Patent ID: 8612871

Claim:
A method, comprising: utilizing a computer to perform: displaying a diagram on a display in response to user input, wherein the diagram comprises a plurality of icons that are connected by wires, wherein the plurality of interconnected icons visually represents functionality of the diagram, and wherein the diagram is executable to perform the functionality; wherein said displaying the diagram comprises: displaying a first icon of the plurality of icons; displaying a second icon of the plurality of icons; and displaying a first wire connecting the first icon to the second icon in response to user input; specifying data exchange semantics for the first wire in response to user input, wherein the data exchange semantics define communication policies for transferring data between the first icon and the second icon; automatically determining a data transport protocol for the first wire based on the data exchange semantics, wherein said determining the data transport protocol determines a method for implementing the data exchange semantics for the first wire, and wherein said automatically determining the data transport protocol is performed without receiving user input specifying the data transport protocol; and configuring the first wire with the data exchange semantics and the data transport protocol, wherein during execution of the diagram the data transport protocol operates according to the data exchange semantics.