Controlling collection of debugging data

• US 20070006154A1
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yang, Lianghua, Phipps, Darcy
• Granted Patent: US 7,559,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program

Abstract

By altering existing code to wrap debugging items with runtime conditional statements, the debugging items may remain in commercial builds of code. Execution of a given conditional statement, wrapping a particular debugging item, may require a read of a particular location in an expandable and organized table such that execution of the particular debugging item is dependent on the value stored in the particular location in the table. By storing appropriate values in the table, a very focused debugging operation may be carried out. When implemented on a mobile communication device, such a focused debugging operation may be considered to conserve limited memory resources and reduce radio costs when compared to an unfocused debugging operation, which can create a large log file that is difficult to store and expensive to transmit.

Claims

1. A method of controlling selective collection of debugging data at a mobile communication device, said method comprising:

receiving, from a source, a command to activate a debugging item; and

conditional upon said receiving, while executing code at said mobile, on encountering said debugging item, executing said debugging item.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said executing said debugging item involves storing debugging data in a buffer, said method further comprising transmitting said debugging data to said source.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving said command comprises receiving a command protocol data unit encapsulating said command.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said command protocol data unit includes a reference to a status indicator.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining, from said reference to said status indicator, a location in a table at which is stored a value for said status indicator.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, responsive to said receiving said command protocol data unit, altering said value of said status indicator according to said command.

7. A client/server style, end-to-end system for controlling collection of debugging data, said system comprising:

a debug server including a processor adapted to;

generate a command to activate a debugging item; and

transmit said command; and

a mobile communication device adapted to;

receive, from said debug server, said command to activate said debugging item; and

conditional upon said receiving, while executing code at said mobile, on encountering said debugging item, execute said debugging item.

8. At a debug server, a method of controlling collection of debugging data at a mobile communication device, said method comprising:

receiving an indication of a status indicator to control;

generating a command protocol data unit to cause an altering of a value of said status indicator at said mobile communication device, where said command protocol data unit includes a reference to said status indicator and an indication of a manner in which said status indicator is to be altered; and

transmitting said protocol data unit to said mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said value of said status indicator is represented by one bit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said reference to said status indicator is a unique identifier.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said manner in which said status indicator is to be altered comprises setting said status indicator to “

1”

.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said manner in which said status indicator is to be altered comprises setting said status indicator to “

0”

.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said indication of said status indicator to control is a name for said status indicator and said method further comprises determining, based on said name, said reference to said status indicator.

14. An apparatus for enabling the collection of debugging data at a mobile communication device, said apparatus comprising:

a processor adapted to;

receive an indication of a status indicator to control;

generate a command protocol data unit to cause an altering of a value of said status indicator at a mobile communication device, where said command protocol data unit includes a reference to said status indicator and an indication of a manner in which said status indicator is to be altered; and

transmit said command protocol data unit to said mobile communication device.

15. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by processor, cause said processor to:

receive an indication of a status indicator to control;

generate a command protocol data unit to cause an altering of a value of said status indicator at a mobile communication device, where said command protocol data unit includes a reference to said status indicator and an indication of a manner in which said status indicator is to be altered; and

transmit said protocol data unit to said mobile communication device.

16. At a mobile communication device, a method of controlling collection of debugging data, said method comprising:

receiving, from a source, a command protocol data unit that includes a control command and a reference to a location in a table;

according to said control command, altering said value stored at said location in said table;

while executing code, reading said location in said table; and

based on said value stored at said location in said table, executing a debugging item.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said executing said debugging item involves storing debugging data in a buffer, said method further comprising transmitting said debugging data to said source.

18. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by processor, cause said processor to:

while executing code, read a location in a table; and

based on a value stored at said location in said table, execute a debugging item.