Patent · US Expired

System for graphically representing operation of object-oriented programs

US4885717A · kind A · utility

233Cited by
7References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 25, 1986
Grant dateDec 5, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 25, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/3698
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A "diagramming debugger" creates a graphical representation of the sequence of messages sent during operation of an object-oriented program. When one object transmits a message to another object, the diagramming debugger displays representations of the transmitting and receiving objects on a computer screen, each representation comprising a box with labels identifying the represented object. The box representing a sending object includes therewithin a symbol (comprising, for example, one or more characters) identifying the method that sent the message, while the box representing the receiving object includes therewithin a symbol identifying the method invoked by the message. The message is represented by an arrow pointing from the symbol identifying the sending method to the symbol identifying the invoked method.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.