US 7,069,517 B2Granted

System and method for programmatically creating graphical program code in a graphical program

AssigneeNational Instruments Corporation

InventorsJeffrey D. Washington, Paul F. Austin

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system and method for configuring a node in a graphical program by programmatically generating graphical source code associated with the node. The node may initially have no functionality or may have default functionality and may be able to take on different functionality in the graphical program, depending on configuration user input received. User input specifying desired functionality for the node may be received via a GUI. Graphical source code may then be programmatically generated for the node, such that the node is operable to implement the specified desired functionality when the graphical program is executed. Since the graphical source code associated with the node is generated programmatically, a “minimal” amount of graphical source code may be generated.

Claims66

Dependent claims

A method for configuring a first node in a graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying the first node in the graphical program, wherein the first node is configurable to perform a plurality of operations depending upon user input specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the graphical program comprises a first plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable to perform the functionality;
displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the GUI displays information indicating the plurality of operations which the first node is configurable to perform, wherein the GUI is useable to configure the first node to perform one or more operations from the plurality of operations;
receiving user input to the GUI specifying one or more operations for the first node to perform from the plurality of operations;
and
configuring the first node to perform the one or more specified operations in response to the user input to the GUi, wherein configuring the first node comprises automatically generating graphical source code for the first node to implement one or more specified operations, wherein automatically generating the graphical source code for the first node comprises automatically generating a second plurality of interconnected nodes without receiving user input directly specifying the nodes in the second plurality of interconnected nodes, wherein the second plurality of interconnected nodes perform the one or more specified operations during execution of the graphical program.

2 more elements

A method for configuring a first node in a graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying the first node in the graphical program, wherein the first node is configurable to perform functionality depending upon user input specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the graphical program comprises a first plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable to perform the functionality;
displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the GUI displays information indicating possible functionality which the first node can be configured to perform;
receiving user input to the GUI selecting desired functionality for the first node from the indicated possible functionality;
and
configuring the first node to perform the desired functionality selected from the GUI in response to the user input selecting the desired functionality, wherein configuring the first node comprises automatically generating graphical source code for the first node to implement the desire functionality selected from the GUI, wherein automatically generating the graphical source code for the first node comprises automatically generating a second plurality of interconnected nodes without receiving user input directly specifying the nodes in the second plurality of interconnected nodes, wherein the second plurality of interconnected nodes perform the desired functionality selected from the GUI during execution of the graphical program.

2 more elements

A computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a first node in a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display the first node in the graphical program, wherein the first node is configurable to perform a plurality of operations depending upon user input specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable to perform the functionality;
display a graphical user interface (GUI) for specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the GUI displays information indicating the plurality of operations which the first node is configurable to perform, wherein the GUI is useable to configure the first node to perform one or more operations from the plurality of operations;
receive user input to the GUI specifying one or more operations for the first node to perform from the plurality of operations;
and
configure the first node to perform the one or more specified operations in response to the user input to the GUI, wherein configuring the first node comprises automatically generating graphical source code for the first node to implement the one or more specified operations, wherein automatically generating the graphical source code for the first node comprises automatically generating a second plurality of interconnected nodes without receiving user input directly specifying the nodes in the second plurality of interconnected nodes, wherein the second plurality of interconnected nodes perform the one or more specified operations during execution of the graphical program.

2 more elements

A computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a first node in a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display the first node in the graphical program, wherein the first node is configurable to perform functionality depending upon user input specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable to perform the functionality;
display a graphical user interface (GUI) for specifying configuration information for the first node, wherein the GUI displays information indicating possible functionality which the first node can be configured to perform;
receive user input to the GUI selecting desired functionality for the first node from the indicated possible functionality;
and
configure the first node to perform the desired functionality selected from the GUI in response to the user input selecting the desired functionality, wherein configuring the first node comprises automatically generating graphical source code from the first node to implement desired functionality selected from the GUI, wherein automatically generating the graphical source code for the first node comprises automatically generating a second plurality fo interconnnected nodes without receiving user input directly specifying the nodes in teh second plurality of interconnected nodes, wherein the second plurality of interconnected nodes perform the desired functionality selected from the GUI during execution of the graphical program.

2 more elements

A method for creating a graphical program, the method comprising:

selecting a first graphical program node for inclusion in the graphical program in response to user input, wherein the graphical program comprises a first plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable to perform the functionality;
displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for configuring operation of the first graphical program node;
receiving user input to the GUI configuring desired operation of the first graphical program node;
automatically generating graphical source code for the first graphical program node to perform the desired operation based on the user input configuring desired operation of the first graphical program node, wherein automatically generating the graphical source code for the first graphical program node comprises automatically generating a second plurality of interconnected nodes without receiving user input directly specifying the nodes in the second plurality of interconnected nodes;
and
displaying the automatically generated graphical source code, wherein displaying the automatically generated graphical source comprises displaying the second plurality of interconnected nodes.

3 more elements

A computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a first graphical program node in a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying the firs graphical program node in the graphical program in response to user input, wherein the graphical program comprises a first plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicated functionality of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical program is executable to perform the functionality;
displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) after displaying the first graphical program node;
receiving user input to the GUI configuring the first graphical program node to perform a desired operation;
automatically generating graphical source code to perform the desired operation based on the user input configuring the first graphical program node, wherein the automatically generated graphical source code comprises a second plurality of interconnceted nodes that visually indicated functionality of the graphical source code, wherein the graphical source code is automaticaly generated without user input directly specifying the nodes in the second plurality of the interconnected nodes;
and
displaying the automatically generated graphical source code.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/886,456Filed 20 Jun 2001 · continuation in part
Priority: 19 Aug 1999
Published: US 2001/0020291 A11 Nov 2001
Granted: 27 Jun 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06F 8/34
Creation or generation of source code: graphical or visual programming
G11B 25/043
Using flat record carriers, e.g. disc, card: using rotating discs
G05B 2219/23008
Pc programming: computer aided software engineering, program generation, case tools, CASE
G05B 2219/23258
Pc programming: gUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview

Family

Application60/149,943Us provisional application · filed 19 Aug 1999
Application09/595,003Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 13 Jun 2000
Application09/745,023Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Dec 2000
US 2001/0035879 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Nov 2001
US 2001/0020291 A1Published application
US 7,210,117 B2Related patent
US 7,937,665 B1Related patent
US 7,069,517 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.