Determining differences between configuration diagrams

• US 20060168183A1
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Shah, Mohammed Kamran, Fuller, David W. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25067 Graphic configuration control system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

System and method for determining and/or merging differences between configuration diagrams. First information is received regarding a first configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a first system, and second information is received regarding a second configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a second system. At least a portion of the nodes may correspond to hardware devices, programs, and/or configuration data of the respective systems, and may be interconnected. The first and second information is analyzed to determine and/or merge differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram, e.g., differences between hardware, software, configuration, and/or connectivity, e.g., by traversing the configuration diagrams or data structures representing the diagrams. An indication of the differences and/or a merged configuration diagram may be displayed on a display device, e.g., where the differences are indicated graphically, e.g., via highlighting.

Claims

1. A computer-accessible memory medium storing program instructions for determining differences between configuration diagrams, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:

receiving first information regarding a first configuration diagram, wherein the first configuration diagram comprises a first plurality of nodes, wherein the first configuration diagram graphically represents a first system;

receiving second information regarding a second configuration diagram, wherein the second configuration diagram comprises a second plurality of nodes, wherein the second configuration diagram graphically represents a second system;

analyzing the first and second information to determine differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram; and

displaying an indication of the differences on a display device.

2. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the nodes of the first configuration diagram and at least a subset of the nodes of the second configuration diagram correspond respectively to components in the first and second systems, and wherein the components comprise one or more of:

hardware devices;

programs; and

configuration data.

3. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein one or more of the first plurality of nodes correspond to hardware devices in the first system;

and

wherein one or more of the second plurality of nodes correspond to hardware devices in the second system.

4. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the first plurality of nodes comprise:

one or more nodes corresponding to hardware devices in the first system; and

one or more nodes corresponding to programs in the first system;

wherein the second plurality of nodes comprise;

one or more nodes corresponding to hardware devices in the second system; and

one or more nodes corresponding to programs in the second system.

5. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram comprise one or more of:

differences between hardware devices comprised in the first and second systems;

differences between programs comprised in the first and second systems; and

differences between configuration data comprised in the first and second systems,

6. The memory medium of claim 5, wherein at least a subset of the first plurality of nodes and/or at least a subset of the second plurality of nodes are interconnected, and wherein the differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram further comprise:

differences in interconnectivity of components comprised in the first and second systems.

7. The memory medium of claim 6, wherein said differences in interconnectivity of components comprised in the first and second systems comprise differences in one or more of:

physical connectivity between components;

data flow between components;

signal flow between components;

dependencies between components; and

calling relationships between components.

8. The memory medium of claim 5, wherein said differences between hardware devices comprised in the first and second systems comprise differences in one or more of:

number and types of the hardware devices;

sub-components of the hardware devices; and

configuration of the hardware devices.

9. The memory medium of claim 5, wherein said differences between programs comprised in the first and second systems comprise differences in one or more of:

software versions;

number and types of programs;

sub-components of the programs;

source code of the programs;

deployment of the programs; and

configuration of the programs.

10. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the first configuration diagram comprises one or more of:

the first configuration diagram;

a graph of the first configuration diagram;

a description of the first configuration diagram; and

a data structure specifying the first configuration diagram.

11. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said analyzing the first and second information to determine differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram comprises:

traversing the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram to determine the differences.

12. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying an indication of the differences on a display device comprises one or more of:

displaying a textual description of each of said differences;

displaying at least one of said first and second configuration diagrams and highlighting at least a subset of the differences between said first and second configuration diagrams; and

displaying a merged configuration diagram comprising at least a subset of a union of the first and second configuration diagrams and graphically indicating the differences between the first and second configuration diagrams.

13. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said analyzing comprises:

creating one or more data structures which include information regarding the first plurality of nodes in the first configuration diagram and the second plurality of nodes in the second configuration diagram;

wherein said determining differences comprises comparing the one or more data structures to determine the differences.

14. The memory medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more data structures each comprises a directed graph comprising a plurality of vertices connected by edges, wherein each of the vertices represents one of the nodes in a respective one of the first and second configuration diagrams.

15. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first system comprises an actual system, and wherein said receiving first information regarding the first system comprises:

querying the first system to determine the plurality of components; and

receiving the first information regarding the first system in response to said querying.

16. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the second system comprises an actual system, and wherein said receiving second information regarding the second system comprises:

querying the second system to determine the plurality of components; and

receiving the second information regarding the second system in response to said querying.

17. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said analyzing the first and second information to determine differences and/or matches between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram is performed in accordance with specified difference and/or match criteria.

18. The memory medium of claim 17, wherein specified difference and/or match criteria comprise one or more of:

tolerance;

category;

cost;

performance; and

specified subsets of the first and second configuration diagrams for said analyzing.

19. The memory medium of claim 17, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

receiving user input specifying the difference and/or match criteria.

20. The memory medium of claim 19,

wherein the user input specifying the difference and/or match criteria comprises user input specifying a portion of the first and/or second configuration diagrams to analyze;

and

wherein said analyzing and said displaying are performed with respect to the specified portion of the first and/or second configuration diagrams.

21. The memory medium of claim 20, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

receiving user input initiating said analyzing and said displaying, wherein said analyzing and said displaying are performed in response to said initiating.

22. The memory medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

storing diff/merge information for each of a plurality of actions performed by the user and/or by the memory medium; and

receiving user input invoking one or more undo operations based on the stored diff/merge information, wherein the one or more undo operations correspond respectively to one or more of the plurality of actions.

23. The memory medium of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

receiving user input invoking one or more redo operations based on the stored diff/merge information, wherein the one or more redo operations correspond respectively to one or more of the one or more undo operations.

24. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first configuration diagram comprises a specification for a desired system, wherein the second system comprises an actual system, and wherein said displaying indicates one or more components represented in the first configuration diagram but missing from the actual system, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

searching for the one or more components based on the indicated one or more components, wherein the one or more components are operable to be included in the actual system.

25. The memory medium of claim 24, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

indicating the one or more components on the display device.

26. The memory medium of claim 24, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

initiating acquisition of the one or more components.

27. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

receiving payment information for purchase of the one or more components.

28. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein said initiating acquisition of the one or more components is performed:

automatically;

or

in response to user input requesting purchase of the one or more components.

29. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

downloading one or more software components to a client computer system for deployment to the actual system.

30. The memory medium of claim 29, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

automatically deploying the one or more software components to the actual system.

31. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to perform:

automatically arranging delivery of the one or more components for inclusion in the actual system.

32. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said analyzing and said displaying an indication of the differences on a display device are performed:

automatically;

or

in response to user input requesting said analyzing.

33. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first system and the second system each comprises one or more of:

an industrial automation system;

a process control system; and

a test and measurement system.

34. A system for determining differences between configuration diagrams, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor; and

a display device;

wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to;

receive first information regarding a first configuration diagram, wherein the first configuration diagram comprises a first plurality of nodes, wherein the first configuration diagram graphically represents a first system;

receive second information regarding a second configuration diagram, wherein the second configuration diagram comprises a second plurality of nodes, wherein the second configuration diagram graphically represents a second system;

analyze the first and second information to determine differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram; and

display an indication of the differences on a display device.

35. A system for determining differences between configuration diagrams, the system comprising:

means for receiving first information regarding a first configuration diagram, wherein the first configuration diagram comprises a first plurality of nodes, wherein the first configuration diagram graphically represents a first system;

means for receiving second information regarding a second configuration diagram, wherein the second configuration diagram comprises a second plurality of nodes, wherein the second configuration diagram graphically represents a second system;

means for analyzing the first and second information to determine differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram; and

means for displaying an indication of the differences on a display device.

36. A method for determining differences between configuration diagrams, comprising:

receiving first information regarding a first configuration diagram, wherein the first configuration diagram comprises a first plurality of nodes, wherein the first configuration diagram graphically represents a first system;

receiving second information regarding a second configuration diagram, wherein the second configuration diagram comprises a second plurality of nodes, wherein the second configuration diagram graphically represents a second system;

analyzing the first and second information to determine differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram; and

displaying an indication of the differences on a display device.

37. A computer-accessible memory medium storing program instructions for determining differences between configuration diagrams, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:

receiving first information regarding a first configuration diagram, wherein the first configuration diagram comprises a first plurality of nodes, wherein the first configuration diagram graphically represents a first system, wherein one or more of the first plurality of nodes correspond to hardware devices in the first system;

receiving second information regarding a second configuration diagram, wherein the second configuration diagram comprises a second plurality of nodes, wherein the second configuration diagram graphically represents a second system, wherein one or more of the second plurality of nodes correspond to hardware devices in the second system;

analyzing the first and second information to determine differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram; and

displaying an indication of the differences on a display device.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the first system and/or the second system each comprises a measurement system.