Patent ID: 7885800

Claim:
In an electronic device that provides a modeling environment, a method for building the model, wherein the electronic device includes a display device, the method comprising: displaying a first graphical element on the display device, the first graphical element representing a first component of the model; displaying a second graphical element on the display device, the second graphical element representing a second component of the model; displaying a third graphical element between the first and second graphical elements representing an action between the first and second components of the model; displaying a dialog associated with the model, the dialog providing an option for selecting whether the action is guarded by a guarding signal, the guarding signal relating to one or more events that occur during an execution of the model; and in response to a selection of the guarding signal in the dialog, synchronizing the action with the guarding signal without providing a connection of the guarding signal to the first and second components, synchronizing the action comprising: determining, during the execution of the model, at least one of whether the action is guarded by the guarding signal, whether each action associated with the first component or the second component is guarded by the guarding signal, and whether each action associated with the model is guarded by the guarding signal, and permitting the action to execute only when the one or more events occur if it is determined that the action is guarded by the guarding signal, each action associated with the first component or the second component is guarded by the guarding signal, or that each action associated with the model is guarded by the guarding signal.