Patent Document ID: 6061602
Application ID: 09103210

Base Claim:
1. A computer apparatus for interactively developing a graphical control application software program for use in controlling an automation apparatus, the computer apparatus comprising: means for storing an application development program including a first program representing a first set of flow sequences, each flow sequence including at least one transition and at least one step; means for storing a plurality of controls for use in the automation apparatus, the plurality of controls each being an object obeying a standard which defines characteristics of the object as having one of a plurality of methods, one of plurality of properties, and one of a plurality of events; each step in each flow sequence redefined as an object; a display; means for receiving user commands to select from the first program one of the first set of flow sequences, and for selecting one of the objects, the receiving means controlling the display to display a structure wherein the graphical representation of the selected one of the first set of flow sequences is a step in the structure and the selected object structure having at least one transition and at least one event; and means for linking the first program with the possible controls to directly form an automation program in response to user commands.

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Claim 3:
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control is instantiated when linked with a selected one of the flow sequences on the display.