Cause effect diagram program

A computer comprising an input device, a computer readable memory, and a display device, said computer programmed to perform the following steps:

• a. displaying, on said computer display device, a cause effect matrix diagram having at least one cause cell and at least one effect cell;
• b. receiving cause information input from said input device and displaying said cause information as a cause in said cause cell;
• c. receiving effect information input from said input device and displaying said effect information as an effect in said effect cell;
• d. linking said cause information and said effect information at an intersection cell so that the occurrence of said cause information generates said effect information;
• and
• e. converting said cause information in said cause cell and said effect information in said effect cell to a Function Block Diagram.

A visual programming system recorded on computer readable medium, said system adapted to perform the following steps:

• a. displaying on a computer display device a cause effect matrix diagram having at least one cause cell, at least one effect cell and at least one intersection cell joining said cause cell and said effect cell;
• b. receiving cause information input from an input device and displaying said cause information in said cause cell;
• c. receiving effect information input from said input device and displaying said effect information in said effect cell;
• d. linking said cause information and said effect information at said intersection cell so that the occurrence of said cause information generates said effect information;
• and
• e. converting said cause information in said cause cell and said effect information in said effect cell to a Function Block Diagram.

A computer comprising an input device, a memory and a display device, said computer programmed to execute the following steps:

• a. displaying on said display device at least one cause effect matrix diagram having a plurality of cause regions and at least one effect region;
• b. receiving cause information in the form of a cause variable input from said input device and displaying said cause information in at least one of said cause regions;
• c. receiving effect information input in the form of an effect variable from said input device and displaying said effect information as an effect in said at least one effect region;
• d. linking said cause information and said effect information at an intersection region so that the occurrence of said cause information generates said effect information;
• and
• e. converting said cause information in said cause region and said effect information in said effect region to functional program code elements.
• 12.The computer programmed to execute steps as described in claim 11 further comprising the following step:
• a. displaying a plurality of effect regions in said at least one cause effect matrix diagram.

A computer control system comprising:

• a. a computer system having a display device, said computer programmed to display a diagram on said display device, said diagram including at least one input cell, at least one output cell and at least one intersection cell;
• b. an input device for inputting at least one input variable into said input cell, for inputting at least one output variable into said output cell and for inputting linking information into an intersection cell to link said intersection with said input variable and said output variable in said at least one intersection cell so that the occurrence of said input variable generates said output variable;
• c. a diagram to code conversion routine for converting said diagram containing said at least one input variable, said at least one output variable and said intersection linking information into compilable code;
• d. a compiler for converting said compilable code into executable code;
• e. a control system processor adapted for receiving said executable code;
• and
• f. a download routine for downloading said executable code into said control system processor.

A computer comprising an input device, a computer readable memory, and a display device, said computer programmed to perform the following steps:

• a. displaying, on said computer display device, a cause effect matrix diagram having at least one cause cell and at least one effect cell;
• b. receiving cause information input from said input device and displaying said cause information as a cause in said cause cell;
• c. receiving effect information input from said input device and displaying said effect information as an effect in said effect cell;
• d. linking said cause information and said effect information at an intersection cell so that the occurrence of said cause information generates said effect information;
• and
• e. converting said cause information in said cause cell and said effect information in said effect cell to a compilable diagram.

A computer comprising an input device, a memory and display device, said computer programmed to execute the following steps:

• a. displaying on said computer display device at least one cause effect matrix diagram having a plurality of causes regions and at least one effect region;
• b. receiving cause information input from said input device and displaying said cause information in at least one of said cause regions;
• c. receiving effect information input from said input device and displaying said effect information as an effect in said at least one effect region;
• d. linking said cause information and said effect information at an intersection region so that the occurrence of said cause information generates said effect information;
• and
• e. converting said cause information in said cause region and said effect information in said effect region to a compilable diagram.

A method for generating a control program, comprising:

• receiving a first system input identifier;
• associating the first system input identifier with an input of a cause function block;
• associating an output of the cause function block with a cause variable;
• linking the cause variable with an effect variable;
• associating the effect variable with a first system output identifier;
• and
• generating the control program based on the cause function block and the first system output identifier.

A method for generating a control program, comprising:

• receiving a first system input identifier;
• associating the first system input identifier with a cause variable;
• receiving information associating the cause variable with an input of an intersection function block;
• associating an effect variable with an output of the intersection function block;
• associating the effect variable with a first system output identifier;
• and
• generating the control program based on the intersection function block and the first system output identifier.

A method for generating a control program, comprising:

• receiving a first system input identifier;
• associating the first system input identifier with a cause variable;
• receiving information associating the cause variable with an effect variable;
• associating the effect variable with an input of an effect function block;
• associating an output of the effect function block with a first system output identifier;
• and
• generating the control program based on the effect function block and the first system output identifier.