Patent ID: 6718533
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of defining modes of operation for, and mapping said modes through, a hierarchical system, wherein said hierarchical system comprises a multi-level hierarchy, with a set of components at each level, said method comprising defining one or more modes at each level bya. identifying an intuitive name for a mode; and b. choosing a subset of said set of components in said level; and c. choosing a sub-mode for each chosen component, so that said mode is defined by the sub-modes of the chosen components, where in the simplest (end condition) case, said sub-mode indicates if the component is active or not, whereby when said level is executing in said mode, only active components will execute. d. Repeating steps a-c until modes defined at any level in the hierarchy are mapped to sub-modes down the hierarchy, whereby when said hierarchy is executing, only active components will execute throughout the hierarchy.