Graphical program nodes for implementing a measurement state model

• US 7,512,931 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Schmit, Geoffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAVIS, JOHN Q
• Application Number:
  US10/261,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,374 Days
• Field of Search: 718/103, 713300-320, 710/22, 345/764, 714 25-738, 717164-169, 717104-155, 717/156, 703/20, 716/5, 709/102, 700/86
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23291 Process, graphic programming of a process, text and images
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2656 Instrumentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Graphical program node using a state model, e.g., a task state model, to perform measurement tasks. The node is executable in a graphical program to perform a task operation requiring measurement resources and/or the task to be in a first state. The node is executable to determine state transitions for the resources and/or task from a current state to the first state, perform the determined state transitions to put the resources and/or task in the first state, transitioning through zero or more intermediate states, and perform the operation. The node may be a control node, receiving input specifying a transition, then performing the transition; start node, transitioning the resources and/or task to an Executing state; read node, reading data from a DAQ device; write node, writing data to a signal-generating device, then transitioning the resources and/or task to the Executing state; or stop node, terminating an operation and transitioning the resources and/or task to a specified state.

Claims

1. A computer accessible memory medium which stores program instructions executable by a processor to:

store a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a task state model, and wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, each task state corresponding to a status of the measurement task;

wherein said storing the graphical program comprises storing a node which is executable in the graphical program to perform a measurement task operation, wherein the operation requires the measurement task to be in a first task state;

execute the graphical program, wherein when the node executes during execution of the graphical program the measurement task is in a current task state, wherein the current task state is different from the first task state, and wherein when the node executes, the node;

dynamically determines one or more task state transitions for transitioning the measurement task from the current task state in the sequence of task states to the first task state in the sequence of task states for performing the measurement task operation;

dynamically performs the one or more task state transitions after said determining, wherein after said performing, the measurement task is in the first task state; and

dynamically performs the measurement task operation.

2. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein said performing the one or more task state transitions comprises automatically transitioning the measurement task from the current task state through one or more intermediate task states of the plurality of task states to the first task state.

3. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the node is operable to receive input specifying a target task state in the sequence of task states, and wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises performing an explicit state transition of the measurement task from the first task state to the target task state.

4. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises performing an explicit state transition of the measurement task from the first task state to an Executing task state.

5. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the measurement task comprises a data acquisition (DAQ) task;

and

wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises performing a read operation, wherein the read operation reads data from a DAQ device.

6. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first task state comprises an Executing state.

7. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the measurement task comprises a signal generation task;

and

wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises performing a write operation, wherein the write operation writes data to a signal generation device.

8. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the node is operable to receive input specifying a transition to a target task state in the sequence of task states;

and

wherein, after said performing the measurement task operation, the node is executable to;

perform an explicit state transition of the measurement task from the first task state to the target task state according to said specifying.

9. The memory medium of claim 8, wherein the first task state comprises a Committed state, and wherein the target task state comprises an Executing state.

10. The memory medium of claim 9, wherein said input specifying a transition to the target state comprises a Boolean parameter indicating whether to perform said explicit state transition to the Executing state.

11. A computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions executable by a processor to:

store a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a task state model, and wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, each task state corresponding to a status of the measurement task;

wherein the graphical program is executable to;

transition the measurement task from a first task state to an Executing state of the sequence of task states for performing a measurement task operation; and

perform the measurement task operation; and

wherein, when a first stop node of the graphical program executes, the first stop node;

dynamically transitions the measurement task from the Executing task state in the sequence of task states to a second task state in the sequence of task states to terminate operation of the measurement task operation, wherein the second task state is different from the Executing task state;

dynamically determines one or more task state transitions for transitioning the measurement task from the second task state in the sequence of task states to the first task state in the sequence of task states; and

dynamically transitions the measurement task from the second task state to the first task state in accordance with said determining.

12. A computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions executable by a processor to:

display a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a task state model, and wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, each task state corresponding to a status of the measurement task; and

wherein a node in the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task operation, wherein the operation requires the measurement task to be in a first task state;

execute the graphical program, wherein when the node executes during execution of the graphical program the measurement task is in a current task state, wherein the current task state is different from the first task state, and wherein when the node executes, the node;

dynamically and implicitly transitions the measurement task from the current task state in the sequence of task states to the first task state in the sequence of task states for performing the measurement task operation; and

dynamically performs the measurement task operation in response to said implicitly transitioning the measurement task from the current task state to the first task state.

13. The memory medium of claim 12,

wherein, in said implicitly transitioning the measurement task from a current task state in the sequence of task states to a first task state in the sequence of task states, the node is executable to transition the measurement task from the current task state through one or more intermediate task states of the sequence of task states to the first task state.

14. A measurement system, comprising:

a computer system, comprising;

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium stores;

a graphical program executable to perform a measurement task, wherein the graphical program is a data flow graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes, and wherein the connections indicate flow of data between the nodes; and

a task state model, wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, wherein each of the task states corresponds to a status of the measurement task, wherein each of the task states are different task states; and

one or more measurement resources coupled to the computer system, wherein the program instructions are executable to perform the measurement task using the one or more measurement resources;

wherein the graphical program comprises one or more graphical program nodes which, when executed in the graphical program, dynamically perform transitions among said plurality of task states in performing the measurement task.

15. The system of claim 14,

wherein at least one node of the one or more nodes is executable in the graphical program to perform a measurement task operation, wherein the operation requires the measurement task to be in a first task state;

wherein the at least one node is executable in the graphical program to;

determine one or more task state transitions for transitioning the measurement task from a current task state in the sequence of task states to the first task state in the sequence of task states;

perform the one or more task state transitions after said determining, wherein after said performing, the measurement task is in the first task state; and

perform the measurement task operation.

