Patent US5928369A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5928369A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automatic support system and method based on user submitted stack trace
Assignee: Synopsys Inc
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Filing: 1996-06-28
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Granted: 1999-07-27
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Expires: 2016-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for automatically analyzing a program system error. In one embodiment, the present invention electronically receives a stack trace of a program which has suffered an unknown system error. The present invention then compares the electronically received stack trace with a reference stack trace having a known system error associated therewith. In so doing, the present invention determines the similarity between the electronically received stack trace and the reference stack trace. When a predetermined degree of similarity exists between the electronically received stack trace and the reference stack trace, the present invention automatically reports information about the known system error associated with the reference stack to the address from which the electronically received stack trace was sent. Because the degree of similarity exists between the electronically received stack trace and the reference stack trace associated with the known system error, the remedial actions for the known system error also apply to the unknown system error. In so doing, the present invention provides a method and system which quickly and automatically reports the source and possible solution of a program system error, to a user of the program, without requiring extensive customer support intervention.
Inventors
- 👤 David Michael Keyser
- 👤 Dennis Murray Baylor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 10:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0766
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
In a computer system including a processor coupled to a bus, and a memory unit coupled to said bus for storing information, a computer-implemented method for evaluating a program system error comprising the computer-implemented steps of: a) electronically receiving, via e-mail, a stack trace of a program which has suffered an unknown system error; b) automatically determining whether a correlation exists between said electronically received stack trace and a reference stack trace having a known system error associated therewith such that said unknown system error is analyzed, said step of automatically determining whether a correlation exists further comprising the steps of: b1) comparing said electronically received stack trace with a plurality of reference stack traces to determine whether similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces, each of said reference stack traces having a respective known error associated therewith; b2) determining the degree of similarity between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces; and b3) ranking said plurality of reference stack traces from greatest degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace to least degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; and c) automatically reporting information related to said unknown system error to the address from which said electronically received stack trace originated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
222 words
In a computer system including a processor coupled to a bus, and a memory unit coupled to said bus for storing information, a computer-implemented method for evaluating a program system error comprising the computer-implemented steps of: a) electronically receiving, via e-mail, a stack trace of a program which has suffered an unknown system error; b) automatically determining whether a correlation exists between said electronically received stack trace and a reference stack trace having a known system error associated therewith such that said unknown system error is analyzed, said step of automatically determining whether a correlation exists further comprising the steps of: b1) comparing said electronically received stack trace with a plurality of reference stack traces to determine whether similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces, each of said reference stack traces having a respective known error associated therewith; b2) determining the degree of similarity between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces; and b3) ranking said plurality of reference stack traces from greatest degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace to least degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; and c) automatically reporting information related to said unknown system error to the address from which said electronically received stack trace originated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of: determining whether said electronically received stack trace of said program which has suffered said unknown system error was sent by a valid user of said program.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: electronically receiving a stack trace of encoded procedural call names; and decoding said electronically received stack trace of encoded procedural call names such that a corresponding stack trace of decoded procedural call names is generated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein step b) further comprises the step of: comparing said electronically received stack trace of said program which has suffered said unknown system error with said reference stack trace to determine whether similarities exist therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 wherein step c) further comprises the step of: automatically electronically forwarding information regarding said known system error to a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error if sufficient similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 wherein step c) further comprises the step of: automatically directing a customer support person to contact a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error if sufficient similarities do not exist between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of: automatically electronically forwarding information regarding said known system errors associated with said reference stack traces having at least an nth degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; said information forwarded to a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error; ranking said electronically forwarded information according to the degree of similarity between said respective plurality of reference stack traces associated with said known system errors and said electronically received stack trace.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
209 words
In a computer system a method for automatically analyzing a program system error comprising the steps of: a) electronically receiving, via e-mail, a stack trace of a program which has suffered an unknown system error; b) comparing said electronically received stack trace to a reference stack trace having a known system error associated therewith to determine the similarity between said reference stack trace and said electronically received stack trace, said step of comparing said electronically received stack trace to a reference stack trace further comprising the steps of: b1) comparing said electronically received stack trace with a plurality of reference stack traces to determine whether similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces, each of said reference stack traces having a respective known error associated therewith; b2) determining the degree of similarity between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces; and b3) ranking said plurality of reference stack traces from greatest degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace to least degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; and c) automatically reporting information about said unknown system error to the address from which said electronically received stack trace was sent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
209 words
