Testing multi-thread software using prioritized context switch limits
US7926035B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 24, 2007 |
| Grant date | Apr 12, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 27, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/3688
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Testing multithreaded application programs for errors can be carried out in an efficient and productive manner at least in part by prioritizing thread schedules based on numbers of context switches between threads therein. In particular, each thread schedule in a multithreaded application program can be prioritized based on whether a given thread schedule has the same as or less than some maximum value. A model checker module can then iteratively execute thread schedules that fit within a given context switch maximum value, or a progressively higher value up to some limit. In one implementation, for example, the model checker module executes all thread schedules that have zero preempting context switches, then all thread schedules that have only one preempting context switch, etc. Most errors in an application program can be identified by executing only those thread schedule with relatively few preempting context switches.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.