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Tutorial State Machines

This document provides an overview of state machines and how to design and build one in LabVIEW. It defines a state machine as a fundamental architecture where applications can have distinguishable states that lead to other states depending on inputs or calculations. The document includes a tutorial on creating a basic state machine in LabVIEW using a while loop, shift register, and case structure. It also discusses using state diagrams to represent different states and transitions between them. An example state diagram is given for a vending machine state machine.

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LaurMatei
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104 views

Tutorial State Machines

This document provides an overview of state machines and how to design and build one in LabVIEW. It defines a state machine as a fundamental architecture where applications can have distinguishable states that lead to other states depending on inputs or calculations. The document includes a tutorial on creating a basic state machine in LabVIEW using a while loop, shift register, and case structure. It also discusses using state diagrams to represent different states and transitions between them. An example state diagram is given for a vending machine state machine.

Uploaded by

LaurMatei
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tutorial: State Machines

Publish Date: Jul 02, 2008 | 26 Ratings | 2.92 out of 5

Overview
The state machine is one of the fundamental architectures NI LabVIEW developers frequently use to build applications quickly. Developers use state machines in applications where distinguishable
states exist. Each state can lead to one or multiple states and can end the process flow. A state machine relies on user input or in-state calculation to determine which state to go to next. Many
applications require an initialize state followed by a default state, where you can perform many different actions. These actions depend on previous and current inputs as well as states. You can use
a shutdown state to perform cleanup actions.

Table of Contents
In LabVIEW software, you can create a basic state machine with a while loop, a shift register, a case statement, and some form of case selector (case selectors are discussed in a later section). The
while loop is the main program loop, which executes until the conditions for exiting the program are met. The while loops main responsibility is to call the case selector and then execute the
appropriate case. The shift register keeps track of which case should execute next. Finally, each case of the case statement contains the action for one specific use action. Often the default case is
used as the place to check the case selector (in other words, if the user did nothing, check again to see if he has done something yet).

State Diagram
When designing state machines, you can create a state diagram to graphically represent the different states and how they interact. Use state diagrams, the design frameworks for state machines, to
model the control algorithms you need with discrete logical states. State Diagrams make it easy to develop and understand the functionality of an application that uses a state machine.
The figure below is an example of a state diagram. The ovals represent the states and the arrows represent the possible transitions between states.

All applications require an initial state, or starting point, followed by transition states that perform different actions. A terminal state, or ending point, is the final state executed and performs cleanup
actions.
State diagrams are useful in simplifying the design process of applications that use complex decision-making algorithms. To create an effective state diagram, you must know the various states of the
application and how they relate to one another. By visualizing the various execution states of the application, you improve the overall design of the application.

Design a State Machine with a State Diagram


Imagine a vending machine that accepts combinations of nickels and dimes to get a coke. The cost of a coke is 15 cents and the machine does not return change. First, establish the states that the
vending machine might be in:

Start: No money inserted

5 cents

10 cents

Done: 15 cents

Now think about the possible ways or paths that the vending machine can take to get into these states. Dont forget to consider how the vending machine starts in the initial state.

Nickel is inserted

Dime is inserted

Default: Nothing is inserted

From these lists, you see that there are four states and three possible paths from each state. You need to depict which states are connected by which paths. For example, when the vending machine
is in the initial start state, the total change inserted is 0 cents. When a nickel is inserted, the vending machine must go to the 5 cent state. Therefore, the start state leads to the 5 cent state by the
nickel path. By considering all states and paths, you can create a state diagram for the vending machine:

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With a state diagram, you can better understand how to create a state machine.

Building a State Machine


Using the state diagram above, create a state machine.
1.

Create a new blank VI.

2.

On the front panel place:

Two text buttons named Nickel and Dime

Text indicator named Money Deposited

Boolean indicator named Dispense coke

3.

Place a while loop on the block diagram.

4.

Place a case structure in the while loop.

5.

Create a shift register on the while loop.

6.

Create an Enum and wire it to the shift register to initialize it.

7.

Right-click the Enum, select Edit Items, and add the following states:

Start

5 cents

10 cents

Dispense

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8.

Wire the shift register to the conditional input of the case structure.

9.

Right-click the case box at the top of the case structure and select Add Case for Every Value.

10. Wire the different cases as depicted in the following figures.

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11. Wire Dispense coke to the Boolean output of the case structure.
12. Inside the while loop, place a wait function with a constant.
13. Outside of the while loop, wire a constant of 0 to the Money Deposited string indicator.
The finished VI should look like this:

Video

Exercise

State Machine

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