Mixed mode programming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018285084-A1
Application number	US-201815925813-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2018
Priority date	Apr 3, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mixed mode programming method permitting users to program with graphical coding blocks and textual code within the same programming tool. The mixed mode preserves the advantages of graphical block programming while introducing textual coding as needed for instructional reasons and/or for functional reasons. Converting a graphical code block or group of blocks to a textual block lets the user see a portion of the textual code in the context of a larger program. Within one programming tool the mixed mode method allows users to learn programming and build purely graphical blocks; then transition into mixed graphical and textual code and ultimately lead to their ability to program in purely textual code. The mixed mode further allows users to program using any combination of drag-and-drop graphical blocks and typed textual code in various forms.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a processor; a memory medium, coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium stores program instructions executable by a computer system, and wherein the program instructions being configured to:
create an graphical coding environment,
wherein the graphical coding environment defines a plurality of graphical programming blocks, each graphical programming block, of the plurality of graphical programming blocks, is configured to represent a predefined programming element; and wherein the graphical coding environment further defines a coding programming block, the coding programming block is configured to represent a programming block for use in the graphical coding environment and further configured to use standard textual coding language within the programming block, and
create a graphical program in the graphical coding environment in response to user input, wherein the graphical program comprises, in response to the user input, at least one graphical programming block and at least one coding programming block interconnected in the graphical coding environment that visually indicates functionality of the graphical program in accordance with the user input; and
generate an output program based on the graphical program, wherein the output program implements the functionality of the graphical program, and
wherein the output program when executed, controls either a virtual object or a physical object in accordance with the user defined functionality of the graphical program.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to define a variable edit mode, and wherein one or more of the graphical programming block, of the plurality of graphical programming blocks, is configured to include a variable element set by a user activating the variable edit mode.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to define a peek mode, wherein the peek mode is defined for a user to select a graphical programming block, for which the set of instructions for the peek mode is configured to:
convert the selected graphical programming block into a standard textual programming language, and display within the graphical coding environment the standard textual programming language in a display window adjacent to the graphical programming block.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the set of instructions for the peek mode is further configured to create a coding programming block equivalent to the selected graphical programming block, and wherein the coding programming block being accessible to edit with standard textual coding language.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to color code two or more graphical programming blocks with different predefined colors.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the color code set of instructions are further configured to color code the textual programming language in the display window adjacent to the one or more graphical programming blocks such that the color of the textual programming language matches the color of the graphical programming block.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to define a conversion mode, and wherein the conversion mode is configured for a user to select one or more graphical programming blocks, wherein upon activation the set of instructions for the conversion mode is configured to:
convert the selected one or more graphical programming blocks into a standard textual programming language, and create one or more coding programming blocks equivalent to the selected one or more graphical programming blocks, and wherein the one or more coding programming blocks being accessible to edit with standard textual coding language.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to define a graphical programming argument block for use in creation of the graphical program, and wherein the graphical programming argument block is configured as a graphical block with an argument segment embedded within the graphical block, and the set of instructions further configured to accept standard textual coding language in the argument segment.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to:
automatically convert a graphical block to standard textual coding language, and insert the standard textual coding language into the coding programming block defined in the graphical program, at a position defined by a user and within the coding programming block, when the graphical block is selected by a user and the user defines said position for insertion.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to merge blocks, and wherein the set of instructions to merge blocks being configured to:
automatically add a second coding programming block to a first coding programming block, defining a merged coding programming block comprising: both a second standard textual coding language defined by the second coding programming block; and a first standard textual coding language defined by the first coding programming block.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions to merge blocks being further configured to inset the second standard textual coding language at a positioned within the first standard textual coding language selected by a user.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions configured to create the graphical coding environment, further define a set of instructions, stored on the memory, to identify errors in the coding programming block, and wherein the set of instructions to identify errors being configured to:
check an user defined standard textual coding language within the coding programming block to determine if the output program can properly execute to control either the virtual object or a physical object in accordance with the user defined functionality; and automatically change the color of the user defined standard textual coding language when the output program fails to properly execute.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the set of instructions to identify errors is further configured to change the color of the user defined standard textual coding language prior to the output program being generated.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the graphical coding environment further includes set of instructions to define a mixed programming mode, and wherein the mixed programming mode is configured to:
create a text programming environment within the graphical coding environment, wherein the text programming environment defines coding text lines, receive graphical programming blocks, and receive standard textual coding language on the coding text lines; and create the graphical program in response to user input, wherein the graphical program comprises, in response to the user input, at least one graphical programming bloc

Assignees

• Innovation First Inc

Inventors

• Mimlitch Iii Robert H
• Mckenna Jason R
• Pope Levi K
• Pearman James B
• Friez Timothy S
• Copioli Paul D

Classifications

• G06F8/51

  Source to source · CPC title

• G06F8/33

  Intelligent editors · CPC title

• G06F8/447

  Target code generation · CPC title

• G06F8/34 Primary

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title

• G06F11/3664

  Physics · mapped topic