U.S. patent application number 11/560899 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-26 for graphical program execution on a handheld computer.
Invention is credited to Hugo Andrade, Andrew Dove, Darshan Shah.
Application Number | 20070094642 11/560899 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26978239 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070094642 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dove; Andrew ; et
al. |
April 26, 2007 |
Graphical Program Execution On A Handheld Computer
Abstract
A system and method for deploying one or more graphical programs
on a personal digital assistant (PDA). One or more selected
graphical programs may be programmatically converted to an
executable format that can be executed by the portable computing
device. For example, the graphical programs may be initially
represented as a plurality of data structures that define or
specify the operation of the respective graphical programs, and
conversion software program may operate to access these data
structures from memory and convert the data structures to an
executable format suitable for the portable computing device. The
executable may be transferred to the portable computing device for
execution.
Inventors: |
Dove; Andrew; (Austin,
TX) ; Andrade; Hugo; (Austin, TX) ; Shah;
Darshan; (Round Rock, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jeffrey C. Hood;Conley, Rose & Tayon, P.C.
P.O. Box 398
Austin
TX
78767-0398
US
|
Family ID: |
26978239 |
Appl. No.: |
11/560899 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10989849 |
Nov 15, 2004 |
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|
11560899 |
Nov 17, 2006 |
|
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|
09974601 |
Oct 9, 2001 |
6876368 |
|
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10989849 |
Nov 15, 2004 |
|
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60312133 |
Aug 14, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
717/124 ;
717/113; 717/136 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/125 20130101;
H04L 67/04 20130101; G06F 8/61 20130101; H04M 1/72406 20210101;
H04L 67/34 20130101; G06F 8/34 20130101; H04M 1/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
717/124 ;
717/113; 717/136 |
International
Class: |
G06F 9/44 20060101
G06F009/44; G06F 9/45 20060101 G06F009/45 |
Claims
1. A method for remote debugging of a graphical program on a
handheld computer, the method comprising: executing the graphical
program on the handheld computer, wherein the graphical program
comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a
plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate
functionality of the graphical program; displaying the block
diagram on a display device of a second computing device, wherein
the second computing device is coupled to the handheld computer
through one of a wired or wireless medium; and displaying execution
information on the block diagram displayed on the display device in
response to said executing the graphical program on the handheld
computer, wherein the execution information is useable in debugging
the graphical program.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer comprises a
pen-based computing device.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: converting the
graphical program to an executable that can be executed by the
handheld computer prior to said executing the graphical program on
the handheld computer; and transferring the executable to the
handheld computer; wherein said executing the graphical program on
the handheld computer comprises executing the executable on the
handheld computer.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computing device
comprises a desktop computer system.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving user input
to the second computing device to debug the graphical program.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein said debugging the graphical
program comprises performing one or more of: single stepping
through the graphical program; setting break points in the
graphical program; and/or performing execution highlighting for the
graphical program.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is
coupled to the handheld computer through a network.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transferring data
produced by said executing to the second computing device.
9. A system for remote debugging of a graphical program on a
handheld computer, the system comprising: a handheld computer,
comprising: a first processor; and a first memory medium coupled to
the first processor, wherein the memory medium stores a graphical
program, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram,
wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected
nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical
program; and a second computing device, comprising: a second
processor; a second memory medium coupled to the second processor;
and a display device, coupled to the second processor and the
second memory medium; wherein the handheld computer is coupled to
the second computing device via a wired or wireless medium; wherein
the handheld computer is operable to execute the graphical program;
and wherein the second computing device is operable to: display the
block diagram on the display device; and display execution
information on the block diagram displayed on the display device in
response to the handheld computer executing the graphical program,
wherein the execution information is useable in debugging the
graphical program.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer comprises
a pen-based computing device.
11. A method for executing a graphical program on a handheld
computer, the method comprising: storing a first graphical program
on the handheld computer, wherein the first graphical program is
configured to invoke execution of a second graphical program;
storing the second graphical program on a second computing device;
executing the first graphical program on the handheld computer; and
invoking execution of the second graphical program on the second
computing device in response to said executing.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the handheld computer comprises
a pen-based computing device.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second computing device is
coupled to the handheld computer through a wireless medium.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: converting the
graphical program to an executable that can be executed by the
handheld computer prior to said executing the graphical program on
the handheld computer; and transferring the executable to the
handheld computer; wherein said executing the graphical program on
the handheld computer comprises executing the executable on the
handheld computer.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second computing device
comprises a desktop computer system.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein said executing the first
graphical program on the handheld computer comprises executing a
node in the first graphical program that performs said invoking
execution of the second graphical program on the second computing
device.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second computing device is
coupled to the handheld computer through a network.
18. The method of claim 11, further comprising: transferring data
produced by said executing to the second computing device.
19. A system for executing a graphical program on a handheld
computer, the system comprising: a handheld computer, comprising: a
first processor; and a first memory medium coupled to the first
processor, wherein the memory medium stores a first graphical
program, wherein the first graphical program comprises a plurality
of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of
the first graphical program, and wherein the first graphical
program is configured to invoke execution of a second graphical
program; and a second computing device, comprising: a second
processor; and a second memory medium coupled to the second
processor, wherein the second memory medium stores the second
graphical program; wherein the handheld computer is coupled to the
second computing device; wherein the handheld computer is operable
to execute the first graphical program; and wherein the second
computing device is operable to execute the second graphical
program in response to the handheld computer executing the first
graphical program.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the handheld computer comprises
a pen-based computing device.
Description
CONTINUATION AND PRIORITY DATA
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 10/989,849 titled "Graphical Program Execution On A Personal
Digital Assistant" filed Nov. 15, 2004, whose inventors were Andrew
Philip Dove, Hugo A. Andrade, and Darshan Shah, which is a
Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/974,601 titled "System
and Method for Deploying A Graphical Program to a handheld computer
Device" filed Oct. 9, 2001, whose inventors were Andrew Philip
Dove, Hugo A. Andrade, and Darshan Shah, and which claims benefit
of priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/312,133
titled "System and Method for Deploying A Graphical Program to a
PDA Device" filed Aug. 14, 2001, whose inventor was Andrew
Dove.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of graphical
programming, and more particularly to a system and method for
executing a graphical program on a portable computing device, such
as a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] Traditionally, high level text-based programming languages
have been used by programmers in writing application programs. Many
different high level programming languages exist, including BASIC,
C, Java, FORTRAN, Pascal, COBOL, ADA, APL, etc. Programs written in
these high level languages are translated to the machine language
level by translators known as compilers or interpreters. The high
level programming languages in this level, as well as the assembly
language level, are referred to herein as text-based programming
environments.
[0004] Increasingly, computers are required to be used and
programmed by those who are not highly trained in computer
programming techniques. When traditional text-based programming
environments are used, the user's programming skills and ability to
interact with the computer system often become a limiting factor in
the achievement of optimal utilization of the computer system.
[0005] There are numerous subtle complexities which a user must
master before he can efficiently program a computer system in a
text-based environment. The task of programming a computer system
to model or implement a process often is further complicated by the
fact that a sequence of mathematical formulas, steps or other
procedures customarily used to conceptually model a process often
does not closely correspond to the traditional text-based
programming techniques used to program a computer system to model
such a process. In other words, the requirement that a user program
in a text-based programming environment places a level of
abstraction between the user's conceptualization of the solution
and the implementation of a method that accomplishes this solution
in a computer program. Thus, a user often must substantially master
different skills in order to both conceptualize a problem or
process and then to program a computer to implement a solution to
the problem or process. Since a user often is not fully proficient
in techniques for programming a computer system in a text-based
environment to implement his solution, the efficiency with which
the computer system can be utilized often is reduced.
[0006] Examples of fields in which computer systems are employed to
interact with physical systems are the fields of instrumentation,
process control, industrial automation, and simulation. Computer
measurement and control of devices such as instruments or
industrial automation hardware has become increasingly desirable in
view of the increasing complexity and variety of instruments and
devices available for use. However, due to the wide variety of
possible testing and control situations and environments, and also
the wide array of instruments or devices available, it is often
necessary for a user to develop a custom program to control a
desired system.
[0007] As discussed above, computer programs used to control such
systems traditionally had to be written in text-based programming
languages such as, for example, assembly language, C, FORTRAN,
BASIC, etc. Traditional users of these systems, however, often were
not highly trained in programming techniques and, in addition,
text-based programming languages were not sufficiently intuitive to
allow users to use these languages without training. Therefore,
implementation of such systems frequently required the involvement
of a programmer to write software for control and analysis of
instrumentation or industrial automation data. Thus, development
and maintenance of the software elements in these systems often
proved to be difficult.
[0008] U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,221; 4,914,568; 5,291,587; 5,301,301;
and 5,301,336; among others, to Kodosky et al disclose a graphical
system and method for modeling a process, i.e., a graphical
programming environment which enables a user to easily and
intuitively model a process. The graphical programming environment
disclosed in Kodosky et al can be considered a higher and more
intuitive way in which to interact with a computer. A graphically
based programming environment can be represented at a level above
text-based high level programming languages such as C, Basic, Java,
etc.
[0009] The method disclosed in Kodosky et al allows a user to
construct a diagram using a block diagram editor. The block diagram
may include a plurality of interconnected icons such that the
diagram created graphically displays a procedure or method for
accomplishing a certain result, such as manipulating one or more
input variables and/or producing one or more output variables. In
response to the user constructing a diagram or graphical program
using the block diagram editor, data structures may be
automatically constructed which characterize an execution procedure
which corresponds to the displayed procedure. The graphical program
may be compiled or interpreted by a computer.
[0010] Therefore, Kodosky et al teaches a graphical programming
environment wherein a user places or manipulates icons and
interconnects or "wires up" the icons in a block diagram using a
block diagram editor to create a graphical "program." A graphical
program for performing an instrumentation, measurement or
automation function, such as measuring a Unit Under Test (UUT) or
device, controlling or modeling instruments, controlling or
measuring a system or process, or for modeling or simulating
devices, may be referred to as a virtual instrument (VI). Thus, a
user can create a computer program solely by using a graphically
based programming environment. This graphically based programming
environment may be used for creating virtual instrumentation
systems, modeling processes, control, simulation, and numerical
analysis, as well as for any type of general programming.
[0011] A graphical program may have a graphical user interface. For
example, in creating a graphical program, a user may create a front
panel or user interface panel. The front panel may include various
graphical user interface elements or front panel objects, such as
user interface controls and/or indicators, that represent or
display the respective input and output that will be used by the
graphical program or VI, and may include other icons which
represent devices being controlled. The front panel may be
comprised in a single window of user interface elements, or may
comprise a plurality of individual windows each having one or more
user interface elements, wherein the individual windows may
optionally be tiled together. When the controls and indicators are
created in the front panel, corresponding icons or terminals may be
automatically created in the block diagram by the block diagram
editor. Alternatively, the user can place terminal icons in the
block diagram which may cause the display of corresponding front
panel objects in the front panel, either at edit time or later at
run time. As another example, the front panel may comprise front
panel objects, e.g., the GUI, embedded in the block diagram.
[0012] During creation of the block diagram portion of the
graphical program, the user may select various function nodes or
icons that accomplish his desired result and connect the function
nodes together. For example, the function nodes may be connected in
one or more of a data flow, control flow, and/or execution flow
format. The function nodes may also be connected in a "signal flow"
format, which is a subset of data flow. The function nodes may be
connected between the terminals of the various user interface
elements, e.g., between the respective controls and indicators.
Thus the user may create or assemble a graphical program, referred
to as a block diagram, graphically representing the desired
process. The assembled graphical program may be represented in the
memory of the computer system as data structures and/or program
instructions. The assembled graphical program, i.e., these data
structures, may then be compiled or interpreted to produce machine
language that accomplishes the desired method or process as shown
in the block diagram.
[0013] Input data to a graphical program may be received from any
of various sources, such as from a device, unit under test, a
process being measured or controlled, another computer program, or
from a file. Also, a user may input data to a graphical program or
virtual instrument using a graphical user interface, e.g., a front
panel as described above. The input data may propagate through the
data flow block diagram or graphical program and appear as changes
on the output indicators. In an instrumentation application, the
front panel can be analogized to the front panel of an instrument.
