US5966532A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Graphical code generation wizard for automatically creating graphical programs
Assignee: National Instruments Corp
•
Filing: 1997-08-06
•
Granted: 1999-10-12
•
Expires: 2017-08-06
Abstract
Abstract A computer-implemented system and method for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system. The computer memory stores a plurality of graphical code templates. The graphical programming system executing on the computer system also includes a plurality of front panel objects or controls which represent the user interface. One or more associated graphical code portions or templates can be associated with certain of the controls. According to the present invention, the user first selects a control and then preferably initiates the graphical code generation wizard for the control. When the graphical code generation wizard is invoked, the wizard displays on the screen a configuration panel or dialog, prompting the user to configure the control or object. The user then selects parameter values to configure certain aspects of the graphical code being created. The graphical code generation wizard selects a graphical code template in response to the control and configures the graphical code template with the parameter values. The graphical code generation wizard then creates an association between the control and the configured graphical code. The user can edit wizard created code either using the graphical code generation wizard or by unlocking the association between the control and the code and making the changes directly in the block diagram. The present invention also comprises a graphical code generation wizard designed specifically for industrial automation applications, referred to as the MMI G Wizard.
Inventors
- 👤 Ryan O. McDonald
- 👤 Ramprasad Kudukoli
- 👤 Gregory C. Richardson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/30; G06F8/34; G05; G05B; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/20; G05B2219/23; G05B2219/23261; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A computer-implemented method for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, the method comprising: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; selecting one or more parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more parameter values indicate a desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values to produce a configured graphical code portion, wherein said configured graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of the graphical program.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A computer-implemented method for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, the method comprising: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; selecting one or more parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more parameter values indicate a desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values to produce a configured graphical code portion, wherein said configured graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of the graphical program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically selecting the graphical code portion is also performed in response to said selecting said one or more parameter values.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
127 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing a plurality of graphical code portions in the memory of the computer system; wherein the graphical programming system includes a plurality of controls, wherein a first plurality of said plurality of controls includes associated graphical code portions, wherein at least one associated graphical code portion can be associated with each of said first plurality of controls; wherein said selecting the control includes selecting a first control from said first plurality of controls in response to user input; wherein said automatically selecting the graphical code portion comprises selecting a first graphical code portion from said plurality of graphical code portions stored in the memory of the computer system, wherein said first graphical code portion is associated with said first control.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said plurality of graphical code portions are stored in a first memory area of the computer system; the method further comprising: displaying on the screen a graphical program panel for displaying graphical code, wherein graphical code comprised in said graphical program panel is stored in a second memory area of the computer system wherein said automatically configuring said graphical code portion includes: copying said configured graphical code portion from said first memory area to said second memory area; and displaying said configured graphical code portion in the graphical program panel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting the control includes displaying the control on a panel, wherein the control is operable to display data input to or output from the graphical program.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting new one or more parameter values for said control in response to user input after said configuring said graphical code portion; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion in response to said new one or more parameter values.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating an association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; selecting new one or more parameter values for said control in response to user input after said creating said association; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion; wherein said automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values uses said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains between said control and said new configured graphical code portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting the one or more parameter values comprises displaying on the screen a configuration panel; wherein said the one or more parameter values are selected using said configuration panel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving user input indicating a desire to change said configured graphical code portion; displaying parameter configuration information of said configured graphical code portion in said configuration panel; modifying said parameter configuration information in said configuration panel in response to user input; and automatically modifying said configured graphical code portion in response to said modifying said parameter configuration information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: wherein said automatically modifying said configured graphical code portion in response to said modifying said parameter configuration information includes selecting a new graphical code portion in response to said modifying said parameter configuration information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving user input initiating a graphical code generation wizard; wherein said selecting the one or more parameter values, said automatically selecting the graphical code portion and said automatically configuring the graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values are performed in response to said initiating the graphical code generation wizard; wherein the graphical code generation wizard automatically selects the graphical code portion and automatically configures the graphical code portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
172 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising: creating an association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; receiving user input selecting the graphical code generation wizard after said creating said association; automaticlly determining if said control has a configured graphical code portion in response to said receiving user input initiating the graphical code generation wizard; selecting one or more new parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more new parameter values are selected in response to determining that said control has a configured graphical code portion, wherein said one or more new parameter values indicate a new desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more new parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion, wherein said configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values uses said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains between said control and said new configured graphical code portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating an association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; locking said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion, wherein said locking prevents user editing of said configured graphical code portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising: unlocking said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion in response to user input after said locking, wherein said unlocking removes said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; directly changing said configured graphical code portion in response to user input after said unlocking.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
