Automated sequence of machine-performed attempts to unfreeze an apparently frozen application program
US6151569A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/1438
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and computer method, that are generally referred to herein as ANTI-FREEZE.TM., are provided for controlling the operation of a computer running under a multitasking operating system (OS) such as WINDOWS.RTM. 95 or WINDOWS.RTM. NT operating system. When an application program becomes unresponsive to inputs from the keyboard and/or mouse, ANTI-FREEZE.TM. provides a user interface for identifying the unresponsive program and for causing the OS to send a message to the identified program. If the identified program responds to the message, ANTI-FREEZE.TM. determines if the identified program has any disabled windows and if so, enables a a disabled window. If the identified program does not respond to the message, ANTI-FREEZE.TM. modifies the stack or another part of the identified program in a way that causes it to become responsive to messages sent from the OS.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.