graphical links, a user may quickly and easily navigate between all the associated models.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating an association between a first model and a second model,

the first model representing a part of a system,

the second model representing another part of the system,

the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system,

the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,

the operation including at least one of;

designing the first model,

testing the first model, or

debugging the first model, and

the creating being performed by a computing device;

generating a graphical link to the second model based on the association,

the generating being performed by the computing device;

providing, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link,

the providing for presentation being performed by the computing device;

receiving an activation of the graphical link,

the receiving being performed by the computing device; and

providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model,

the providing, for presentation, the second model being performed by the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, where at least one of the first model or the second model is a graphical model.

3. The method of claim 1, where the graphical link comprises a user interface element.

4. The method of claim 1, where the second model is associated with a version control system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and

providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model when the graphical link to the first model is activated.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing a user to visually create the association between the first model and the second model using a graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, where the association is created using a graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, where the graphical link is generated using a link map.

10. The method of claim 9, where the link map is derived from a version control system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, for presentation, a second graphical link to a third model.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing, for presentation, the third model when the second graphical link is activated.

13. The method of claim 1, where, when providing for presentation the second model, the method includes:

providing, for presentation, information associated with the second model.

14. The method of claim 1, where activating the graphical link initiates a callback.

15. The method of claim 1, where the graphical link to the second model is part of the first model.

16. The method of claim 5, where the graphical link to the first model is part of the second model.

17. The method of claim 1, where at least one of the first model or the second model is executable.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

create an association between a first model and a second model,

the first model representing a part of a system,

the second model representing another part of the system,

the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and

the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,

the operation including at least one of;

 

designing the first model,

 

testing the first model, or

 

debugging the first model;

generate a graphical link to the second model based on the association;

provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model;

receive an activation of the graphical link; and

provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model.

19. The medium of claim 18, where at least one of the first model or the second model is a graphical model.

20. The medium of claim 18, where the graphical link comprises a user interface element.

21. The medium of claim 18, where the second model is associated with a version control system.

22. The medium of claim 18, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to provide, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model.

23. The medium of claim 22, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and

one or more instructions to provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model after the graphical link to the first model is activated.

24. The medium of claim 18, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to allow a user to visually create the association between the first model and the second model using a graphical user interface.

25. The medium of claim 18, where the association is created using a graphical user interface.

26. The medium of claim 18, where the graphical link is generated using a link map.

27. The medium of claim 26, where the link map is derived from a version control system.

28. The medium of claim 18, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to provide, for presentation a second graphical link to a third model.

29. The medium of claim 28, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to provide, for presentation the third model when the second graphical link is activated.

30. The medium of claim 18, where the one or more instructions to provide, for presentation, the second model include:

one or more instructions to provide, for presentation, information about associated with the second model.

31. The medium of claim 18, where activating the graphical link initiates a callback.

32. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to;

create an association between a first model and a second model in a modeling environment,

the first model being executable and representing a part of a system,

the second model representing another part of the system,

the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and

the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,

the operation including at least one of;

 

designing the first model,

 

testing the first model, or

 

debugging the first model;

create a graphical link from the first model to the second model based on the association;

provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model;

receive an activation of the graphical link; and

provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, where the processor is further to:

provide, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model;

receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and

provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model after the graphical link to the first model is activated.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, where the processor is further to:

generate code that provides the graphical link from the first model to the second model.

35. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to;

receive a visual indication of an association between a first model and a second model,

the first model representing a part of a system,

the second model representing another part of the system,

the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and

the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,

the operation including at least one of;

 

designing the first model,

 

testing the first model, or

 

debugging in the first model;

generate a graphical link to the second model based on the received visual indication;

provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model;

receive an activation of the graphical link; and

provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, where the apparatus is one of:

a server device,

a client device, or

a network device.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, where the processor, when providing, for presentation, the second model, is further to:

provide, for presentation, information associated with the second model.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, where the processor is further to:

provide, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model;

receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and

provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model after the graphical link to the first model is activated.

39. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

create an association between a first model and a second model,

the first model representing a part of a system,

the second model representing another part of the system,

the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and

the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,

the operation including at least one of;

 

designing the first model,

 

testing the first model, or

 

debugging the first model;

generate a graphical link to the second model based on the association;

provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, and the graphical link to the second model;

receive an activation of the graphical link;

provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model;

provide, for presentation with the second model, a graphical link to the first model;

receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and

provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model based on the received activation of the graphical link to the first model.

40. A method comprising:

receiving a visual indication that a first model is associated with a second model,

the first model representing a part of a system,

the second model representing another part of the system,

the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system,

the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,

the operation including at least one of;

designing the first model,

testing the first model, or

debugging the first model, and

the receiving being performed by a computing device;

generating a graphical link based on the received visual indication,

the generating being performed by the computing device;

providing, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link in a modeling environment,

the providing, for presentation, being performed by the computing device;

receiving an activation of the graphical link,

the receiving being performed by the computing device; and

providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model,

the providing, for presentation, the second model being performed by the computing device.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

providing, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model;

receiving an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and

providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model when the graphical link to the first model is activated.