Callable graphical programming language

• US 6,816,914 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Heinzman, William, Colasuonno, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/581,124
• Time in Patent Office: 3,238 Days
• Field of Search: 395/684, 395/682, 395/704, 395/340, 395/326, 395/331, 395/333, 395/335
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

A graphical programming language (GPL) that allows GPL user functions to be callable from other software. The present invention employs a client/server model to allow GPL user functions to be called, much like a procedure from one language is called by a second language. The client is a library of ‘C’ procedure calls. The GPL server is the service. This allows a GPL user function to be called by any application that can link in the ‘C’ library. The ‘C’ client can exist on a separate machine from the GPL service or on the same machine in the presence of a multitasking operating system. When calling a GPL user function, the arguments of the ‘C’ call correspond to the input and output terminals of the GPL user function. The data being sent to the GPL user function is the input data. The data being returned from the GPL user function is the result from the execution of the GPL user function. The input data of the arguments and the results are GPL data types, known as containers. A container is a GPL complex data type that encapsulates all information about the data. Thus, when a GPL function is called from ‘C’ code, the primitive data types in ‘C’ are encapsulated into GPL containers. Conversely, when results are received back from a GPL function call, the primitive data types in ‘C’ are removed from the container so that the ‘C’ code may use the data.

Claims

1. An application programmer interface for interfacing a callable graphical programming language (GPL) application with a non-GPL client application, wherein said GPL application interprets input terminals comprising GPL data containers (GDCs) each of which is formatted according to a GPL data type, and wherein said non-GPL client application employs ‘

C’

language data types, comprising;

a GPL server creation procedure which instantiates a GPL server;

a GPL function library load procedure which loads a GPL function from said instantiated GPL server;

a GPL function handle procedure which provides a function handle for said GPL function;

a GDC build procedure which encapsulates client data into a GDC;

a GPL function call procedure which allows a client to invoke said GPL function in said GPL application using said GPL handle and one or more GOCs built by said GDC build procedure, and which receives GDC results from said invoked GPL function; and

a GDC unbuild procedure which extracts ‘

C’

type data from said GDC results.