Method and system for binding graphical interfaces to textual code

• US 8,881,022 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Torgerson, Jay R., Curtis, Stephen, Walsh, Thomas, Pensak, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan S
• Application Number:
  US12/895,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/747
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method of binding a human machine interface to an expression of existing computer code may include analyzing the existing computer code to identify one or more bindable expressions in the existing computer code, and receiving a command to bind a human machine interface with one or more of the identified bindable expressions. The method may further include binding, using a processor, one or more of the bindable expressions with the human machine interface in response to the command. The binding may enable the human machine interface to communicate information within the existing computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions. The bound machine interface may communicate information within the computer code while the computer code is executing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

analyzing displayed computer code to identify one or more bindable expressions in the displayed computer code that are bindable with a human machine interface;

receiving a command to bind the human machine interface with one or more of the identified bindable expressions; and

binding, using a processor, one or more of the identified bindable expressions with the human machine interface in response to the command, the binding enabling the human machine interface to communicate information within the displayed computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bound human machine interface communicates information within the computer code while the computer code is executing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the displayed computer code further includes evaluating an abstract syntax tree associated with the displayed computer code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the command includes a drag-and-drop action.

5. The method of claim 1, further including modifying a visual aspect of one or more expressions that are identified as bindable.

6. The method of claim 5, further including displaying the modified visual aspect after a displayed image corresponding to a user-controlled selection tool is associated with an instantiation of one or more of the identified expressions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more bindable expressions are displayed using overlapping semi-transparent highlights.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the bindable expressions are presented in a second region of the graphical user interface, and wherein the method further includes modifying, upon receipt of a user command, a visual aspect of the one or more of the bindable expressions presented within the second region of the graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is received from a user-controlled selection tool and wherein the user-controlled selection tool is one of a computer mouse and a touch-sensitive display screen.

10. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining that one or more of the identified expressions are incompatible with the human machine interface; and

preventing a binding of one or more expressions, determined to be incompatible with the human machine interface, with the human machine interface.

11. The method of claim 1, further including binding the human machine interface with at least one other human machine interface.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the human machine interface includes at least one of:

a button, a slide, a knob, a tree, a switch, a string entry box, a dial, a gauge, a thermometer, an image, a line, and a label.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the bound human machine interface communicates information within the computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions by providing information as a proxy for the one or more bound expressions.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the bound human machine interface communicates information within the computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions by receiving information corresponding to the one or more bound expressions.

15. A method comprising:

instantiating a human machine interface within a first region of a graphical user interface;

instantiating one or more expressions of displayed computer code in a second region of the graphical user interface;

analyzing the displayed computer code, including the one or more expressions, to identify one or more bindable expressions within the displayed computer code that are bindable with the human machine interface;

receiving a command, based on input from a user-controlled selection tool, to select the one or more expressions of the displayed computer code identified as bindable;

receiving a command, based on input from the user-controlled selection tool, to move the selected one or more bindable expressions from the second region of the graphical user interface to the instantiation of the human machine interface in the first region of the graphical user interface, such that the selected one or more bindable expressions at least partially overlaps the instantiation of the human machine interface within the graphical user interface; and

binding, using a processor, the overlapping one or more bindable expressions with the instantiation of the human machine interface, the bound human machine interface communicating information within the computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the bound machine interface communicates information within the computer code while the computer code is executing.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein analyzing the existing displayed computer code further includes evaluating an abstract syntax tree associated with the existing computer code.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the command to move includes a drag-and-drop action.

19. The method of claim 15, further including modifying a visual aspect of the instantiation of the one or more expressions that are identified as bindable.

20. The method of claim 19, further including displaying the modified visual aspect when a displayed image corresponding the user-controlled selection tool is associated with the instantiation of the one or more expressions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein two or more bindable expressions are displayed using overlapping semi-transparent highlights.

22. The method of claim 15, further including modifying, in response to a user command, a visual aspect of one or more bindable expressions of the computer code presented within the second region of the graphical user interface.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the user-controlled selection tool is one of a computer mouse and a touch-sensitive display screen.

24. The method of claim 15, further including:

determining that one or more of the expressions are incompatible with the human machine interface; and

preventing a binding of one or more expressions, determined to be incompatible with the human machine interface, with the human machine interface.

25. The method of claim 15, further including binding the human machine interface with at least one other human machine interface.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the human machine interface includes at least one of:

a button, a slide, a knob, a tree, a switch, a string entry box, a dial, a gauge, a thermometer, an image, a line, and a label.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the bound human machine interface communicates information within the computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions by providing information as a proxy for the one or more bound expressions.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein the bound human machine interface communicates information within the computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions by receiving information corresponding to the one or more bound expressions.

29. A method comprising:

instantiating a human machine interface within a first region of a graphical user interface;

instantiating one or more expressions of displayed computer code in a second region of the graphical user interface;

analyzing the displayed computer code, including the one or more expressions, to identify one or more bindable expressions within the displayed computer code that are bindable with the human machine interface;

receiving a command, based on input from a user-controlled selection tool, to select the instantiation of the human machine interface in the first region of the graphical user interface;

receiving a command, based on input from the user-controlled selection tool, to move the selected instantiation of the human machine interface from the first region of the graphical user interface to the one or more expressions in the second region of the graphical user interface, such that the selected instantiation of the human machine interface at least partially overlaps the one or more expressions within the graphical user interface; and

binding, using a processor, the overlapping one or more expressions with the instantiation of the human machine interface, the bound human machine interface being used to communicate information within the computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions.

30. A computer program product, including a non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer-executable instructions, the medium storing one or more instructions for:

analyzing displayed computer code to identify one or more bindable expressions in the displayed computer code that are bindable with the human machine interface;

receiving a command to bind the human machine interface with one or more of the identified bindable expressions; and

binding one or more of the identified bindable expressions with the human machine interface in response to the command, the binding enabling the human machine interface to communicate information within the displayed computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions.

31. A computer program product, including a non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer-executable instructions, the medium storing one or more instructions for:

instantiating a human machine interface within a first region of a graphical user interface;

instantiating at least the one or more expressions of displayed computer code in a second region of the graphical user interface;

analyzing the displayed computer code, including the one or more expressions, to identify one or more bindable expressions within the displayed computer code that are bindable with the human machine interface;

receiving a command, based on input from a user-controlled selection tool, to select the one or more expressions of displayed computer code identified as bindable;

receiving a command, based on input from the user-controlled selection tool, to move the selected one or more bindable expressions from the second region of the graphical user interface to the instantiation of the human machine interface in the first region of the graphical user interface, such that the selected one or more bindable expressions at least partially overlaps the instantiation of the human machine interface within the graphical user interface; and

binding the overlapping one or more bindable expressions with the instantiation of the human machine interface, the bound human machine interface communicating information within the computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions.

32. A method comprising:

analyzing displayed computer code to identify one or more expressions in the displayed computer code that are bindable with the human machine interface;

binding one or more of the identified expressions with the human machine interface, the binding enabling information to be communicated between the human machine interface and the displayed computer code in place of the one or more bound expressions; and

during an execution of the displayed computer code, performing, using a processor, in place of the one or more bound expressions at least one of;

communicating information from the human machine interface to the displayed computer code, and

communicating information from the displayed code to the human machine interface.