Parallelism From Functional Decomposition

A method for performing functional decomposition of a software design to generate a computer-executable finite state machine, the method comprising:

• receiving the software design in the form of a graphical diagram including a plurality of graphical symbols interconnected to hierarchically represent the data transformations and the control transformations in the software design, wherein:
• the software design is in a form wherein functions in the software design are repetitively decomposed into data transformations and control transformations until each of the data transformations consists of a respective linear code block;
• wherein the data transformations accept and generate data, and the control transformations evaluate conditions and send and receive control indications to and from the data transformations;
• a first type of the graphical symbols comprise bubble symbols indicating functional decomposition elements within the software design, a second type of the graphical symbols comprise control flow indicators between the functions, which indicators have transformation-selection conditions associated therewith;
• and
• the bubble symbols include control bubbles and process bubbles, wherein the control bubbles indicate the control transformations, and the process bubbles indicate the data transformations;
• translating the data transformations and the control transformations into states in the finite state machine, wherein, at a given decomposition level, the first state is one of the control transformations and subsequent states each comprise a decomposed said linear code block with no control structure;
• and
• translating the transformation-selection conditions associated with the control transformations into state transitions in the finite state machine;
• wherein the translating steps are performed by a computer system.

A method for performing functional decomposition of a software design to generate a computer-executable finite state machine, the method comprising:

• receiving the software design in a form wherein:
• functions in the software design are repetitively decomposed into data transformations that accept and generate data, and control transformations that evaluate conditions and send and receive control indications to and from the data transformations;
• and
• control flow indicators are included between the functions, which indicators have transformation-selection conditions associated therewith;
• translating the data transformations and the control transformations into states in the finite state machine, wherein, at a given decomposition level, the first said state is one of the control transformations and subsequent said states each comprise a decomposed said linear code block with no control structure;
• and
• translating the transformation-selection conditions associated with the control transformations into state transitions in the finite state machine.