Memory Profiling Tool for Software Allocation Debugging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Developers face challenges in determining memory allocation in software programs due to asynchronous garbage collection, leading to excessive memory allocation and performance degradation, as they cannot track memory objects and total memory allocation in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for tracking and visualizing memory allocation in software programs by collecting, sorting, and aggregating records of memory allocations, including stack traces, to identify and debug points of excessive memory usage, using a profiler and database for querying and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If garbage collection is used to automatically manage memory, then programmer productivity and software reliability are improved, but developers cannot determine real-time memory allocation status leading to excessive memory allocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a profiling tool as an intermediary between the Java Virtual Machine and the developer. This tool intercepts and collects memory allocation events through the JVMPI interface, storing them in a database for later analysis. The intermediary allows developers to query memory allocation information without interfering with the automatic garbage collection process, thus resolving the contradiction between automated memory management and information availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of memory allocation information by recording allocation events in a database through the profiling tool. Instead of requiring developers to access real-time memory state directly from the running program, the system creates a persistent copy of allocation data that can be queried and analyzed after execution, making memory allocation information available without compromising the reliability of garbage collection.
2Loss of information
If memory allocation tracking is implemented to provide detailed information, then developers can identify memory-intensive areas, but data volume becomes unmanageably large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual memory allocation records that share common characteristics (same allocation site, similar stack traces) into aggregated summary records. The profiling tool groups allocation events by their originating code locations and combines them into consolidated entries with cumulative statistics, reducing the total number of records from potentially millions of individual allocations to a manageable number of unique allocation sites.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the large volume of memory allocation data into hierarchical groups organized by allocation sites and stack trace levels. The database structure divides allocation records into categories based on code location, method name, and call stack depth, allowing developers to navigate from high-level summaries to detailed information only when necessary, thus managing data volume through structured segmentation.
3Measurement precision
If all memory allocation records are collected and stored, then complete tracking information is available, but storage and processing requirements become excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by storing detailed allocation information selectively rather than uniformly for all records. The system maintains full detail for allocation sites that are identified as memory-intensive or problematic, while using aggregated summaries for less critical allocation locations. This selective detail level optimizes storage requirements while maintaining measurement precision where it matters most for debugging memory issues.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for assessing memory use of a software program includes collecting records of memory allocations while running the program, the records indicating respective allocation points in the program. The records are sorted according to the respective allocation points, and the sorted records are displayed so as to enable a user to observe totals of the memory allocations at the respective allocation points. In a disclosed embodiment, stack traces are collected at the allocation points, and information regarding the stack traces is displayed for at least some of the allocation points.