In an industrial automation application the front panel can be
analogized to the MMI (Man Machine Interface) of a device. The user
may adjust the controls on the front panel to affect the input and
view the output on the respective indicators. Alternatively, the
front panel may be used merely to view the input and output, or
just the output, and the input may not be interactively manipulable
by the user during program execution.
[0014] Thus, graphical programming has become a powerful tool
available to programmers. Graphical programming environments such
as the National Instruments LabVIEW product have become very
popular. Tools such as LabVIEW have greatly increased the
productivity of programmers, and increasing numbers of programmers
are using graphical programming environments to develop their
software applications. In particular, graphical programming tools
are being used for test and measurement, data acquisition, process
control, man machine interface (MMI), supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA) applications, simulation, image
processing/machine vision applications, and motion control, among
others.
[0015] In the prior art, graphical programs have been limited to
certain types of computing platforms, such as desktop computer
systems and workstations. With the proliferation of new types of
computing devices, it would be desirable to expand the platforms on
which a graphical program can execute. In particular it would be
desirable to enable a graphical program to execute on a portable
computing device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or
mobile terminal.
[0016] In general, small form factor devices such as PDAs present
certain issues for programs with graphical content, such as
graphical user interfaces. For example, PDAs generally have reduced
processor and memory capabilities compared to standard desktop
computers, and also generally have more limited display
capabilities. PDAs also generally have reduced capabilities in the
types of programs they can execute.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] One embodiment of the present invention comprises a system
and method for deploying one or more graphical programs on a
portable computing device. In the preferred embodiment, the
portable computing device comprises a personal digital assistant
(PDA) device. Other examples of portable computing devices include
mobile terminals, handheld computers, wearable devices (e.g.,
wristwatch computers), "smart" cellular telephones, game consoles,
global positioning system (GPS) units, electronic textbook devices,
etc.
[0018] The one or more graphical programs may first be created,
e.g., may be created using a graphical programming development
environment executing on a desktop computer system or workstation.
The graphical program(s) may be created or assembled by the user
arranging on a display a plurality of nodes or icons and then
interconnecting the nodes to create the graphical program(s). In
response to the user assembling the graphical program, data
structures (or code) may be created and stored which represent the
graphical program. The nodes may be interconnected in one or more
of a data flow, control flow, and/or execution flow format. The
graphical program may thus comprise a block diagram having a
plurality of interconnected nodes or icons that visually indicate
the functionality of the program. The graphical program may
implement any desired function. The graphical program may also
include a user interface portion or front panel portion. Where the
graphical program includes a user interface portion, the user may
assemble the user interface on the display. Alternatively, the user
interface portion may be specified in the block diagram. As one
example, the user may use the LabVIEW graphical programming
development environment to create the graphical program.
[0019] In one embodiment, the user may then select an option to
build an executable for the portable computing device, e.g., PDA
device. For example, the user may select an option from a menu in
the graphical programming development environment to create a
"build" or select an option to build an executable that will
execute on a portable computing device.
[0020] In response to the user selecting this build option, the
user may be prompted to specify or select one or more graphical
programs from which the user desires to create the executable. As
one example, this may involve selecting the graphical program(s)
created as described above. In one embodiment, the user may select
one main graphical program and a plurality of sub-graphical
programs. Alternatively, the user may select a single graphical
program or a plurality of different graphical programs for which
the user desires to create an executable. The user may select the
one or more graphical programs in any of various ways. For example,
selecting the graphical program(s) may comprise the user browsing
through a file system to obtain the graphical programs, or dragging
and dropping icons from a palette onto an icon for the PDA, or
other appropriate selection methods.
[0021] In an alternative embodiment, the user may not select the
"build" option and then specify the graphical program(s) to include
in the build. For example, if the user is currently viewing or
editing a graphical program within the graphical programming
development environment, then the user may simply select a "Deploy
to PDA" menu option to deploy the current graphical program to the
portable computing device. As another example, the system may
display a configuration diagram which includes icons for respective
graphical programs and an icon for the PDA device. In this example,
the user may deploy one or more graphical programs on a PDA by
dragging and dropping one or more graphical program icons on the
PDA icon.
[0022] The one or more selected graphical programs may then be
converted to an executable format that can be executed by the
portable computing device. A software program may operate to
automatically, i.e., programmatically, convert the one or more
graphical programs to the executable format. For example, the one
or more graphical programs may be initially represented as a
plurality of data structures that define or specify the operation
of the respective graphical programs. The conversion software
program may operate to access these data structures from memory and
convert the data structures to an executable format, e.g., machine
language code or an interpretable script or other similar
executable format, wherein this executable can be executed by the
portable computing device.
[0023] In one embodiment of the conversion process, the graphical
program is converted to an executable by first converting the
graphical program into a text-based program, such as a C language
program. The text-based program may then be compiled to machine
code to produce the executable code, wherein the executable code
can be executed by the portable computing device. The steps of
converting the graphical program into a text-based program and
compiling the text-based program occurs programmatically, i.e., is
performed by software, and is preferably performed invisibly to the
user.
[0024] During the conversion process, various run-time software may
be used to facilitate generation of the executable from the
graphical program(s). For example, this run-time software may
comprise serial, interface, and file I/O software, as well as user
interface software, math software, and data type software. This
run-time software may be useful and/or necessary because the
portable computing device may not inherently include a graphical
program execution engine. Hence, the executable may require
additional information that is not already contained within the
data structures that correspond to the graphical programs that have
been created.
[0025] The executable may be transferred to the portable computing
device, e.g., PDA. In one embodiment, this may involve using a
transfer program, such as a "hot sync" program to transfer the
executable to the portable computing device. In one embodiment, the
portable computing device may be physically coupled to the computer
system via a wire or cable, e.g., through a serial cable, and the
executable may be transferred over this cable to the portable
computing device. In another embodiment, the executable may be
transferred in a wireless fashion to the portable computing device
and deployed on the device in a wireless fashion.
[0026] The executable may then be executed on the portable
computing device, e.g., PDA. As noted above, a graphical program
may comprise a block diagram and may further comprise a user
interface or front panel. During execution of the executable on the
portable computing device, the portable computing device may be
operable to display at least a portion or all of the user interface
or front panel of the original one or more graphical programs. The
user may interact with this user interface or front panel to
control the executable executing on the portable computing device.
