Logic table

• US 8,914,773 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allen Learning Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Allen Learning Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Allen, Michael W., Birth, Steven M., Coyle, Jesse L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera, Anibal
• Application Number:
  US13/701,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20130074034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90339 by using parallel associative memories or content-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

The disclosed logic tables include a truth table, an answer table and a state table. The logic tables enable integration of conditional logic, complex situational judging, and state handling using an elegant, visual set of tools with a consistent graphical user interface. The user is able to create logical interactions between objects which would otherwise require the use of a complex computer programming language.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, characterized in that the non-transitory computer-readable medium is configured

for providing a logic table as a graphical object on an image display so that a user can implement the functions of the logic table without a user creating a source code,

wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is further configured to allow a computer apparatus to execute a method of associating a plurality of program objects using the logic table as a program object in a graphical user interface (GUI) system, the GUI system being implemented by a combined programming and running implementation that interacts with a multimedia computer application, the combined programming and running implementation being provided on the computer apparatus that includes a database and an image display, the GUI system being displayed on the image display, the method comprising:

displaying a first program object, a second program object and the logic table in the GUI system by the combined programming and running implementation accessing the first program object, the second program object and the logic table from an object library stored in the database, modifying a multimedia computer application and storing the modified multimedia computer application in the database;

linking a property of the first program object as an input to the logic table by the combined programming and running implementation further modifying the multimedia computer application and storing the further modified multimedia computer application in the database;

linking the property of the first program object to a property state of the logic table by the combined programming and running implementation further modifying the multimedia computer application and storing the further modified multimedia computer application in the database, the property state including a value statement, the property of the first program object being linked to the value statement, and the property state being linked to a numerical value property of the logic table as an output;

either one of (1) linking the numerical value property of the logic table as the output to a property of the second program object, or (2) linking the numerical value property of the second program object to the output, by the combined programming and running implementation further modifying the multimedia computer application and storing the further modified multimedia computer application in the database, thereby linking the property of the first program object and the property of the second program object through the logic table.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the value statement is a true or false statement.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the value statement is an alphanumerical statement.

4. The computer-readable medium of any of claim 1, further comprising evaluating the property of the first program object based on an evaluation expression, and linking the property of the first program object to the value statement based on the evaluation.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein a program object other than the first program object is linked as the input, the property state includes a plurality of value statements where one of the value statements is linked to a property of the program object other than the first program object that is linked as the input, and the evaluation expression references the property of the program object other than the first program object that is linked as the input, and the evaluation is based on the reference to the property of the program object other than the first program object that is linked as the input.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic table includes an input port and an output port for linking the properties of the program objects.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic table includes a value property port for linking the value statements.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic table includes an out wire bay for collecting a plurality of links.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic table includes a play control, wherein the play control allows a user to move from one property state to another property state.

10. The computer-readable medium claim 1, wherein the logic table includes a tween bar to manipulate the transition between one property state to another property state.