Method of and apparatus for debugging multitask programs

Patent 5805892 Issued on September 8, 1998. Estimated Expiration Date:

September 13, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Multi-task execution control system
Patent #: 4847751
Issued on: 07/11/1989
Inventor: Nakade , et al.

Time-shared multitask execution device
Patent #: 5371887
Issued on: 12/06/1994
Inventor: Yoshida, et al.

Task tracing apparatus in a multitask operating system
Patent #: 5379427
Issued on: 01/03/1995
Inventor: Hiroshima

Debugging aid apparatus Patent #: 5615332
Issued on: 03/25/1997
Inventor: Yamamoto

Inventor

Nakajima, Takashi

Assignee

NEC Corporation

Application

No. 527587 filed on 09/13/1995

US Classes:

717/131, Including analysis of program execution714/39, Monitor recognizes sequence of events (e.g., protocol or logic state analyzer)718/106, Dependency based cooperative processing of multiple programs working together to accomplish a larger task718/107Multitasking, time sharing

Examiners

Primary: Voeltz, Emanuel T.
Assistant: Richey, Michael T.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Foley & Lardner

Foreign Patent References

3-27451 JP. 02/13/1991
4-291425 JP. 10/13/1992

International Classes

G06F 011/30
G06F 009/455

Foreign Application Priority Data

1994-09-26 JP

Abstract

An apparatus for debugging multitask programs has an input command interpreter for interpreting an inputted command, a system call issuance coder for issuing a system call from a task to be debugged which is designated by the command, a system call issuance preparator for converting a next execution address of execution environment information of the task to be debugged into an address of the system call issuance coder, and a system call issuance processor for starting the task to be debugged from a debugger monitor and issuing a system call for putting the debugger monitor into a wait state. When a command for designating and putting a desired task, such as a task B to be debugged, into the wait state is inputted from the host, the system call issuance processor processes the execution environment information of the task B with the system call issuance preparator to prepare an environment in which a system call can be issued from the task B. Thereafter, a debugger task is put into the wait state, and a queue manager of an operating system selects the designated task B, which issues a system call with a system call issuance coder and the previously prepared environment.