100 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving user input selecting the graphical code generation wizard after said locking; selecting one or more new parameter values in response to user input after said receiving user input selecting the graphical code generation wizard, wherein said one or more new parameter values indicate a new desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more new parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains between said control and said new configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains locked.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said control has a first type, the method further comprising: receiving user input to replace said control with a different control after said configuring said graphical code portion and after said creating said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; determining if said different control has said first type; maintaining the association between said different control and said configured graphical code portion in response to determining that said different control has said first type.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising: modifying said control in response to user input after said configuring said graphical code portion and after said creating said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; determining if an association exists between said control and a graphical code portion in response to said modifying said control; removing the association between said control and said configured graphical code portion in response to said modifying.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing in the memory of the computer system a plurality of graphical code generation wizards, wherein said plurality of graphical code generation wizards each have different types; receiving user input selecting one of said plurality of graphical code generation wizards; wherein the graphical code portion is selected based on a type of said selected one of said plurality of graphical code generation wizards.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing in the memory of the computer system one or more graphical code generation wizards, wherein each of said one or more graphical code generation wizards has a name; storing files in a directory corresponding to each of said one or more graphical code generation wizards; initializing the graphical programming system, wherein said initializing includes reading said files in said directory corresponding to each of said one or more graphical code generation wizards; adding said names of said one or more graphical code generation wizards to a menu in response to said initializing, where said names of said one or more graphical code generation wizards are selectable by a user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of a graphical data flow program.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting the control comprises selecting a plurality of controls which each represent input to or output from the graphical program, wherein said plurality of controls are selected in response to user input, wherein said plurality of controls form at least a portion of the graphical user interface for the graphical program; wherein the graphical code portion is selected in response to said plurality of controls, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said plurality of controls.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
160 words
A memory media which stores program instructions for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, wherein the graphical programming system executes on a computer system, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement the steps of: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; selecting one or more parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more parameter values indicate a desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values to produce a configured graphical code portion, wherein said configured graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of the graphical program.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
160 words
A memory media which stores program instructions for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, wherein the graphical programming system executes on a computer system, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement the steps of: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; selecting one or more parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more parameter values indicate a desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values to produce a configured graphical code portion, wherein said configured graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of the graphical program.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein said automatically selecting the graphical code portion is also performed in response to said selecting said one or more parameter values.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
123 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein the memory media stores a plurality of graphical code portions; wherein the graphical programming system includes a plurality of controls, wherein a first plurality of said plurality of controls includes associated graphical code portions, wherein at least one associated graphical code portion can be associated with each of said first plurality of controls; wherein said selecting the control includes selecting a first control from said first plurality of controls in response to user input; wherein said automatically selecting the graphical code portion comprises selecting a first graphical code portion from said plurality of graphical code portions stored in the memory of the computer system, wherein said first graphical code portion is associated with said first control.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
105 words
The memory media of claim 24, wherein said plurality of graphical code portions are stored in a first memory area of the memory media; wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: displaying on the screen a graphical program panel for displaying graphical code, wherein graphical code comprised in said graphical program panel is stored in a second memory area of the memory media; wherein said automatically configuring said graphical code portion includes: copying said configured graphical code portion from said first memory area to said second memory area; and displaying said configured graphical code portion in the graphical program panel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein said selecting the control includes displaying the control on a panel, wherein the control is operable to display data input to or output from the graphical program.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
72 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: selecting new one or more parameter values for said control in response to user input after said configuring said graphical code portion; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion in response to said new one or more parameter values.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
114 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: creating an association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; selecting new one or more parameter values for said control in response to user input after said creating said association; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion; wherein said automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values uses said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains between said control and said new configured graphical code portion.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein said selecting the one or more parameter values comprises displaying on the screen a configuration panel; wherein said the one or more parameter values are selected using said configuration panel.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
76 words
The memory media of claim 29, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: receiving user input indicating a desire to change said configured graphical code portion; displaying parameter configuration information of said configured graphical code portion in said configuration panel; modifying said parameter configuration information in said configuration panel in response to user input; and automatically modifying said configured graphical code portion in response to said modifying said parameter configuration information.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
The memory media of claim 30, wherein said automatically modifying said configured graphical code portion in response to said modifying said parameter configuration information includes selecting a new graphical code portion in response to said modifying said parameter configuration information.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
70 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the step of: receiving user input initiating a graphical code generation wizard; wherein said selecting the one or more parameter values, said automatically selecting the graphical code portion and said automatically configuring the graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values are performed in response to said initiating the graphical code generation wizard.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
172 words
