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US5987251A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automated document checking tool for checking sufficiency of documentation of program instructions

Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc
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Filing: 1997-09-03
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Granted: 1999-11-16
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Expires: 2017-09-03
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Abstract

Abstract A tool performs automated documentation checking of program instructions written in a scripting language, such as Job Control Language JCL. The tool checks whether each of the identified procedures, programs and data definitions are properly documented. The tool operates by first processing the JCL instructions to identify what documentation should be included for the job and then processing the documentation to determine how it compares with what documentation should be included for the job. If the documentation is not complete and accurate, the tool produces error codes to identify the errors. The tool may prevent a job from being processed until it is properly documented. The tool may include a bypass mechanism that enables the job to be processed despite the tool not being properly documented.

Inventors

  • 👤 Burt Larue Crockett
  • 👤 Robert Michael Bimm
  • 👤 Wilbur W. Goolsby
  • 👤 Debra P. Story

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 18:17
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/70; G06F8/73

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 119 words
In a computer system, which includes partitioned data sets, for running jobs, a method comprising the steps of: providing program instructions for controlling the running of a job on the computer system and documentation for the program instructions, the program instructions are kept in a first member of a given data set and the documentation for the program instructions are kept in a second member of the given data set; providing an automated documentation checker for checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; with the automated documentation checker, checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; and generating an output from the automated documentation checker that indicated the sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 119 words
In a computer system, which includes partitioned data sets, for running jobs, a method comprising the steps of: providing program instructions for controlling the running of a job on the computer system and documentation for the program instructions, the program instructions are kept in a first member of a given data set and the documentation for the program instructions are kept in a second member of the given data set; providing an automated documentation checker for checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; with the automated documentation checker, checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; and generating an output from the automated documentation checker that indicated the sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the program instructions control batch processing of jobs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the program instructions are job control language (JCL) instructions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein when the documentation is insufficient, an error output is generated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the error output identifies where the documentation is insufficient.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of preventing the job from being run when the output from the automated documentation checker indicates that the documentation for the program instructions is insufficient.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of providing a bypass for enabling the program instructions to be run even when the output from the automated documentation checker indicates that the documentation is insufficient.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 124 words
In a computer system, which includes partitioned data sets, for running jobs, a computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising the steps of: providing program instructions for controlling the running of a job on the computer system and documentation for the program instructions, the program instructions are kept in a first member of a given data set and the documentation for the program instructions are kept in a second member of the given data set; providing an automated documentation checker for checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; with the automated documentation checker, checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; and generation an output from the automated documentation checker that indicates the sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 124 words
In a computer system, which includes partitioned data sets, for running jobs, a computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising the steps of: providing program instructions for controlling the running of a job on the computer system and documentation for the program instructions, the program instructions are kept in a first member of a given data set and the documentation for the program instructions are kept in a second member of the given data set; providing an automated documentation checker for checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; with the automated documentation checker, checking sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions; and generation an output from the automated documentation checker that indicates the sufficiency of the documentation for the program instructions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 15 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the program instructions control batch processing of jobs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the program instructions are job control language (JCL) instructions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein when the documentation is insufficient an error output is generated.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the error output identifies where the documentation is insufficient.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 38 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises the step of preventing the job from being run when the output from the automated documentation checker indicates that the documentation for the program instructions is insufficient.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 40 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the method further comprises the steps of providing a bypass for enabling the program instructions to be run even when the output from the automated documentation checker indicates that the documentation is insufficient.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 150 words
In a data processing system that processes jobs, said system including at least one job, program instructions in a scripting language for specifying how the job is to be processed and documentation for the program instructions, a method comprising the steps of: providing a tool for verifying that the documentation is proper; inputting information to the tool that identifies a documentation format that is proper; processing the documentation with the tool to verify whether the documentation is proper, said tool using the input information in verifying whether the documentation is proper; generating output from the tool that indicates whether the documentation is proper; preventing the job from being processed when the output from the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper; and providing a bypass for enabling the job to be processed when the output form the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 150 words
In a data processing system that processes jobs, said system including at least one job, program instructions in a scripting language for specifying how the job is to be processed and documentation for the program instructions, a method comprising the steps of: providing a tool for verifying that the documentation is proper; inputting information to the tool that identifies a documentation format that is proper; processing the documentation with the tool to verify whether the documentation is proper, said tool using the input information in verifying whether the documentation is proper; generating output from the tool that indicates whether the documentation is proper; preventing the job from being processed when the output from the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper; and providing a bypass for enabling the job to be processed when the output form the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the program instructions are job control language (JCL) instructions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 158 words
In a data processing system that processes jobs, said system including at least one job, program instructions in a scripting language for specifying how the job is to be processed and documentation for the program instructions, a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for perforning a method comprising the steps of: providing a tool for verifying that the documentation is proper; inputting information to the tool that identifies a documentation format that is proper; processing the documentation with the tool to verify whether the documentation is proper, said tool using the input information in verifying whether the documentation is proper; generating output from the tool that indicates whether the documentation is proper; preventing the job form being processed when the output form the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper; and providing a bypass for enabling the job to be processed when the output from the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 158 words
In a data processing system that processes jobs, said system including at least one job, program instructions in a scripting language for specifying how the job is to be processed and documentation for the program instructions, a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for perforning a method comprising the steps of: providing a tool for verifying that the documentation is proper; inputting information to the tool that identifies a documentation format that is proper; processing the documentation with the tool to verify whether the documentation is proper, said tool using the input information in verifying whether the documentation is proper; generating output from the tool that indicates whether the documentation is proper; preventing the job form being processed when the output form the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper; and providing a bypass for enabling the job to be processed when the output from the tool indicates that the documentation is not verified as proper.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the program instructions are job control language (JCL) instructions.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US5426651A Cited
US5675803A Cited
US5838975A Cited
US5812843A Cited
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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) 2002-11-15 2003-05-17 2003-11-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-11-15 2007-05-17 2007-11-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-11-15 2011-05-17 2011-11-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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