Intermediate Representation Validation for Code Translation Accuracy

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing code translation methods introduce errors and are resource-intensive, requiring significant computing, network, and storage resources, and are prone to human errors and inefficiencies in validating the syntactic and semantic equivalence of translated code.

Innovation Solution

Generate an intermediate representation (IR) of the source code, identify metamorphic relations, and apply test cases based on these relations to validate the code translation, using metamorphic testing and symbolic execution on the IR to ensure syntactic and semantic equivalence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional code translation validation methods are used, then comprehensive validation can be performed, but significant computing, network, and storage resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalidation accuracyVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediate representation (IR) as a mediator between source code and target code. The IR is a language-agnostic format that captures the semantic meaning of the source code, allowing validation without requiring full compilation and execution of the target code. This intermediary layer enables efficient comparison of semantic equivalence while consuming minimal computing, network, and storage resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If manual validation of code translation is performed, then detailed syntactic and semantic equivalence can be checked, but human errors and inefficiencies are introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequivalence checking accuracyVSAvoidvalidation automation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-validation by automatically generating test cases from the intermediate representation and comparing the source code semantics with the target code semantics. The validation process is fully automated, eliminating human errors while maintaining high precision in detecting syntactic and semantic equivalence through programmatic analysis of the IR.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If existing code translation methods are used, then code can be translated between languages, but errors are introduced during translation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecode translation capabilityVSAvoidtranslation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary validation by generating test cases from the intermediate representation before final code deployment. The system pre-identifies potential translation errors by comparing the IR of source code with the IR of target code, and generates appropriate test cases to verify semantic equivalence, thereby preventing errors from propagating to production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12547525B2Validation of code translation using intermediate representation

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

In some implementations, a code translation validation platform may convert source code, associated with a source application, to an intermediate representation that supports a source programing language and a target programing language. The code translation validation platform may identify metamorphic relations in the intermediate representation based on program constructs and program interactions. The code translation validation platform may generate test cases based on the identified metamorphic relations. The code translation validation platform may perform symbolic execution of the intermediate representation to generated test cases. The code translation validation platform may apply the generated test cases to the source programming language and to the target programming language.