For example, where the graphical program performs a measurement
function, the user interface or front panel may be used to control
the graphical program to accomplish various measurement or
automation functions.
[0027] The graphical user interface system of the portable
computing device may not fully support all of the possible control
and indicator icons present in the user interface or front panel of
the original graphical program. However, the user interface
software comprised in the run-time software that is used during the
conversion process may be used to provide appropriate program
instructions for displaying or representing different user
interface or front panel elements.
[0028] In one embodiment of the method, one or more graphical
programs that are desired for execution by the executable are not
converted to executable format for transfer to the portable
computing device, but rather remain on the host computer system. In
this embodiment, the executable may include calls to one or more
graphical programs that reside on the host computer system. Thus,
during execution of the executable on the portable computing
device, the executable may be operable to call these graphical
programs that reside on the host computer system. As one example,
one or more of the graphical programs which are deployed on the
portable computing device may include a "call by reference node",
wherein this node is operable when executed to call a graphical
program on a computer system separate from the portable computing
device. Thus, the executable may call and remotely invoke a
graphical program, e.g., through a wireless means or through a
physical connection, such as a serial connection. The executable
executing on the PDA may also call and remotely invoke other types
of programs as well.
[0029] In one embodiment, the graphical program executing on the
portable computing device may be debugged using a desktop computer
system. For example, the desktop computer system may display an
image of the block diagram of the graphical program that is
actually executing on the portable computing device. This block
diagram may be viewed and used by the user in various debugging
modes such as single stepping, setting break points, execution
highlighting, etc.
[0030] In one embodiment, during execution of the graphical
program(s) on the portable computing device, the portable computing
device may be operable to transfer data to an external computer
system, such as a desktop computer system. A conduit program may
execute on the desktop computer system and may receive data
according to a standard or proprietary format. For example, where
the desktop computer system is running the LabVIEW graphical
programming system, the conduit program executing on the desktop
computer may convert data received from the portable computing
device to a "datalog" format, which is a proprietary format used by
LabVIEW which enables LabVIEW to view and use the data.
[0031] In one embodiment, a data acquisition module may be coupled
to the PDA and used to acquire data from an external source, such
as through a sensor or transducer. The graphical program executing
on the portable computing device may store and/or analyze the data
received from the data acquisition module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] A better understanding of the present invention can be
obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments is considered in conjunction with the following
drawings, in which:
[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system operable to deploy a
graphical program onto a portable computing device, such as a
personal digital assistant (PDA), so that the portable computing
device can execute the graphical program;
[0034] FIG. 1A illustrates a computer system coupled to a PDA,
according to one embodiment;
[0035] FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary instrumentation control
system;
[0036] FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary industrial automation
system;
[0037] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a
portable computing device, e.g., a PDA, operable to receive and
execute a graphical program;
[0038] FIG. 4 is a flowchart diagram illustrating one embodiment of
a method for deploying one or more graphical programs on a portable
computing device, such as a PDA;
[0039] FIG. 5 is a flowchart diagram illustrating more detail of
one embodiment of step 308 of FIG. 4, in which one or more
graphical programs are converted to a format suitable for execution
on a portable computing device; and
[0040] FIG. 6 illustrates run-time software used to facilitate
conversion of a graphical program to an executable format that can
execute on a portable computing device such as a PDA.
[0041] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by
way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail.
It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed
description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the
particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to
cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling
within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by
the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Incorporation by Reference
[0042] The following references are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety as though fully and completely set
forth herein:
[0043] U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/312,133 titled
"System and Method for Deploying A Graphical Program to a PDA
Device" filed Aug. 14, 2001, whose inventor was Andrew Dove;
[0044] U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,568 titled "Graphical System for
Modeling a Process and Associated Method," issued on Apr. 3,
1990.
[0045] U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,741 titled "Method and Apparatus for
Providing Attribute Nodes in a Graphical Data Flow
Environment".
[0046] U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,438 titled "Embedded Graphical
Programming System" filed Aug. 18, 1997.
[0047] U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,628 titled "System and Method for
Configuring an Instrument to Perform Measurement Functions
Utilizing Conversion of Graphical Programs into Hardware
Implementations," filed Aug. 18, 1997.
[0048] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/617,600 titled
"Graphical Programming System with Distributed Block Diagram
Execution and Front Panel Display," filed Jun. 13, 2000.
[0049] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/745,023 titled "System
and Method for Programmatically Generating a Graphical Program in
Response to Program Information," filed Dec. 20, 2000.
[0050] The LabVIEW and BridgeVIEW graphical programming manuals,
including the "G Programming Reference Manual", available from
National Instruments Corporation, are also hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
FIG. 1--Computer System
[0051] FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system 82 operable to deploy a
graphical program onto a portable computing device, such as a
personal digital assistant (PDA) or mobile terminal, so that the
portable computing device can execute the graphical program. The
computer system 82 may be any type of computer system, including a
personal computer system, mainframe computer system, workstation,
network appliance, Internet appliance, television system, or other
device. In general, the term "computer system" can be broadly
defined to encompass any device having at least one processor that
executes instructions from a memory medium. The portable computing
device may also be known as a handheld, palmtop, or personal
information manager.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 1, the computer system 82 may include a
display device operable to display the graphical program to be
deployed. For example, the display device may display a block
diagram and/or a graphical user interface or front panel of the
graphical program.
[0053] The computer system 82 may include a memory medium(s) on
which one or more computer programs or software components
according to one embodiment of the present invention may be stored.
For example, the graphical program to be deployed may be stored on
the memory medium of the computer system 82. Also, the memory
medium may store a graphical programming development environment
application used to create the graphical program, as well as
software operable to convert and/or deploy the graphical program on
the portable computing device. The memory medium may also store
operating system software, as well as other software for operation
of the computer system.
[0054] The term "memory medium" is intended to include an
installation medium, e.g., a CD-ROM, floppy disks 104, or tape
device; a computer system memory or random access memory such as
DRAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, Rambus RAM, etc.; or a non-volatile memory
such as a magnetic media, e.g., a hard drive, or optical storage.
