Patent ID: 7840913

Claim:
A method implemented in a computing device comprising a processor, the method comprising: defining a set of state diagram requirements associated with one of a Moore machine type of state diagram or a Mealy machine type of state diagram, the set of state diagram requirements comprising: a requirement that actions on states are prohibited if the state diagram requirements are associated with a Mealy machine type of state diagram, or a requirement that actions on transitions from one state to another state are prohibited if the state diagram requirements are associated with a Moore machine type of state diagram; providing a state diagram in a graphical user interface, where the state diagram includes an indicator, where the indicator: indicates that the state diagram is a Moore Machine type of state diagram or a Mealy machine type of state diagram; checking the state diagram for conformity with the defined set of state diagram requirements using the processor of the computing device, wherein checking the state diagram for conformity with the defined set of state diagram requirements comprises: determining whether the state diagram includes one or more actions on transitions from one state to another state if the state diagram requirements are associated with a Moore machine type of state diagram, or determining whether the state diagram includes one or more actions on states if the state diagram requirements are associated with a Mealy machine type of state; and generating a notification when the state diagram does not conform to the defined set of state diagram requirements, the notification indicating at least one non-conforming aspect of the state diagram that does not conform to a Moore machine type of state diagram or a Mealy machine type of state diagram.