Patent ID: 7424410

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: obtaining a block diagram model of a system, wherein the block diagram model contains a plurality of blocks, wherein each block has associated settings that control operation of the block, wherein the associated settings can be of different types, and wherein the block diagram model provides a graphical model of the system; receiving information identifying a user selection of a first portion of the block diagram model, wherein the first portion of the block diagram model contains more than one block; determining a first constraint for constraining operation of the first portion of the block diagram model; applying the first constraint to constrain operation of the first portion of the block diagram model by constraining a value of one type of setting in each block within the first portion that has the type of setting associated with the first constraint; determining if at least one block in the first portion of the block diagram model violates the first constraint; and outputting information based on the determining if at least one block in the first portion of the block diagram model violates the first constraint and storing the first constraint when the blocks in the first portion of the block diagram model do not violate the first constraint.