The memory medium may comprise other types of memory as well, or
combinations thereof. In addition, the memory medium may be located
in a first computer in which the programs are executed, or may be
located in a second different computer which connects to the first
computer over a network, such as the Internet. In the latter
instance, the second computer may provide program instructions to
the first computer for execution.
[0055] In the present application, the term "graphical program" or
"block diagram" is intended to include a program comprising
graphical code, e.g., two or more nodes or icons interconnected in
one or more of a data flow, control flow, or execution flow format,
wherein the interconnected nodes or icons may visually indicate the
functionality of the program. The nodes may be connected in one or
more of a data flow, control flow, and/or execution flow format.
The nodes may also be connected in a "signal flow" format, which is
a subset of data flow. Thus the terms "graphical program" or "block
diagram" are each intended to include a program comprising a
plurality of interconnected nodes or icons which visually indicate
the functionality of the program.
[0056] Examples of graphical program development environments that
may be used to create graphical programs include LabVIEW, DasyLab,
and DiaDem from National Instruments, VEE from Agilent, WiT from
Coreco, Vision Program Manager from PPT Vision, SoftWIRE from
Measurement Computing, Simulink from the MathWorks, Sanscript from
Northwoods Software, Khoros from Khoral Research, SnapMaster from
HEM Data, and VisSim from Visual Solutions, ObjectBench by SES
(Scientific and Engineering Software), and VisiDAQ from Advantech,
among others. In the preferred embodiment, the system uses the
LabVIEW graphical programming system available from National
Instruments.
[0057] A graphical program may also comprise a graphical user
interface or front panel. The graphical user interface may comprise
any type of graphical user interface, e.g., depending on the
computing platform. In one embodiment the graphical user interface
may comprise one or more windows, such as those used in
window-based user interface systems such as provided by the
Macintosh Operating System, Microsoft Windows, the X Window System,
etc. The graphical user interface may include a plurality of user
interface elements or front panel objects, including indicators for
displaying output of the graphical program and/or controls for
specifying program input to the graphical program. Examples of user
interface controls and indicators include charts, graphs, push
buttons, knobs, numeric controls, text boxes, check boxes, list
boxes, etc. The graphical user interface may also include any of
various other types of user interface elements, such as menu bars,
popup context menus, window close buttons, etc. The user interface
elements may also include other icons which represent devices being
controlled.
[0058] The user interface portion may be contained in the block
diagram or may be contained in one or more separate panels or
windows. The user interface or front panel may be comprised in a
single window of user interface elements, or may comprise a
plurality of individual windows each having one or more user
interface elements, wherein the individual windows may optionally
be tiled together. As another example, the user interface or front
panel may comprise user interface or front panel objects, e.g., the
GUI, embedded in the block diagram. The user interface of a
graphical program may display only output, only input, or both
input and output. Further, in some embodiments the user interface
or front panel of a graphical program may enable the user to
interactively control or manipulate the input being provided to the
graphical program.
[0059] It is noted that when the graphical program is deployed on
the portable computing device, the user interface or front panel of
the graphical program may be altered. For example, some portable
computing devices, such as PDA's, typically do not support a full
window-based user interface system. Thus, the user interface
elements of the original graphical program may be changed or
translated into user interface elements that are available on the
target portable computing device. For example, in some instances
this may comprise re-arranging or re-sizing user interface
elements, changing graphical elements into text elements, etc.
FIG. 1A--Portable Computing Device Coupled to a Desktop Computer
System
[0060] FIG. 1A illustrates a system including the computer system
82 of FIG. 1 and a portable computing device 102, such as a PDA or
mobile terminal. As described above, the computer system 82 may be
operable to deploy a graphical program onto the portable computing
device 82 for execution.
[0061] In one embodiment, the portable computing device 102 may be
coupled to the computer system 82 via a wire or cable. As one
example, the portable computing device 102 may be coupled to the
computer system 82 through a serial cable, and the graphical
program may be transferred over this serial cable to the portable
computing device 102.
[0062] In another embodiment, the portable computing device 102 may
not be physically attached to the computer system 82, and the
graphical program may be transferred to the portable computing
device 102 using a wireless communication protocol. In various
embodiments, any of various wireless protocols or techniques may be
utilized in deploying the graphical program on the portable
computing device 102.
[0063] In another embodiment, the portable computing device 102 may
be located remotely from the computer system 82, and the graphical
program may be transferred to the portable computing device 102
over a network, such as a LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area
network), the Internet, or an Intranet, among others. For example,
for a portable computing device 102 with an Internet connection,
the device may be connected to the Internet and may receive data
representing the graphical program sent over the Internet by the
computer system 82.
FIGS. 2A and 2B--Instrumentation and Industrial Automation
Systems
[0064] The following describes embodiments of the present invention
involved with performing test and/or measurement functions and/or
controlling and/or modeling instrumentation or industrial
automation hardware. However, it is noted that the present
invention can be used for a plethora of applications and is not
limited to instrumentation or industrial automation applications.
In other words, the following description is exemplary only, and
the present invention may be used for any desired purpose. Thus,
the system and method of the present invention is operable to be
used in any of various types of applications, including the control
of other types of devices such as multimedia devices, video
devices, audio devices, telephony devices, Internet devices, etc.,
as well as general purpose software applications such as word
processing, spreadsheets, network control, games, etc.
[0065] FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary instrumentation control
system 100. The system 100 comprises a portable computing device
102, e.g., a PDA device, which may couple (in a wired or wireless
manner) to one or more instruments. The portable computing device
102 may connect to the one or more instruments in any of various
ways, and preferably connects wirelessly, i.e., communication
between the portable computing device 102 and the one or more
instruments is performed using a wireless communication protocol.
In one embodiment, the portable computing device 102 may operate
with the one or more instruments to analyze, measure, or control a
unit under test (UUT) or process 150.
[0066] The one or more instruments may include a GPIB instrument
112, a data acquisition (DAQ) instrument 114, a VXI instrument 116,
a PXI instrument 118, a video device or camera 132, and/or a motion
control device 136, among other types of devices.
[0067] The GPIB instrument 112 may couple to the portable computing
device 102 via a wireless communication protocol. For example, the
GPIB instrument 112 may include wireless communication circuitry
for communicating with an external device. In a similar manner, the
video device 132, the motion control device 136, the VXI instrument
116, the PXI instrument 118, and/or the data acquisition instrument
114 may connect to the portable computing device 102 wirelessly.
