Deviation Finder for Software Regression Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software program updates often lead to program regressions, causing aberrant behaviors and user frustration, as developers face challenges in identifying which program to revert or upgrade due to lack of access to affected source code and hardware components.
Innovation Solution
A deviation finder system that logs and analyzes execution traces to identify regression points without requiring access to source code, grouping instructions into blocks for comparison, and transmitting regression points to developers or users to facilitate patching or behavior avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If developers manually identify and debug program regressions, then they can fix the issues, but the process becomes laborious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs regression detection and identification without requiring manual developer intervention. The deviation finder autonomously compares execution traces, identifies regression points, and provides diagnostic information, allowing the system to serve itself in detecting and locating bugs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical debugging processes with an automated computational system. Instead of developers manually stepping through code and comparing versions, a computer-implemented deviation finder automatically analyzes execution traces and identifies regressions using algorithmic trace comparison.
2Ease of operation
If developers have access to source code and debugging tools, then they can identify regressions more effectively, but they often lack access to affected source code and hardware components
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates execution traces as copies of program behavior that can be analyzed without needing access to the original source code or hardware. These traces capture the essential information needed for regression detection, allowing analysis to be performed on replicated data rather than requiring access to proprietary or inaccessible components.
Solution Approach 2:
The deviation finder acts as an intermediary system that bridges the gap between programs from different developers. It provides a standardized interface for regression detection that works across multiple programs without requiring direct access to their internal source code, facilitating collaboration between independent developers.
3Measurement precision
If the entire execution trace is analyzed to identify regression points, then accurate detection is achieved, but the analysis becomes computationally intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The execution trace analysis is segmented into manageable comparison units. The system divides the trace into segments and compares corresponding segments between the first and second executions, allowing accurate regression detection while reducing the computational burden of analyzing the entire trace as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the relevant portions of the execution trace that contain regression information. By identifying and focusing on the specific instruction blocks where deviations occur, rather than processing the entire trace uniformly, the system achieves accurate detection with reduced computational effort.
Data Source
AI summary
Automatic detection of software program regression points enables developers to more quickly and accurately diagnose and solve issues in changes to software. Traces of instructions are collected from before and after a change to a program or settings thereto on a computing device and are compared to identify differences between the two traces. Areas of differences are ranked and returned to identify the point(s) of regression in the traces to alert a user of programs of behaviors to avoid and/or a developer a point to focus efforts on to patch the responsible program or update other programs around the responsible application.