Graphical partitioning for parallel execution of executable block diagram models

• US 8,756,044 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Mani, Ramamurthy, Simsek, Hidayet Tunc, Ciolfi, John Edward, Popovici, Katalin Maria, Martin, Benjamin Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivas, Omar Fernandez
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAY, HERNG DER
• Application Number:
  US12/895,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5066 Algorithms for mapping a plurality of inter-dependent sub-tasks onto a plurality of physical CPUs mappping at compile time, see G06F8/451

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments allow executable graphical models, such as block diagram models, to be graphically partitioned for execution on concurrent computing resources. Embodiments allow model components to be grouped into subtasks that are affiliated with tasks associated with concurrent computing resources. Tasks and sub graphs can be mapped to concurrent computing resources according to characteristics, such as sample time, solver type, etc. Embodiments further allow mappings to be visually indicated to a user via various display techniques including color, text, icons, shading, grouping of identifiers, etc. Concurrently executing portions of a model allows model results to be obtained faster than can be obtained when models are executed on a single computing resource, such as a single processor.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

interacting with an executable block diagram model,

the block diagram model including a first component and a second component, and

interacting with the block diagram model being performed by a processor;

partitioning the block diagram model graphically,

partitioning the block diagram model being performed by the processor, and

the partitioning associating;

a first sub graph with the first component,

the first sub graph performing a first operation during an execution of the block diagram model, and

a second sub graph with the second component,

the second sub graph performing a second operation during the execution of the block diagram model;

identifying a task group component,

identifying the task group component being performed by the processor, and

the task group component including;

a first task identifier,

the first task identifier identifying a first task,

 

the first task being associated with a first concurrent computing resource,

 

the first task executing on the first concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model,

the first task identifier being graphically associated with the first sub graph and allowing the first sub graph to execute on the first concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model, and

a second task identifier,

the second task identifier identifying a second task,

 

the second task being associated with a second concurrent computing resource,

 

the second task executing on the second concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model,

the second task identifier being graphically associated with the second sub graph and allowing the second sub graph to execute on the second concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model;

executing causing the execution of the block diagram model,

causing the execution of the block diagram model being performed by the processor, and

the executing the execution of the block diagram model including;

executing the first sub graph on the first concurrent computing resource concurrently with the second sub graph executing on the second concurrent computing resource, and

obtaining an execution result,

obtaining the execution result being performed by the processor.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where:

the first sub graph and the second sub graph are associated with sub graph identifiers, and

task identifiers or the sub graph identifiers graphically represent a number of concurrent computing resources that include the first concurrent computing resource and the second concurrent computing resource.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where:

the first sub graph and the second sub graph have sub graph identifiers for visually indicating the first sub graph and the second sub graph, and

the sub graph identifiers are used to map the first sub graph and the second sub graph to the first concurrent computing resource and the second concurrent computing resource.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where partitioning the block diagram model includes:

hierarchically partitioning the block diagram model using the first component and the second component.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where:

the first task has a first sample time and the second task has a second sample time, and

where partitioning the block diagram model includes;

partitioning the block diagram model based on the first sample time or the second sample time.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, where the first sample time and the second sample time are the same.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where the first task is a continuous task or the second task is a continuous task.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where the block diagram model is interpretively executed.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating code for the block diagram model prior to the execution of the block diagram model; and

where the execution of the block diagram model further includes;

executing the generated code.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, where the generated code is configured for real-time execution on the first concurrent computing resource and the second concurrent computing resource.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where the first concurrent computing resource and the second concurrent computing resource are associated with one or more target environments.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where the first concurrent computing resource and the second concurrent computing resource are threads or processes of an operating system operating on a parallel platform.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where the first concurrent computing resource and the second concurrent computing resource are cores.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where the block diagram model is partitioned based on receiving a user input.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, where:

the first task and the second task are mapped to the first sub graph and the second sub graph, respectively, using a programmatic application program interface (API), or

the first sub graph and the second sub graph are mapped to the first concurrent computing resource and the second concurrent computing resource, respectively, using the programmatic API.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to;

interact with an executable block diagram model,

the block diagram model includes a first component and a second component;

partition the block diagram model graphically,

the partitioning associating;

a first sub graph with the first component,

 

the first sub graph performing a first operation during an execution of the block diagram model, and

a second sub graph with the second component,

 

the second sub graph performing a second operation during the execution of the block diagram model;

identify a task group component,

the task group component including;

a first task identifier,

 

the first task identifier identifying a first task,

 

the first task being associated with a first concurrent computing resource,

 

the first task executing on the first concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model,

 

the first task identifier being graphically associated with the first sub graph and allowing the first sub graph to execute on the first concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model, and

a second task identifier,

 

the second task identifier identifying a second task,

 

the second task being associated with a second concurrent computing resource,

 

the second task executing on the second concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model,

 

the second task identifier being graphically associated with the second sub graph and allowing the second sub graph to execute on the second concurrent computing resource during the execution of the block diagram model; and

cause the execution of the block diagram model,

where the executing the execution of the block diagram model causing;

the first sub graph to execute on the first concurrent computing resource concurrently with the second sub graph executing on the second concurrent computing resource, and

 

produces a generation of an execution result.