The data acquisition instrument 114 may interface through signal
conditioning circuitry to the UUT. The signal conditioning
circuitry may comprise an SCXI (Signal Conditioning eXtensions for
Instrumentation) chassis comprising one or more SCXI modules.
[0068] In another embodiment, the GPIB instrument 112, the video
device 131, the motion control device 136, the data acquisition
instrument 114, the VXI instrument 116, and/or the PXI instrument
118 may be physically connected to the portable computing device
102, e.g., via a serial cable.
[0069] A serial instrument (not shown) may also be coupled to the
portable computing device 102, e.g., wirelessly or through a serial
port provided by the portable computing device 102. In typical
instrumentation control systems an instrument will not be present
of each interface type, and in fact many systems may only have one
or more instruments of a single interface type, such as only GPIB
instruments.
[0070] The instruments may be coupled to a unit under test (UUT) or
process 150, or may be coupled to receive field signals, typically
generated by transducers. The system 100 may be used in a data
acquisition and control application, in a test and measurement
application, an image processing or machine vision application, a
process control application, a man-machine interface application, a
simulation application, a hardware-in-the-loop validation
application, or any of various other types of applications.
[0071] FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary industrial automation
system 160. The industrial automation system 160 is similar to the
instrumentation or test and measurement system 100 shown in FIG.
2A. Elements which are similar or identical to elements in FIG. 2A
have the same reference numerals for convenience. The system 160
may comprise a portable computing device 102 that may couple (in a
wired or wireless manner) to one or more devices or instruments.
The portable computing device 102 may connect to the one or more
devices or instruments in any of various ways, and preferably
connects wirelessly, i.e., communication between the portable
computing device 102 and the one or more devices or instruments is
performed using a wireless communication protocol. In one
embodiment, the portable computing device 102 may operate with the
one or more devices to a process or device 150 to perform an
automation function, such as MMI (Man Machine Interface), SCADA
(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), portable or distributed
data acquisition, process control, advanced analysis, or other
control.
[0072] The one or more devices may include a data acquisition
instrument 114, a PXI instrument 118, an image acquisition device
132, a motion control device 136, a fieldbus device 170, a PLC
(Programmable Logic Controller) 176, a serial instrument 182, or a
distributed data acquisition system, such as the Fieldpoint system
available from National Instruments, among other types of devices.
As described above, these devices may interface with the portable
computing device 102 in any of various ways, e.g., wirelessly or
using a physical connection. In typical industrial automation
systems a device will not be present of each interface type, and in
fact many systems may only have one or more devices of a single
interface type, such as only PLCs. The devices may be coupled to
the device or process 150.
[0073] As used herein, the term "instrument" is intended to include
any of the devices that are adapted to be connected to a portable
computing device as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, traditional
"stand-alone" instruments, as well as other types of measurement
and control devices. The term "measurement function" may include
any type of data acquisition, measurement or control function, such
as that implemented by the instruments shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
For example, the term "measurement function" includes acquisition
and/or processing of an image. As described below, a graphical
program may be created that implements a measurement function. For
example, the graphical program may execute on the portable
computing device to acquire a signal and perform the measurement
function on the acquired signal.
[0074] Graphical software programs which perform data acquisition,
analysis and/or presentation, e.g., for measurement,
instrumentation control, industrial automation, or simulation, such
as in the applications shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, may be referred to
as virtual instruments.
[0075] In one embodiment, the graphical program executing on the
portable computing device 102 may be used to perform only a portion
of the applications described above. For example, the portable
computing device may provide a convenient way to gather data
acquired from instruments located in the field or on a factory
floor. The data gathered by the portable computing device may then
be downloaded to another computer system for further analysis or
display.
FIG. 3--Portable Computing Device Block Diagram
[0076] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a
portable computing device 102 operable to receive and execute a
graphical program. The portable computing device 102 may be any of
various types of portable computing device. Examples of portable
computing devices include personal digital assistants (PDAs),
mobile terminals, handheld computers, wearable devices (e.g.,
wristwatch computers), "smart" cellular telephones, game consoles,
global positioning system (GPS) units, electronic textbook devices,
etc. New classes of portable computing device are rapidly emerging,
and this is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
[0077] As shown in FIG. 3, the portable computing device 102 may
include a processor 710. The processor 710 may be any of various
types, including a digital signal processor (DSP), an x86
processor, e.g., a Pentium class processor, a PowerPC processor, as
well as others. The processor 710 may have various clock speeds,
including clock speeds similar to those found in desktop
computer-class processors, as well as lower speeds such as 16
MHz.
[0078] The portable computing device 102 may also include a memory
712 coupled to the processor 710. The memory 712 may comprise any
of various types of memory, including DRAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, flash
memory, etc., or a non-volatile memory such as a magnetic media,
e.g., a hard drive, or optical storage. The memory 712 may comprise
other types of memory as well, or combinations thereof. In one
embodiment, the memory 712 may have a small storage capacity
compared to a typical desktop computer system.
[0079] The portable computing device 102 may also include wireless
logic 720 for receiving data wirelessly from other devices, such as
a desktop computer system. The wireless logic 720 may be operable
to communicate with external devices using any of various wireless
protocols. In other embodiments, the portable computing device 102
may include other means for communicating with other devices, such
as logic for performing serial communication.
[0080] As shown in FIG. 3, the memory 712 may store a graphical
program 718. The graphical program 718 may perform any function,
such as a test and/or measurement function, an industrial
automation function, a process control function, a data acquisition
function, a motion control function, a simulation function, etc.,
or a general purpose software application such as a database
application, a calendar application, a game, etc.
[0081] The portable computing device 102 may also comprise a
display 716. The display 716 may be any of various types, such as
an LCD (liquid crystal display). The display for a typical portable
computing device may be small compared to the display of a desktop
computer system. A graphical user interface (GUI) 722 for the
graphical program may be displayed on the display 716. The
processor 710 executing code and data from the memory 712 may
provide a means for generating and displaying the GUI.
[0082] The portable computing device 102 may also comprise an input
mechanism 714. The input mechanism 714 may be any of various types,
as appropriate for a particular portable computing device. For
example, the input mechanism may comprise a keypad, trackball,
touch pen, microphone, modem, infrared receiver, etc.
FIG. 4
[0083] FIG. 4 is a flowchart diagram illustrating one embodiment of
a method for deploying one or more graphical programs on a portable
computing device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA)
device. It is noted that FIG. 4 illustrates one exemplary
embodiment, and other embodiments are also contemplated.
[0084] As shown, in step 302 one or more graphical programs may be
created. The one or more graphical programs may comprise a main
graphical program and one or more sub-graphical programs.
Alternatively the one or more graphical programs may comprise a
plurality of graphical programs which interoperate with each other
in either a client server or peer-to-peer relationship.
Alternatively, only a single graphical program may be created.
[0085] The graphical program(s) may be created or assembled by the
user arranging on a display a plurality of nodes or icons and then
interconnecting the nodes to create the graphical program(s). In
response to the user assembling the graphical program, data
structures may be created and stored which represent the graphical
program. The nodes may be interconnected in one or more of a data
flow, control flow, and/or execution flow format. The graphical
program may thus comprise a block diagram having a plurality of
interconnected nodes or icons that visually indicate the
functionality of the program. The graphical program may implement
any desired function.
[0086] As noted above, the graphical program may comprise a block
diagram and may also include a user interface portion or front
panel portion. Where the graphical program includes a user
interface portion, the user may assemble the user interface on the
display. As one example, the user may use the LabVIEW graphical
programming development environment to create the graphical
program.
[0087] In an alternate embodiment, the graphical program may be
created in step 302 by creating or specifying a prototype, followed
by automatic or programmatic generation of the graphical program
from the prototype. This functionality is described in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/587,682 titled "System and Method for
Automatically Generating a Graphical Program to Perform an Image
Processing Algorithm", which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety as though fully and completely set forth herein. The
graphical program may be created in other manners, either by the
user or programmatically, as desired.
[0088] It is noted that the graphical user interface and the block
diagram may be created separately or together, in various orders,
or in an interleaved manner. In one embodiment, the user interface
elements in the graphical user interface or front panel may be
specified or created, and terminals corresponding to the user
interface elements may appear in the block diagram in response. For
example, when the user places user interface elements in the
graphical user interface or front panel, corresponding terminals
may appear in the block diagram as nodes that may be connected to
other nodes in the block diagram, e.g., to provide input to and/or
display output from other nodes in the block diagram. In another
embodiment, the user interface elements may be created in response
to the block diagram. For example, the user may create the block
diagram, wherein the block diagram includes terminal icons or nodes
that indicate respective user interface elements. The graphical
user interface or front panel may then be automatically (or
manually) created based on the terminal icons or nodes in the block
diagram. As another example, the graphical user interface elements
may be comprised in the diagram.
[0089] In step 304 the user may select an option to build an
executable for the portable computing device, e.g., PDA device. For
example, the user may select an option from a menu in the graphical
programming development environment, e.g., LabVIEW, to create a
"build" or select an option to build an executable that will
execute on a PDA device.
[0090] In response to the user selecting this build option in step
304, in step 306 the user may be prompted to specify or select one
or more graphical programs from which the user desires to create
the executable. As one example, this may involve selecting the
graphical program(s) created in step 302. For example, the user may
select one main graphical program and a plurality of sub-graphical
programs. Alternatively, the user may select a single graphical
program or a plurality of different graphical programs for which
the user desires to create an executable. The user may select the
one or more graphical programs in any of various ways. For example,
selecting the graphical program(s) may comprise the user browsing
through a file system to obtain the graphical programs, or dragging
and dropping icons from a palette, or other appropriate selection
methods.
[0091] In an alternative embodiment, it may not be necessary to
select the "build" option and then specify the graphical program(s)
to include in the build. For example, if the user is currently
viewing or editing a graphical program within the graphical
programming development environment, then the user may simply
select a "Deploy to PDA" menu option to deploy the current
graphical program to the portable computing device.
[0092] In another embodiment, steps 304 and 306 may be performed
using graphical association or "drag and drop" techniques. For
example, the system may display a configuration diagram which
includes icons for respective graphical programs and an icon for
the PDA device. In this example, the user may deploy one or more
graphical programs on a PDA by dragging and dropping one or more
graphical program icons on the PDA icon.
[0093] In step 308 the one or more selected graphical programs may
be converted to an executable format that can be executed by the
portable computing device. A software program may operate to
automatically, i.e., programmatically, convert the one or more
graphical programs to the executable format. For example, the one
or more graphical programs may be initially represented as a
plurality of data structures that define or specify the operation
of the respective graphical programs. The conversion software
program may operate to access these data structures from memory and
convert the data structures to an executable format, e.g., machine
language code or an interpretable script or other similar
executable format, wherein this executable can be executed by the
portable computing device.
[0094] As shown, during the conversion process in step 308, various
run-time software 340 may be used to facilitate generation of the
executable from the graphical program(s). As shown in FIG. 6, this
run-time software may comprise serial, interface, and file I/O
software, as well as user interface software, math software, and
data type software.
[0095] This run-time software 340 may be useful and/or necessary
because the portable computing device may not inherently include a
graphical program execution engine. A graphical program execution
engine may be described as a software program that is designed to
execute graphical programs. A graphical program execution engine
may include various software for handling user interface issues and
display certain GUI elements, performing certain math functions,
handling certain data types, performing file I/O, and performing
various interface or serial functions. Since in one embodiment the
portable computing device does not include a graphical program
execution engine, the run-time software 340 may add various program
instructions and/or data structures to enable the resulting
executable to execute and perform the functionality indicated by
the graphical program. Hence, the executable may require additional
information that is not already contained within the data
structures that correspond to the graphical programs that have been
created.
[0096] Stated another way, the graphical program may include
portions that cannot execute "natively" on the portable computing
device 102. In other words, the portable computing device software
cannot inherently perform this functionality based on the graphical
program as written, i.e., these portions cannot execute unmodified
or without additional program instructions. Typically, the portions
that cannot execute "natively" on the portable computing device 102
require functionality that would be present in a graphical program
execution engine or other software execution program.