The memory media of claim 32, further comprising: creating an association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; receiving user input selecting the graphical code generation wizard after said creating said association; determining if said control has a configured graphical code portion in response to said receiving user input initiating the graphical code generation wizard; selecting one or more new parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more new parameter values are selected in response to determining that said control has a configured graphical code portion, wherein said one or more new parameter values indicate a new desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more new parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion, wherein said configuring said graphical code portion with said new one or more parameter values uses said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains between said control and said new configured graphical code portion.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
54 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: creating an association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; locking said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion, wherein said locking prevents user editing of said configured graphical code portion.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
68 words
The memory media of claim 34, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: unlocking said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion in response to user input after said locking, wherein said unlocking removes said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; directly changing said configured graphical code portion in response to user input after said unlocking.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
111 words
The memory media of claim 34, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: receiving user input selecting the graphical code generation wizard after said locking; selecting one or more new parameter values in response to user input after said receiving user input selecting the graphical code generation wizard, wherein said one or more new parameter values indicate a new desired functionality of the graphical program; automatically configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more new parameter values to produce a new configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains between said control and said new configured graphical code portion, wherein said association remains locked.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
92 words
The memory media of claim 34, wherein said control has a first type, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: receiving user input to replace said control with a different control after said configuring said graphical code portion and after said creating said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; determining if said different control has said first type; maintaining the association between said different control and said configured graphical code portion in response to determining that said different control has said first type.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
85 words
The memory media of claim 34, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: modifying said control in response to user input after said configuring said graphical code portion and after said creating said association between said control and said configured graphical code portion; determining if an association exists between said control and a graphical code portion in response to said modifying said control; removing the association between said control and said configured graphical code portion in response to said modifying.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
78 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein the memory media stores a plurality of graphical code generation wizards, wherein said plurality of graphical code generation wizards each have different types; wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: receiving user input selecting one of said plurality of graphical code generation wizards; wherein the graphical code portion is selected based on a type of said selected one of said plurality of graphical code generation wizards.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
125 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein the memory media stores one or more graphical code generation wizards, wherein each of said one or more graphical code generation wizards has a name; wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement the steps of: storing files in a directory corresponding to each of said one or more graphical code generation wizards; initializing the graphical programming system, wherein said initializing includes reading said files in said directory corresponding to each of said one or more graphical code generation wizards; adding said names of said one or more graphical code generation wizards to a menu in response to said initializing, where said names of said one or more graphical code generation wizards are selectable by a user.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
22 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein said graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of a graphical data flow program.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
85 words
The memory media of claim 22, wherein said selecting the control comprises selecting a plurality of controls which each represent input to or output from the graphical program, wherein said plurality of controls are selected in response to user input, wherein said plurality of controls form at least a portion of the graphical user interface for the graphical program; wherein the graphical code portion is selected in response to said plurality of controls, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said plurality of controls.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
91 words
A computer-implemented method for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, the method comprising: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the user-selected control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; displaying the graphical code portion after said automatically selecting the graphical code portion.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
91 words
A computer-implemented method for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, the method comprising: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the user-selected control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; displaying the graphical code portion after said automatically selecting the graphical code portion.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 43, further comprising: configuring the graphical program in response to user input after said displaying, wherein the graphical program includes the graphical code portion.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 43, further comprising: selecting one or more parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more parameter values indicate a desired functionality of the graphical program; configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values to produce a configured graphical code portion, wherein said configured graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of the graphical program.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 43, further comprising: receiving user input initiating a graphical code generation wizard prior to said automatically selecting; wherein the graphical code generation wizard automatically selects the graphical code portion.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
100 words
A memory media which comprises program instructions for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the user-selected control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; displaying the graphical code portion after said automatically selecting the graphical code portion.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
100 words
A memory media which comprises program instructions for automatically generating graphical code in a graphical programming system, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement: selecting a control which represents input to or output from a graphical program, wherein the control is selected in response to user input, wherein the control forms at least a portion of a graphical user interface for the graphical program; automatically selecting a graphical code portion in response to the user-selected control, wherein said selected graphical code portion corresponds to said control; displaying the graphical code portion after said automatically selecting the graphical code portion.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
29 words
The memory media of claim 47, further comprising: configuring the graphical program in response to user input after said displaying, wherein the graphical program includes the graphical code portion.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
68 words
The memory media of claim 47, further comprising: selecting one or more parameter values in response to user input, wherein said one or more parameter values indicate a desired functionality of the graphical program; configuring said graphical code portion with said one or more parameter values to produce a configured graphical code portion, wherein said configured graphical code portion comprises at least a portion of the graphical program.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
34 words
The memory media of claim 47, further comprising: receiving user input initiating a graphical code generation wizard prior to said automatically selecting; wherein the graphical code generation wizard automatically selects the graphical code portion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-10-11 | 2011-04-12 | 2011-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |