Multi-color animation of computer program execution
US5297248A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 7, 1992 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 7, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/3698
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for displaying statements of a computer program during an animation of the program's execution, the display using multiple colors to identify statements based on their respective frequency of execution, is disclosed. As a program statement becomes the current executed statement during the animation, the statement's frequency of execution is calculated as the number of times the statement has been executed so far during the animation, divided by the total number of statement executions throughout the animation. A display color is assigned based on whether the statement's execution frequency has reached one of two or more thresholds. The multi-hued display of program statements based on thresholds of execution frequency assists the programmer in understanding the operation of the program.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.