[0097] In step 308 the method may examine the graphical program,
determine which portions of the graphical program cannot execute
"natively" (e.g., without modification or additional program
instructions) on the portable computing device 102, and add various
program instructions and/or data structures from the run-time
software 340 to account for these portions. This enables the
resulting executable to perform the functionality indicated by the
graphical program, despite the fact that the portable computing
device 102 does not include a graphical program execution
engine.
[0098] Thus, various program instructions and/or data structures
from the run-time software 340 may be incorporated into the
executable program in step 308. For example, as described above,
the graphical user interface system of the portable computing
device may not fully support all of the possible control and
indicator icons present in the front panel of the original
graphical program. Thus, a portion of the user interface software
comprised in the run-time software 340 may be incorporated into the
executable created in step 308, e.g., based on the specific GUI
elements comprised in the one or more graphical programs being
converted. This user interface software may thus provide
appropriate program instructions for displaying or representing
different user interface or front panel elements. As another
example, the portable computing device software may not inherently
support certain data types or math operations. Thus, various other
program instructions and/or data structures from the run-time
software 340 may be incorporated into the executable program in
step 308 to enable the portable computing device 102 to execute the
graphical program correctly, i.e., so that execution of the
executable is substantially the same as execution of the graphical
program on a system which includes a graphical program execution
engine.
[0099] In step 310 the executable may be transferred to the
portable computing device, e.g., PDA. In one embodiment, this may
involve using a transfer program, such as a "hot sync" program to
transfer the executable to the portable computing device. As
described above with reference to FIG. 1A, the portable computing
device may be physically coupled to the computer system, e.g.,
through a serial cable, and the executable may be transferred over
this cable to the portable computing device. In another embodiment,
the executable may be transferred in a wireless fashion to the
portable computing device and deployed on the device in a wireless
fashion.
[0100] In step 312 the executable may be executed on the portable
computing device, e.g., PDA. As noted above, a graphical program
may comprise a block diagram and may further comprise a user
interface or front panel. During execution of the executable on the
portable computing device, the portable computing device may be
operable to display at least a portion or all of the user interface
or front panel of the original one or more graphical programs. The
user may interact with this user interface or front panel to
control the executable executing on the portable computing device.
For example, where the graphical program performs a measurement
function, the user interface or front panel may be used to control
the graphical program to accomplish various measurement or
automation functions. As another example, the user interface or
front panel on the portable computing device may be used to control
or interact with any of the various measurement or instrumentation
devices shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
[0101] As described above, the graphical user interface system of
the portable computing device may not fully support all of the
possible control and indicator icons present in the front panel of
the original graphical program. However, the user interface
software comprised in the run-time software 340 may have been
incorporated into the executable created in step 308. This user
interface software may be used to provide appropriate program
instructions for displaying or representing different user
interface or front panel elements. Various other run-time software
incorporated into the executable may be executed in step 312.
[0102] In one embodiment of the method, one or more graphical
programs that are desired for execution by the executable are not
converted to executable format for transfer to the portable
computing device, but rather remain on the host computer system. In
this embodiment, the executable may include calls to one or more
graphical programs that reside on the host computer system. Thus,
during execution of the executable on the portable computing
device, the executable may be operable to call these graphical
programs that reside on the host computer system. As one example,
one or more of the graphical programs which are deployed on the
portable computing device may include a "call by reference node",
wherein this node is operable when executed to call a graphical
program on a computer system separate from the portable computing
device. This remote invocation may use VI server techniques
described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,102,965 and 6,064,812. Thus, the
executable may call and remotely invoke a graphical program, e.g.,
through a wireless means or through a physical connection, such as
a serial connection.
[0103] In one embodiment, the graphical program executing on the
portable computing device may be debugged using a desktop computer
system. For example, the desktop computer system may display an
image of the block diagram of the graphical program that is
actually executing on the portable computing device. The block
diagram displayed on the display of the computer system may display
various execution information as the block diagram executes on the
portable computing device. The execution information may include
visual aids such as single stepping, break points, execution
highlighting (highlighting of nodes as they execute, displaying
data output from respective nodes, etc.). Thus the block diagram
may be viewed and used by the user in various debugging modes such
as single stepping, setting break points, execution highlighting,
etc.
[0104] In one embodiment, during execution of the graphical
program(s) on the portable computing device, the portable computing
device may be operable to transfer data to an external computer
system, such as a desktop computer system. A conduit program may
execute on the desktop computer system and may receive data
according to a standard or proprietary format. For example, where
the desktop computer system is running the LabVIEW graphical
programming system, the conduit program executing on the desktop
computer may convert data received from the portable computing
device to a "datalog" format, which is a proprietary format used by
LabVIEW which enables LabVIEW to view and use the data.
FIG. 5
[0105] As described above with reference to the method of FIG. 4,
in step 308 the selected graphical program(s) may be converted to a
format suitable for execution on the portable computing device.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart diagram illustrating more detail regarding
step 308, according to one embodiment.
[0106] As shown, in step 322 the method may convert the one or more
graphical programs to a text-based language, such as C, C++,
FORTRAN, Java, Pascal, etc. Thus, for example, the one or more
graphical programs may be converted to C source code, C++ source
code, Java source code, etc. This may involve accessing data
structures representing the one or more graphical programs and
converting these data structures into a text-based programming
language, similarly as described above.
[0107] In step 324 this text-based language source code may be
compiled to create the executable. This compiling step may utilize
the run-time software 340, as described above.
[0108] In an alternate embodiment, instead of converting the one or
more graphical program(s) to an intermediate text-based programming
language representation, the graphical program(s) may be converted
directly to an executable.
[0109] As described above, in the conversion process of converting
the one or more graphical programs to an executable, the conversion
software program may access run-time software 340 which is used
during the conversion process. This run-time software may comprise
various components such as user interface element software, math
software, data type software, serial software, interface software,
file I/O software, etc. This software 340 may be used to aid in the
conversion of the one or more graphical programs to an executable
that can run on a different platform such as is present in a
portable computing device, e.g., a PDA. In other words, portions of
this software 340 may be incorporated into the executable created
in step 308 to account for execution on the PDA platform.
[0110] Although the embodiments above have been described in
considerable detail, numerous variations and modifications will
become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above
disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following
claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and
modifications.
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