Usage Pattern Analysis for Software Quality Assurance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of hardware and software systems makes it impractical to test every possible user input and combination, leading to incomplete quality assurance and inefficient resource allocation for development and debugging.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a scenario observer, associator, and analyzer that monitors and categorizes user and system events into scenarios, allowing for the analysis of usage patterns and simulation of real-world usage to prioritize development efforts and refine system performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If every possible user input and input combination is tested, then quality assurance completeness is improved, but testing time and resource requirements become prohibitively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vast space of all possible user inputs and input combinations into a manageable set of usage scenarios. By dividing the testing space into scenario-based categories (e.g., typical usage, edge cases, error conditions), the system can systematically cover quality assurance requirements without testing every single possible input combination, thus reducing testing time while maintaining completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by selecting and testing only the most relevant and representative user inputs and scenarios based on usage pattern analysis. Instead of exhaustive testing of all possible inputs, the system identifies and focuses on critical scenarios that provide sufficient quality assurance coverage, thereby reducing testing time and resources while maintaining adequate reliability.
2Reliability
If comprehensive testing of all user inputs is performed, then system reliability is improved, but development resource allocation becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of usage patterns before comprehensive testing. By analyzing and prioritizing user inputs and scenarios in advance based on their importance and frequency, the system prepares a focused testing plan that maintains system reliability while optimizing development resource allocation. This preliminary sorting prevents wasted resources on low-priority test cases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of testing by shifting from uniform comprehensive testing to differentiated scenario-based testing. By adjusting testing depth and coverage based on scenario priority, input frequency, and criticality, the system achieves adequate reliability with improved development efficiency, allocating resources proportionally to actual needs rather than uniformly across all inputs.
3Measurement precision
If detailed usage pattern analysis is conducted, then debugging accuracy is improved, but analysis complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer of usage scenario models that bridge raw user input data and debugging analysis. These scenario models serve as mediators that structure and organize usage patterns in a standardized format, enabling accurate debugging analysis without requiring direct complex processing of all raw input data, thus maintaining precision while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies or representations of complex usage patterns through scenario models. Instead of directly analyzing all raw user inputs and system events, the system generates abstracted scenario representations that capture essential usage patterns, enabling accurate debugging analysis with reduced computational complexity and more manageable data structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing usage patterns. In certain embodiments, a system includes a scenario observer, a scenario associator, and a scenario analyzer. The scenario observer is configured to acquire event data relating to a plurality of events on a system having software and hardware, wherein the plurality of events comprises user input. The scenario associator is configured to associate the event data with a plurality of scenarios. The scenario analyzer configured to analyze the plurality of scenarios to identify usage patterns of the system.