National Instruments Corporation

Jeffrey N Correll

David W Fuller, Iii

Mohammed Kamran Shah

Jacob Kornerup

Brian Sierer

Timothy J Hayles

John Robert Breyer

Jeffrey L Kodosky

Guang Yu Yang

Kaushik Ravindran

Guoqiang Wang

Rhishikesh Limaye

Michael J Trimborn

Charles E Crain, Ii

Arkadeb Ghosal

Sadia B Malik

Hugo A Andrade

Newton G Petersen

Darshan K Shah

Aljosa Vrancic

Dustyn K Blasig

Ian C Wong

Adam K Gabbert

Jenifer M Loy

Christopher G Cifra

Matthew C Curtis

John R Allen

Trung N Tran

Scott D Postma

Richard M Ashby

Jayson P Ryckman

Jacob Komerup

Charles E Crain Ii

Guang Yang

David W Iii Fuller

John R Bryer

Techniques for specifying and implementing programs. A graphical program is created in a graphical specification and constraint language that allows specification of a model of computation and explicit declaration of constraints in response to user input. The graphical program includes a specified model of computation, a plurality of interconnected functional blocks that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program in accordance with the specified model of computation, and specifications or constraints for the graphical program or at least one of the functional blocks in the graphical program. The specified model of computation and specifications or constraints are useable to analyze the graphical program or generate a program or simulation.

Graphical specification and constraint language for developing programs for hardware implementation and use

When compiling high-level, graphical code (e.g. LabVIEW&#x2122; code) to a different representation (e.g. different software code or hardware FPGA), information relating to characteristics of the design may be collected/captured from the compilation process, and automatically provided to all the earlier stages of the compilation process to obtain more optimal results. Without automated feedback of this information, users have to manually identify, produce, and provide the feedback information, or forego the process altogether, having to assume that the tool has produced the best possible results when that may not be the case. To correct timing, failed constraints paths may be parsed and compared to delays obtained during a previous compile, and previous adjustments that didn't yield desired results may be undone. The longest delay that didn't result from an undone path may then be identified, and adjusted, and the process may be repeated until all paths are predicted to pass.

Staged program compilation with automated timing closure

System and method for specifying and implementing programs. A graphical program is created in a graphical specification and constraint language that allows specification of a model of computation and explicit declaration of constraints in response to user input. The graphical program includes a specified model of computation, a plurality of interconnected functional blocks that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program in accordance with the specified model of computation, and specifications or constraints for the graphical program or at least one of the functional blocks in the graphical program. The specified model of computation and specifications or constraints are useable to analyze the graphical program or generate a program or simulation.

System and method for optimizing a data flow diagram based on access pattern information are described. Access pattern information for a data flow diagram may be received. The data flow diagram may include a plurality of interconnected actors, e.g., functional blocks, visually indicating functionality of the data flow diagram. The access pattern information may include one or more of: input pattern information specifying cycles on which tokens are consumed by at least one of the actors, or output pattern information specifying cycles on which tokens are produced by at least one of the actors. A program that implements the functionality of the data flow diagram may be generated based at least in part on the access pattern information.

Optimization of a data flow program based on access pattern information

Configuring wires/icons in a diagram. The diagram may be an executable diagram such as a graphical program or a system diagram. The diagram may include a plurality of icons that are connected by wires, and the icons may visually represent functionality of the diagram. The diagram may be executable to perform the functionality. Displaying the diagram may include displaying a first wire in the diagram, where the first wire connects a first icon and a second icon. Data transfer functionality may be specified for the first wire and/or the first or second icon in the diagram. The data transfer functionality may be visually indicated in the diagram, e.g., by appearances of the first icon, the second icon, the first wire, and/or icons displayed proximate to these components of the diagram.

Automatically determining data transfer functionality for wires in a graphical diagram

Automated analysis of compilation processes in a graphical specification and constraint language

Providing zooming within a system diagram. Initially, a diagram of a system may be displayed. The diagram may include a plurality of icons representing physical components of the system. These plurality of icons may be initially displayed at a first level of magnification. User input to zoom on a first physical component in the diagram may be received. Accordingly, the first physical component may be displayed at a second level of magnification and other ones of the physical components may be displayed at a third level of magnification. The second level of magnification may be greater than the first level of magnification and the third level of magnification may be less than the first level of magnification. Alternatively, or additionally, different representations for various components of the system may be displayed in the diagram during or after the zoom.

Semantic zoom within a diagram of a system

Developing programs for hardware implementation in a graphical specification and constraint language

Displaying physical signal routing of a system. A diagram of the system may be displayed. The system may include physical components connected via physical connections and logical components implemented on various ones of the physical components. The diagram may include a plurality of icons connected by wires. At least a first subset of the icons may represent logical elements of the system and wires between the first subset of icons may represent logical connections between corresponding logical elements. User input requesting signal routing information of the system may be received. In response, a signal route corresponding to a first logical connection between a first logical element and a second logical element may be visually indicated.

Displaying physical signal routing in a diagram of a system

Developing programs in a graphical specification and constraint language

Developing programs for hardware implementation in a graphical specification and constraint language Via iterative estimation of performance or resource utilization

Graphical diagram which automatically determines a data transport mechanism for wires based on configured policies

System and method for distributed execution of a graphical program. A graphical program is displayed on a display of a computer system. Targeted execution of a first graphical program portion of the graphical program on an execution target is graphically specified. The graphical specification includes displaying a visual indication of the specified targeted execution on the display of the graphical program. During execution of the graphical program, the first graphical program portion executes on the specified execution target and a remainder of the graphical program executes on a default execution target.

Graphically specifying and indicating targeted execution in a graphical program

Generating and debugging timing accurate simulations in a graphical specification and constraint language

System and method for configuring a client system, e.g., a measurement system. First input is received from a client system over a network requesting access to a plurality of configuration diagrams comprising respective solutions to respective tasks. At least a subset of the plurality of configuration diagrams is displayed on a display device of the client system for viewing by a user. Second input is received from the client system selecting one of the displayed configuration diagrams indicating a solution for a task to be performed by the client system. The solution is provided to the client system over the network, and may include the selected configuration diagram and/or pricing information for proposed products. The configuration diagrams are stored in a configuration diagram database. The stored configuration diagrams may be pre-defined solutions for pre-defined tasks, generated in response to received user requirements, and/or received from client systems and/or vendors.

Network based system which provides a database of simulation solutions

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Park, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey N Correll