In a computer system a method for automatically analyzing a program system error comprising the steps of: a) electronically receiving, via e-mail, a stack trace of a program which has suffered an unknown system error; b) comparing said electronically received stack trace to a reference stack trace having a known system error associated therewith to determine the similarity between said reference stack trace and said electronically received stack trace, said step of comparing said electronically received stack trace to a reference stack trace further comprising the steps of: b1) comparing said electronically received stack trace with a plurality of reference stack traces to determine whether similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces, each of said reference stack traces having a respective known error associated therewith; b2) determining the degree of similarity between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces; and b3) ranking said plurality of reference stack traces from greatest degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace to least degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; and c) automatically reporting information about said unknown system error to the address from which said electronically received stack trace was sent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of: determining whether said electronically received stack trace of said program which has suffered said unknown system error was sent by a valid user of said program.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the steps of: electronically receiving a stack trace of encoded procedural call names; and decoding said electronically received stack trace of encoded procedural call names such that a corresponding stack trace of decoded procedural call names is generated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein step c) further comprises the step of: automatically electronically forwarding information regarding said known system error to a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error if sufficient similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein step c) further comprises the step of: automatically directing customer support personal to contact a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error if sufficient similarities do not exist between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of: automatically electronically forwarding information regarding said known system errors associated with said reference stack traces having at least an nth degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; said information forwarded to a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error; ranking said electronically forwarded information according to the degree of similarity between said respective plurality of reference stack traces associated with said known system errors and said electronically received stack trace.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
215 words
A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform the steps of: a) electronically receiving, via e-mail, a stack trace of a program which has suffered an unknown system error; b) automatically determining whether a correlation exists between said electronically received stack trace and a reference stack trace which has a known system error associated therewith such that said unknown system error is analyzed, said step of automatically determining whether a correlation exists between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace further comprising the steps of: b1) comparing said electronically received stack trace with a plurality of reference stack traces to determine whether similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces, each of said reference stack traces having a respective known error associated therewith; b2) determining the degree of similarity between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces; and b3) ranking said plurality of reference stack traces from greatest degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace to least degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; and c) automatically reporting information about said unknown system error to the address from which said electronically received stack trace originated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
215 words
A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform the steps of: a) electronically receiving, via e-mail, a stack trace of a program which has suffered an unknown system error; b) automatically determining whether a correlation exists between said electronically received stack trace and a reference stack trace which has a known system error associated therewith such that said unknown system error is analyzed, said step of automatically determining whether a correlation exists between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace further comprising the steps of: b1) comparing said electronically received stack trace with a plurality of reference stack traces to determine whether similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces, each of said reference stack traces having a respective known error associated therewith; b2) determining the degree of similarity between said electronically received stack trace and each of said plurality of reference stack traces; and b3) ranking said plurality of reference stack traces from greatest degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace to least degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; and c) automatically reporting information about said unknown system error to the address from which said electronically received stack trace originated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
The computer-usable medium of claim 14 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer performing step a) to further perform the step of: electronically receiving a stack trace of encoded procedural call names; and decoding said electronically received stack trace of encoded procedural call names such that a corresponding stack trace of decoded procedural call names is generated.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The computer-usable medium of claim 14 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer to further perform the step of: determining whether said electronically received stack trace of said program which has suffered said unknown system error was sent by a valid user of said program.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The computer-usable medium of claim 14 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer performing step c) to further perform the step of: automatically electronically forwarding information regarding said known system error to a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error if sufficient similarities exist between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
The computer-usable medium of claim 14 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer performing step c) to further perform the step of: automatically directing customer support personal to contact a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error if sufficient similarities do not exist between said electronically received stack trace and said reference stack trace.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
101 words
The computer-usable medium of claim 14 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer performing step c) to further perform the steps of: automatically electronically forwarding information regarding said known system errors associated with said reference stack traces having at least an nth degree of similarity with said electronically received stack trace; said information forwarded to a user of said program which has suffered said unknown system error; ranking said electronically forwarded information according to the degree of similarity between said respective plurality of reference stack traces associated with said known system errors and said electronically received stack trace.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-07-26 | 2003-01-25 | 2003-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-07-26 | 2007-01-25 | 2007-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-07-26 | 2011-01-25 | 2011-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |