Patent · US Active

Methods and apparatus for debugging software including divisions of an execution history of a debuggee program

US7840849B2 · kind B2 · utility

22Cited by
14References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 21, 2006
Grant dateNov 23, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 10, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/3636
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a computing system environment, methods and architecture relate to debugging software programs. The programs, regardless of size, are culled for substantially all memory and register writes (and flow control). An indexing and compression occurs so that upon a later query, and decompression (and display), a user can find and diagnose defects in the software program. To efficiently reconstruct the contents of any memory location or register, backwards tracing of events is comprehensively known for all time, not just select periods. Efficiencies in the indexing function include bunching, replacing actual memory locations with pattern(s) representative of same and dividing an execution history of the software program into manageable sections. Nuances for memory or register effects are also contemplated. Still other embodiments contemplate stand-alone computer program products (on computer-readable media or as a download, or other) or those working in conjunction with other debugging programs.

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