Graphical programming system enabling data sharing from a producer to a consumer via a memory buffer

A method comprising:

• displaying a first node in a graphical program, wherein the graphical program executes within a graphical program execution environment via a graphical program execution engine, wherein the first node is configured to receive a reference to a block of memory allocated by a producer program external to the graphical program and the graphical program execution environment, wherein the graphical program execution environment is one or more programs, including the graphical program execution engine, and wherein the block of memory is external to the graphical program and the graphical program execution environment;
• connecting the first node to a second node representing a consumer program;
• and
• executing the graphical program, wherein the first node executes to receive the reference and pass the reference to the consumer program, wherein the second node executes to invoke the consumer program, and wherein the reference enables at least one node of the graphical program to natively access the block of memory;
• wherein the consumer program executes to:
• receive the reference to the block of memory allocated by the producer program;
• access data stored in the block of memory;
• and
• cause the reference to the block of memory to be released.

A computer-readable memory medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions include:

• program instructions of a graphical program execution environment, wherein the graphical program execution environment is one or more programs, including a graphical program execution engine;
• program instructions of a graphical program executable within the graphical program execution environment via the graphical program execution engine, wherein the graphical program includes a plurality of nodes that visually indicate the functionality of the graphical program;
• program instructions of a producer program executable externally from the graphical program and the graphical program execution environment;
• and
• program instructions of a consumer program;
• wherein the program instructions of the graphical program are executable to receive a reference to a block of memory allocated by the producer program externally from the graphical program and to pass the reference to the consumer program, wherein the block of memory is external to the graphical program and the graphical program execution environment, and wherein the reference enables at least one node of the plurality of nodes to natively access the block of memory;
• wherein the program instructions of the consumer program are executable to:
• access data stored in the block of memory allocated by the producer program;
• and
• after accessing the data, asynchronously notify the graphical program execution environment to cause the block of memory to be released;
• wherein the program instructions of the graphical program execution environment are executable to notify the producer program that the block of memory is no longer in use in response to the consumer program notifying the graphical program execution environment.

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions include:
• program instructions of a graphical program execution environment, wherein the graphical program execution environment is one or more programs, including a graphical program execution engine;
• program instructions of a graphical program executable within the graphical program execution environment via the graphical program execution engine, wherein the graphical program includes a plurality of nodes that visually indicate the functionality of the graphical program;
• program instructions of a producer program executable externally from the graphical program and the graphical program execution environment;
• and
• program instructions of a consumer program;
• wherein the program instructions of the graphical program are executable to receive a reference to a block of memory allocated by the producer program externally from the graphical program and to pass the reference to the consumer program, wherein the block of memory is external to the graphical program and the graphical program execution environment, and wherein the reference enables at least one node of the plurality of nodes to natively access the block of memory;
• wherein the program instructions of the consumer program are executable to:
• access data stored in the block of memory allocated by the producer program;
• and
• after accessing the data, asynchronously notify the graphical program execution environment to cause the block of memory to be released;
• wherein the program instructions of the graphical program execution environment are executable to notify the producer program that the block of memory is no longer in use in response to the consumer program notifying the graphical program execution environment.