US5644728A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control systems
Assignee: NCR Voyix Corp
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Filing: 1995-06-22
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Granted: 1997-07-01
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Expires: 2015-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A system for generating a control program for a target apparatus, the system comprising: a processor; a visual display unit; an input device; a program store; and a control program data store; the program store containing: an editor program for controlling the processor to accept input from the input device to modify the contents of the control program data store; a display program for controlling the processor to display a graphical representation of the contents of the control program data store on the visual display unit; and a compiler program for generating said control program from the contents of the control program data store; wherein the editor program is arranged to store control program data defining groups of sub programs for simultaneous execution on said target apparatus and control flow data defining a sequence of execution of said groups, the edit program permitting a plurality of sub programs in a group; and wherein the display program is arranged to generate a display graphically representing said sub programs so as to indicate said groups, and control flows corresponding to said control flow data between said groups.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew R. Pillans
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:45
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/30; G06F8/34; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/10; G06Q20/108; G06Q20/1085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for generating a control program for use in a target apparatus, said system comprising: a processing unit for providing a visual interface representing (i) subimages which represent control processes which are grouped to represent a plurality of processes to be concurrently executed and (ii) links between said subimages to represent control flow from one group of concurrent processes to a successively performed group of concurrent processes; and an input device for enabling a system user to edit said subimages to generate the control program for use in the target apparatus.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for generating a control program for use in a target apparatus, said system comprising: a processing unit for providing a visual interface representing (i) subimages which represent control processes which are grouped to represent a plurality of processes to be concurrently executed and (ii) links between said subimages to represent control flow from one group of concurrent processes to a successively performed group of concurrent processes; and an input device for enabling a system user to edit said subimages to generate the control program for use in the target apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit includes (i) a processor, (ii) a control program data store, and (iii) an editor program for controlling said processor to accept input from said input device to modify the contents of said control program data store.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein said processing unit further includes (i) a visual display device and (ii) a display program for controlling said processor to display a graphical representation of the contents of said control program data store on said visual display device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 3, wherein said processing unit further includes a compiler program for generating the control program from the contents of said control program data store.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the target apparatus is an automatic teller machine (ATM).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for generating a control program for a target apparatus, said system comprising: a processor; a visual display unit; an input device; a control program data store; and a program store including: (i) an editor program for controlling said processor to accept input from said input device to modify the contents of said control program data store; (ii) a display program for controlling said processor to display a graphical representation of the contents of said control program data store on said visual display unit; and (iii) a compiler program for generating the control program from the contents of said control program data store; said editor program being arranged to store control program data defining groups of sub programs for simultaneous execution on the target apparatus and control flow data defining a sequence of execution of said groups, said editor program permitting a plurality of sub programs in a group; said display program being arranged to generate a display graphically representing said sub programs so as to indicate said groups, and control flows corresponding to said control flow data between said groups.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for generating a control program for a target apparatus, said system comprising: a processor; a visual display unit; an input device; a control program data store; and a program store including: (i) an editor program for controlling said processor to accept input from said input device to modify the contents of said control program data store; (ii) a display program for controlling said processor to display a graphical representation of the contents of said control program data store on said visual display unit; and (iii) a compiler program for generating the control program from the contents of said control program data store; said editor program being arranged to store control program data defining groups of sub programs for simultaneous execution on the target apparatus and control flow data defining a sequence of execution of said groups, said editor program permitting a plurality of sub programs in a group; said display program being arranged to generate a display graphically representing said sub programs so as to indicate said groups, and control flows corresponding to said control flow data between said groups.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system according to claim 6, further comprising a store which stores catalogue sub program data defining a plurality of catalogue sub programs, and wherein said program store also contains a loading program for loading selected catalogue sub program data into said control program data store.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein said display program is arranged to generate a catalogue display on said visual display unit displaying an indication of said catalogue sub programs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 8, wherein said indication comprises a subimage associated with each sub program.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein said catalogue sub programs comprise a sub program record containing attribute data, and reference data associated with a class record relating to a class of sub program, said class record comprising code for performing the sub program in accordance with the attribute data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein said control program data store stores, for each sub program, a sub program record comprising attribute data defining the operation of the sub program, and reference data associating the sub program record with sub program code for executing the sub program in accordance with the attribute data, and said editor program is arranged to controllably edit the attribute data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 11, further comprising a store storing the sub program code.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein said program store further includes a simulator program arranged, in response to the contents of said control program data store, to cause said processor to simulate the action of the target apparatus under control of the control program.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein said simulator program is arranged to execute the control program compiled by said compiler program.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system according to claim 14, wherein said simulator program is arranged to control said operation of the processor whilst permitting the contents of said control program data store to be amended, and is arranged to be responsive to such amendments.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according to claim 13, wherein said simulator program is arranged to cause said processor to accept inputs from said input device when the control program requires inputs to the target apparatus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 13, wherein said simulator program is arranged to cause said processor to generate outputs on said visual display unit when the control program requires outputs of the target apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein said compiler program is arranged to perform a first stage of producing a target-independent control program, and a second stage of producing, from said target-independent control program, a target-dependent control program specific to the target apparatus.