# US 8,751,199 B1 · Method of graphically linking multiple disjoint models

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- Number: US 8,751,199 B1
- Document ID: US8751199B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 11/646,873
- Filed: 2006-12-27
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2006-12-27
- Assignees: The MathWorks, Inc.
- Applicants: Ali Behboodian
- Inventors: Ali Behboodian
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751199B1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
- G06F 3/04817: using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34)
- G06F 8/34: Graphical or visual programming
- G06F 9/455: Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
- G06F 16/22: Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
- G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30)
- G06F 2117/08: HW-SW co-design, e.g. HW-SW partitioning
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

The disclosed methods, mechanisms, and system provide the ability to associate one or more disjointed models such that a second model can be accessed from a first model thereby allowing easier navigation between models. A graphical link to a second model is provided as part of a first model. Activating the graphical link opens the second model for viewing or editing. Links between additional models may also be provided. Thus, by using the provided graphical links, a user may quickly and easily navigate between all the associated models.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
creating an association between a first model and a second model,
the first model representing a part of a system,
the second model representing another part of the system,
the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system,
the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,
the operation including at least one of:
designing the first model,
testing the first model, or
debugging the first model, and
the creating being performed by a computing device;
generating a graphical link to the second model based on the association,
the generating being performed by the computing device;
providing, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link,
the providing for presentation being performed by the computing device;
receiving an activation of the graphical link,
the receiving being performed by the computing device; and
providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model,
the providing, for presentation, the second model being performed by the computing device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where at least one of the first model or the second model is a graphical model.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the graphical link comprises a user interface element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the second model is associated with a version control system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
receiving an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and
providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model when the graphical link to the first model is activated.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
allowing a user to visually create the association between the first model and the second model using a graphical user interface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the association is created using a graphical user interface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the graphical link is generated using a link map.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, where the link map is derived from a version control system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing, for presentation, a second graphical link to a third model.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
providing, for presentation, the third model when the second graphical link is activated.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where, when providing for presentation the second model, the method includes:
providing, for presentation, information associated with the second model.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where activating the graphical link initiates a callback.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the graphical link to the second model is part of the first model.

### Claim 16 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, where the graphical link to the first model is part of the second model.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where at least one of the first model or the second model is executable.

### Claim 18

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
create an association between a first model and a second model,
the first model representing a part of a system,
the second model representing another part of the system,
the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and
the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,
the operation including at least one of:
designing the first model,
testing the first model, or
debugging the first model;
generate a graphical link to the second model based on the association;
provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model;
receive an activation of the graphical link; and
provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where at least one of the first model or the second model is a graphical model.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the graphical link comprises a user interface element.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the second model is associated with a version control system.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the instructions further include:
one or more instructions to provide, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The medium of claim 22, where the instructions further include:
one or more instructions to receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and
one or more instructions to provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model after the graphical link to the first model is activated.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the instructions further include:
one or more instructions to allow a user to visually create the association between the first model and the second model using a graphical user interface.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the association is created using a graphical user interface.

### Claim 26 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the graphical link is generated using a link map.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The medium of claim 26, where the link map is derived from a version control system.

### Claim 28 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the instructions further include:
one or more instructions to provide, for presentation a second graphical link to a third model.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The medium of claim 28, where the instructions further include:
one or more instructions to provide, for presentation the third model when the second graphical link is activated.

### Claim 30 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where the one or more instructions to provide, for presentation, the second model include:
one or more instructions to provide, for presentation, information about associated with the second model.

### Claim 31 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, where activating the graphical link initiates a callback.

### Claim 32

An apparatus comprising:
a memory to store instructions; and
a processor to execute the instructions to:
create an association between a first model and a second model in a modeling environment,
the first model being executable and representing a part of a system,
the second model representing another part of the system,
the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and
the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,
the operation including at least one of:
designing the first model,
testing the first model, or
debugging the first model;
create a graphical link from the first model to the second model based on the association;
provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model;
receive an activation of the graphical link; and
provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The apparatus of claim 32, where the processor is further to:
provide, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model;
receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and
provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model after the graphical link to the first model is activated.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The apparatus of claim 32, where the processor is further to:
generate code that provides the graphical link from the first model to the second model.

### Claim 35

An apparatus comprising:
a memory to store instructions; and
a processor to execute the instructions to:
receive a visual indication of an association between a first model and a second model,
the first model representing a part of a system,
the second model representing another part of the system,
the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and
the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,
the operation including at least one of:
designing the first model,
testing the first model, or
debugging in the first model;
generate a graphical link to the second model based on the received visual indication;
provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model;
receive an activation of the graphical link; and
provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The apparatus of claim 35, where the apparatus is one of:
a server device,
a client device, or
a network device.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The apparatus of claim 35, where the processor, when providing, for presentation, the second model, is further to:
provide, for presentation, information associated with the second model.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The apparatus of claim 35, where the processor is further to:
provide, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model;
receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and
provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model after the graphical link to the first model is activated.

### Claim 39

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
create an association between a first model and a second model,
the first model representing a part of a system,
the second model representing another part of the system,
the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system, and
the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,
the operation including at least one of:
designing the first model,
testing the first model, or
debugging the first model;
generate a graphical link to the second model based on the association;
provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, and the graphical link to the second model;
receive an activation of the graphical link;
provide, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model;
provide, for presentation with the second model, a graphical link to the first model;
receive an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and
provide, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link to the second model based on the received activation of the graphical link to the first model.

### Claim 40

A method comprising:
receiving a visual indication that a first model is associated with a second model,
the first model representing a part of a system,
the second model representing another part of the system,
the second model providing first information that is used to perform a function of the system,
the second model including second information that is used to perform an operation of the first model,
the operation including at least one of:
designing the first model,
testing the first model, or
debugging the first model, and
the receiving being performed by a computing device;
generating a graphical link based on the received visual indication,
the generating being performed by the computing device;
providing, for presentation and without providing the second model, the first model and the graphical link in a modeling environment,
the providing, for presentation, being performed by the computing device;
receiving an activation of the graphical link,
the receiving being performed by the computing device; and
providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link, the second model without providing, for presentation, the first model,
the providing, for presentation, the second model being performed by the computing device.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, further comprising:
providing, for presentation, the second model and a graphical link to the first model;
receiving an activation of the graphical link to the first model; and
providing, for presentation and based on receiving the activation of the graphical link to the first model, the first model when the graphical link to the first model is activated.