Graphical Protocol Driver Creation Through Communications Frame Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating protocol drivers are ambiguous and difficult for users without programming skills to understand and implement, lacking detailed editing methods such as table addition and deletion.
Innovation Solution
A protocol driver creating device that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) with a frame design screen for designing communications frames, allowing users to select, dispose, and set properties of graphics objects representing elements, and generate a protocol driver through a protocol driver generating section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a protocol driver creation method using a skeleton table is used, then the automation of protocol driver generation is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to ambiguous editing methods and lack of detailed table addition/deletion methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step between user input and protocol driver generation. The system provides automated table generation based on device information, which then serves as the skeleton for protocol driver creation. This intermediary table acts as a mediator that bridges the gap between automated device information and the final protocol driver, making the process more operable for non-programmers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by automatically generating device information tables and protocol driver templates without requiring manual programming. The skeleton table is automatically created and populated with device-specific information, allowing the system to serve itself in preparing the foundation for protocol driver generation, thereby improving automation while maintaining ease of use.
2Ease of operation
If detailed editing methods are provided in the protocol driver creation interface, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protocol driver creation process into distinct functional areas: device information table management, skeleton table generation, and protocol driver template creation. Each segment handles a specific aspect of the process, allowing detailed editing capabilities to be provided in each segment without overwhelming the user with the entire system's complexity at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface is designed to be dynamic, adapting its complexity based on the user's progress through the creation process. Initially, the interface presents simplified views for basic operations, then progressively reveals more detailed editing options as needed. This dynamic adjustment allows detailed editing methods to be available when needed while keeping the overall interface complexity manageable.
Data Source
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AI summary
A PC includes: a frame designing section configured to design a communications frame of a communications protocol; and a protocol driver generating section configured to generate a protocol driver in accordance with the communications frame having been designed. The frame designing section includes: a providing section configured to provide a graphics object that graphically represents an element of at least one segment of the communications frame and that contains information on the size of the element, in a manner that enables the graphics object to be selected and to be disposed in the at least one segment; and a setting section configured to set the property of the element represented by the graphics object having been disposed.