Signal definitions or descriptions in graphical modeling environments

Abstract

Methods, system and computer program products are disclosed for providing a graphical modeling environment in which a graphical model is generated and executed. In the graphical modeling environment, elements are provided to define or describe signals associated with resources that are coupled to the graphical modeling environment. The high-level signal definition or description elements define or describe the signals associated with the resources regardless of the hardware of the resources. With the use of high-level signal definition or description elements, the users have the capability to deal with the signals transmitted to/from the resources without the specific knowledge of the hardware of the resources.

1 . A method for defining a signal in a graphical modeling environment to model a physical signal transmitted or received by a hardware component, the method comprising: 
 determining the hardware component is coupled to a computational device running the graphical modeling environment;    searching a database for information descriptive of the hardware component;    determining one or more signal attributes of the physical signal transmitted or received by the hardware component from the information descriptive of the hardware component;    generating a graphical element in the graphical modeling environment that represents the one or more signal attributes rather than the hardware component;    coupling the graphical element to one or more other graphical elements in a model in the graphical modeling environment, the graphical element to transmit the signal to, or receive the signal from, the one or more other graphical elements.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the model is a block diagram and the graphical element is a block.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 setting a level of the signal in response to a value provided by another graphical element in the model.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the value is a signal amplitude.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 displaying a level of the signal with another graphical element in the model.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the database is located in a data center remote from the graphical modeling environment and the step of searching further comprises: 
 downloading the information descriptive of the hardware component from the data center to the graphical modeling environment.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of generating further comprises: 
 building a data structure of the graphical element, the data structure including the one or more signal attributes, one or more graphical attributes descriptive of a graphical rendering of the graphical element, one or more functional attributes descriptive of dynamics of the model, and one or more port attributes descriptive of data transmitted or received by the graphical element.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the one or more signal attributes has a type, and the type and number of the one or more signal attributes depends upon a waveform of the physical signal.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein at least one of the one or more signal attributes is selected from the group consisting of amplitude, start time, rise time, pulse width, fall time, frequency, phase, period, duty cycle, and sampling interval.  
   
   
       10 . A computer-readable storage media comprising instructions for defining a signal in a block diagram modeling environment to model a physical signal transmitted or received by a resource, the instructions executable by a computer to: 
 determine the resource is coupled to the block diagram modeling environment;    perform a look-up operation to obtain information descriptive of the resource;    determine one or more signal attributes of the physical signal transmitted or received by the resource from the information descriptive of the resource;    generate a block in the block diagram modeling environment that represents the one or more signal attributes;    provide the block in a library of blocks available for use in the block diagram modeling environment; and    receive user input to couple the block to one or more other blocks in a block diagram of the block diagram modeling environment, to define the signal in the block diagram.    
   
   
       11 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer to: 
 transmit the signal to, or receive the signal from, the one or more other blocks in the block diagram.    
   
   
       12 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer to: 
 set a level of the signal in response to a value provided by another block in the block diagram.    
   
   
       13 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer to: 
 display a level of the signal with another block of the block diagram.    
   
   
       14 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 10  wherein the look-up operation includes a download of the information descriptive of the resource from a remote data center.  
   
   
       15 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 10  wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer to: 
 build a data structure of the block, the data structure including the one or more signal attributes, one or more graphical attributes descriptive of a graphical rendering of the graphical block, one or more functional attributes descriptive of dynamics of the model, and one or more port attributes descriptive of data transmitted or received by the block.    
   
   
       16 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 10  wherein each of the one or more signal attributes has a type, and the type and number of the one or more signal attributes depends upon a waveform of the physical signal.  
   
   
       17 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 16  wherein at least one of the one or more signal attributes is selected from the group consisting of amplitude, start time, rise time, pulse width, fall time, frequency, phase, period, duty cycle, and sampling interval.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for defining a signal in a block diagram to model a physical signal transmitted or received by a hardware component, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for determining the hardware component is coupled to an environment associated with the block diagram;    means for determining a signal attribute of the physical signal transmitted or received by the hardware component.    means for generating a block that represents the signal attribute rather than the hardware component;    means for providing the block for use in the block diagram; and    means for coupling the block to one or more other blocks in the block diagram to define the signal in the block diagram.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 means for transmitting the signal to, or receiving the signal from, the one or more other blocks in the block diagram.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 means for setting a level of the signal in the block diagram.    
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 means for displaying a level of the signal in the block diagram    
   
   
       22 . An apparatus for defining a signal in a graphical modeling environment to model a physical signal transmitted or received by a hardware component, the apparatus comprising: 
 a database including information descriptive of the hardware component, the database configured to be searched in response to detection of the hardware component being couple to the graphical modeling environment, the database to return the information descriptive of the hardware component;    a data structure of a graphical element, the data structure configured to store one or more signal attributes of the physical signal transmitted or received by the hardware component, the one or more signal attributes set in response to the information descriptive of the hardware component;    a library configured to provide the graphical element to a user; and    a model editor configured to allow the user to couple the graphical element to one or more other graphical elements in a model in the graphical modeling environment, to have the graphical element transmit the signal to, or receive the signal from, the one or more other graphical elements.    
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the model is a block diagram and the graphical element is a block.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the model editor is further configured to allow the user to set a level of the signal by coupling the graphical element to another graphical element in the model.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the mode editor is further configured to allow the user to display a level of the signal by coupling the graphical element to another graphical element in the model.