16. The system of claim 15,

wherein, in said performing the one or more task state transitions, the node is executable to automatically transition the measurement task from the current task state through one or more intermediate task states of the plurality of task states to the first task state.

17. A method for performing a measurement task, the method comprising:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a task state model, and wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, each task state corresponding to a status of the measurement task;

wherein said creating the graphical program includes displaying a node in the graphical program;

wherein the node is executable in the graphical program to perform a measurement task operation, wherein the operation requires the measurement task to be in a first task state;

executing the graphical program, wherein when the node executes during execution of the graphical program the measurement task is in a current task state, wherein the current task state is different from the first task state, and wherein when the node executes, the node;

dynamically determines one or more task state transitions for transitioning the measurement task from the current task state in the sequence of task states to the first task state in the sequence of task states for performing the measurement task operation;

dynamically performs the one or more task state transitions after said determining, wherein, after said performing, the measurement task is in the first task state; and

dynamically performs the measurement task operation.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein, said performing the one or more task state transitions comprises automatically transitioning the measurement task from the current task state through one or more intermediate task states of the plurality of task states to the first task state.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

the node receiving input specifying a target task state in the sequence of task states;

wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises;

performing an explicit state transition of the measurement task from the first task state to the target task state.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

during execution of the graphical program, the node receiving user input specifying a target task state in the sequence of task states;

wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises;

performing an explicit state transition of the measurement task from the first task state to the target task state in accordance with said user input.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises:

performing an explicit state transition of the measurement task from the first task state to an Executing task state.

22. The method of claim 17,

wherein the measurement task comprises a data acquisition (DAQ) task;

and

wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises;

the node performing a read operation, wherein the read operation reads data from a DAQ device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the first task state comprises an Executing state.

24. The method of claim 17,

wherein the measurement task comprises a signal generation task;

and

wherein said performing the measurement task operation comprises;

the node performing a write operation, wherein the write operation writes data to a signal generation device.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

the node receiving input specifying a transition to a target task state in the sequence of task states; and

after said performing the measurement task operation, the node performing an explicit state transition of the measurement task from the first task state to the target task state according to said specifying.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the first task state comprises a Committed state, and wherein the target task state comprises an Executing state.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said input specifying a transition to the target state comprises a Boolean parameter indicating whether to perform said explicit state transition to the Executing state.

28. A method for performing a measurement task, the method comprising:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a task state model, and wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, each task state corresponding to a status of the measurement task;

wherein said creating the graphical program includes displaying a node in the graphical program;

executing the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises;

transitioning the measurement task from a first task state to an Executing state of the sequence of task states for performing a measurement task operation;

performing the measurement task operation; and

executing the node, wherein said executing the node comprises;

the node dynamically transitioning the measurement task from the Executing task state in the sequence of task states to a second task state in the sequence of task states to terminate operation of the measurement task operation, wherein the Executing task state is different from the second task state;

the node dynamically determining one or more task state transitions for transitioning the measurement task from the second task state in the sequence of task states to the first task state in the sequence of task states; and

the node dynamically transitioning the measurement task from the second task state to the first task state in accordance with said determining.

29. A method for performing a measurement task, the method comprising:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the graphical program, wherein said creating the graphical program includes displaying a node in the graphical program;

wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a task state model, and wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, each task state corresponding to a status of the measurement task;

wherein the node is executable in the graphical program to perform a measurement task operation, wherein the operation requires the measurement task to be in a first task state;

executing the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises;

dynamically determining one or more task state transitions for transitioning the measurement task from a current task state in the sequence of task states to the first task state in the sequence of task states, wherein the current task state is different from the first task state;

dynamically performing the one or more task state transitions after said determining, wherein, after said performing, the measurement task is in the first task state for performing the measurement task operation;

dynamically executing the node to perform the measurement task operation after said performing the one or more task state transitions.

30. A computer-accessible memory medium which stores program instructions for performing a measurement task, wherein the program instructions implement a state model comprising a sequence of three or more states, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a task state model, and wherein the task state model comprises a sequence of task states, each task state corresponding to a status of the measurement task;

wherein said creating the graphical program includes displaying a node in the graphical program;

wherein the node is executable in the graphical program to perform a measurement task operation, wherein the operation requires the measurement task to be in a first task state;

executing the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises executing the node, wherein when the node executes, the measurement task is in a current task state, wherein the current task state is different from the first task state, and wherein said executing the node comprises;

the node dynamically determining one or more state transitions for transitioning the measurement resources from the current state in the sequence of states to the first state in the sequence of states;

the node dynamically and automatically transitioning the measurement task from the current task state through one or more intermediate task states of the plurality of task states to the first task state after said determining, wherein, after said performing, the measurement task is in the first task state for performing the measurement task operation; and

the node dynamically performing the measurement task operation.

31. A method for performing a measurement task, the method comprising:

creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually represent functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is executable to perform a measurement task using a state model, and wherein the state model comprises a sequence of states, each state corresponding to a status of measurement resources used to perform the measurement task;

wherein said creating the graphical program includes displaying a node in the graphical program;

wherein the node is executable in the graphical program to perform a measurement task operation, wherein the operation requires the measurement resources to be in a first state;

executing the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises executing the node, wherein when the node executes, the measurement task is in a current task state, wherein the current task state is different from the first task state, and wherein said executing the node comprises;

the node dynamically determining one or more state transitions for transitioning the measurement resources from the current state in the sequence of states to the first state in the sequence of states for performing the measurement task operation;

the node dynamically performing the one or more state transitions after said determining, wherein, after said performing, the measurement resources are in the first state; and

the node dynamically performing the measurement task operation;

wherein, said node dynamically performing the one or more state transitions comprises automatically transitioning the measurement resources from the current state through one or more intermediate states of the plurality of states to the first state.