Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software program development tool – Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-23
2001-08-28
Chaki, Kakali (Department: 2122)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software program development tool
Translation of code
C345S960000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282699
ABSTRACT:
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
The present disclosure includes a microfiche appendix comprising 2 microfiche and 86 frames. The microfiche appendix comprises appendix A, which contains source code listings of one embodiment of the present invention.
RESERVATION OF COPYRIGHT
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which a claim of copyright protection is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to graphical programming, and in particular to a system for creating and executing graphical programs including a code node, wherein the code node in the graphical program contains textural source code which is viewable and editable by a user and is executed during execution of the graphical program.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Traditionally, high level text-based programming languages have been used by programmers in writing applications programs. Many different high level programming languages exist, including Perl, Mathematica, Java, Basic, C, C++, Fortran, Pascal, Cobol, ADA, APL, etc. Programs written in these high level languages are translated to the machine language level by translators known as compilers. The high level programming languages in this level, as well as the assembly language level, are referred to as text-based programming environments.
Increasingly computers are required to be used and programmed by those who are not highly trained in computer programming techniques. When traditional text-based programming environments are used, the user's programming skills and ability to interact with the computer system often become a limiting factor in the achievement of optimal utilization of the computer system.
There are numerous subtle complexities which a user must master before he/she can efficiently program a computer system in a text-based environment. The task of programming a computer system to model a process often is further complicated by the fact that a sequence of mathematical formulas, mathematical steps or other procedures customarily used to conceptually model a process often does not closely correspond to the traditional text-based programming techniques used to program a computer system to model such a process. In other words, the requirement that a user program in a text-based programming environment places a level of abstraction between the user's conceptualization of the solution and the implementation of a method that accomplishes this solution in a computer program. Thus, a user often must substantially master different skills in order to both conceptually model a system and then to program a computer to model that system. Since a user often is not fully proficient in techniques for programming a computer system in a text-based environment to implement his model, the efficiency with which the computer system can be utilized to perform such modeling often is reduced.
Examples of fields in which computer systems are employed to model and/or control physical systems are the fields of instrumentation, process control, and industrial automation. Computer modeling or control of devices such as instruments or industrial automation hardware has become increasingly desirable in view of the increasing complexity and variety of instruments and devices available for use. However, due to the wide variety of possible testing/control situations and environments, and also the wide array of instruments or devices available, it is often necessary for a user to develop a program to control a desired system. As discussed above, computer programs used to control such systems had to be written in conventional text-based programming languages such as, for example, assembly language, C, Fortran, Basic, Pascal, Perl, Mathematica, or Java. Traditional users of these systems, however, often were not highly trained in programming techniques and, in addition, traditional text-based programming languages were not sufficiently intuitive to allow users to use these languages without training. Therefore, implementation of such systems frequently required the involvement of a programmer to write software for control and analysis of instrumentation or industrial automation data. Thus, development and maintenance of the software elements in these systems often proved to be difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,221 to Kodosky et al discloses a graphical system and method for modeling a process, i.e., a graphical programming environment, which enables a user to easily and intuitively model a process. The graphical programming environment disclosed in Kodosky et al can be considered the highest and most intuitive way in which to interact with a computer. A graphically based programming environment can be represented at level above text-based high level programming languages such as C, Pascal, etc. The method disclosed in Kodosky et al allows a user to construct a diagram using a block diagram editor, such that the diagram created graphically displays a procedure or method for accomplishing a certain result, such as manipulating one or more input variables to produce one or more output variables. After the user constructs a data flow diagram or graphical program using the block diagram editor, machine language instructions are automatically constructed which characterize an execution procedure which corresponds to the displayed procedure. Therefore, a user can create a computer program solely by using a graphically based programming environment. This graphically based programming environment may be used for creating virtual instrumentation systems, industrial automation systems and modeling processes, as well as for any type of general programming.
Therefore, Kodosky et al teaches a graphical programming environment wherein a user places or manipulates icons in a block diagram using a block diagram editor to create a data flow “program.” A graphical program for controlling or modeling devices, such as instruments, processes or industrial automation hardware, is referred to as a virtual instrument (VI). In creating a virtual instrument, a user preferably creates a graphical user interface, e.g., a front panel or user interface panel. The graphical user interface (GUI) includes various front panel objects, such as controls or indicators that represent the respective input and output that will be used by the graphical program or VI, and may include other icons which represent devices being controlled. When the controls and indicators are created in the GUI or front panel, corresponding icons or terminals are automatically created in the block diagram by the block diagram editor. Alternatively, the user can first place terminal icons in the block diagram which cause the display of corresponding front panel objects in the GUI or front panel. The user then chooses various functions that accomplish his desired result, connecting the corresponding function icons between the terminals of the respective controls and indicators. In other words, the user creates a data flow program, referred to as a block diagram, representing the graphical data flow which accomplishes his desired function. This is done by wiring up the various function icons between the control icons and indicator icons. The manipulation and organization of icons in turn produces machine language that accomplishes the desired method or process as shown in the block diagram.
A user inputs data to a virtual instrument using front panel controls. This input data propagates through the data flow block diagram or graphical program and appears as changes on the output indicators. In an instrumentation application, the front panel can be analogized to the front panel of an instrument. In an industrial automation application the front panel can be analogized to the MMI (Man Machine Interface) of a device. The user adjusts the controls on the front pane
Cifra Chris
Dye Robert
McKaskle Greg
Zhang Roger
Chaki Kakali
Conley Rose & Tayon PC
Hood Jeffrey C.
National Instruments Corporation
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