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 18, wherein said first stage of generating a target-independent control program comprises a step of generating a script file reproducing data from said control program data store.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 19, wherein said second stage of producing a target-dependent control program comprises a step of converting said script file into a target-dependent structure and associating said data structure with target-dependent sub program code.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein said display program is arranged, in response to said input device, to cause the display on said visual display unit of expanded information corresponding to a selected portion of said display.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 21, wherein said expanded information comprises a textual display of data corresponding to the contents of said control program data store.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system according to claim 21, wherein said expanded information comprises an expanded display of component sub programs.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein the target apparatus is an automatic teller machine (ATM).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 24, wherein said sub programs are selected from a set comprising card reader, visual displayer, data entry, communications, security, data manipulation, and timer sub programs.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for generating a control program for a target apparatus, said system comprising: a processor; a visual display unit; an input device; a control program data store; and a program store including: (i) an editor program for controlling said processor to accept input from said input device to modify the contents of said control program data store; (ii) a display program for controlling said processor to display a graphical representation of the contents of said control program data store on said visual display unit; (iii) a compiler program for generating the control program from the contents of said control program data store; and (iv) a simulator program arranged, in response to the contents of said control program data store, to cause said processor to simulate the action of the target apparatus under control of the control program.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for generating a control program for a target apparatus, said system comprising: a processor; a visual display unit; an input device; a control program data store; and a program store including: (i) an editor program for controlling said processor to accept input from said input device to modify the contents of said control program data store; (ii) a display program for controlling said processor to display a graphical representation of the contents of said control program data store on said visual display unit; (iii) a compiler program for generating the control program from the contents of said control program data store; and (iv) a simulator program arranged, in response to the contents of said control program data store, to cause said processor to simulate the action of the target apparatus under control of the control program.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of generating a control program for use in a target apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: providing a visual interface representing (i) subimages which represent control processes which are grouped to represent a plurality of processes to be concurrently executed and (ii) links between the subimages to represent control flow from one group of concurrent processes to a successively performed group of concurrent processes; and editing the subimages and the links between the subimages to generate the control program for use in the target apparatus.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of generating a control program for use in a target apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: providing a visual interface representing (i) subimages which represent control processes which are grouped to represent a plurality of processes to be concurrently executed and (ii) links between the subimages to represent control flow from one group of concurrent processes to a successively performed group of concurrent processes; and editing the subimages and the links between the subimages to generate the control program for use in the target apparatus.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 27, wherein the target apparatus is an automatic teller machine (ATM).
Claim 33
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of generating a control program for a target apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: accepting input from an input device to modify the contents of a control program data store; displaying a graphical representation of the contents of the control program data store on a visual display unit; generating the control program from the contents of the control program data store; storing control program data defining groups of sub programs for simultaneous execution on the target apparatus and control flow data defining a sequence of execution of the groups; and generating a display graphically representing the sub programs so as to indicate the groups, and control flows corresponding to the control flow data between the groups.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of generating a control program for a target apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: accepting input from an input device to modify the contents of a control program data store; displaying a graphical representation of the contents of the control program data store on a visual display unit; generating the control program from the contents of the control program data store; storing control program data defining groups of sub programs for simultaneous execution on the target apparatus and control flow data defining a sequence of execution of the groups; and generating a display graphically representing the sub programs so as to indicate the groups, and control flows corresponding to the control flow data between the groups.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 29, further comprising the steps of (i) storing catalogue sub program data defining a plurality of catalogue sub programs, and (ii) loading selected catalogue sub program data into the control program data store.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 30, further comprising the step of generating a catalogue display on the visual display unit displaying an indication of the catalogue sub programs.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 29, further comprising the steps of (i) storing, for each sub program, a sub program record comprising attribute data defining the operation of the sub program, and reference data associating the sub program record with sub program code for executing the sub program in accordance with the attribute data, and (ii) controllably editing the attribute data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of storing the sub program code.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 29, further comprising the step of simulating the action of the target apparatus under control of the control program in response to the contents of the control program data store.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein the target apparatus is an automatic teller machine (ATM).
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 35, wherein the sub programs are selected from a set comprising card reader, visual displayer, data entry, communications, security, data manipulation, and timer sub programs.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of generating a control program for a target apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: accepting input from an input device to modify the contents of a control program data store; displaying a graphical representation of the contents of the control program data store on a visual display unit; generating the control program from the contents of the control program data store; and simulating the action of the target apparatus under control of the control program in response to the contents of the control program data store.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of generating a control program for a target apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: accepting input from an input device to modify the contents of a control program data store; displaying a graphical representation of the contents of the control program data store on a visual display unit; generating the control program from the contents of the control program data store; and simulating the action of the target apparatus under control of the control program in response to the contents of the control program data store.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-06-30 | 2000-12-30 | 2001-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-30 | 2004-12-30 | 2005-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-30 | 2008-12-30 | 2009-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |