DETECTING MEMORY LEAKS

• US 20080320449A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jinwoo Hwang
• Original Assignee: Jinwoo Hwang
• Inventors: Hwang, Jinwoo
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3612 by runtime analysis performance monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0253 Garbage collection, i.e. reclamation of unreferenced memory

Abstract

Methods of detecting a memory leak may include identifying a largest ChildNode of a ParentNode, and comparing a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode. If the total size of the ParentNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode, a possible memory leak area may be identified. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.

Claims

1. A computer program product for detecting a memory leak, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to identify a largest ChildNode of a ParentNode;

computer readable program code configured to compare a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode; and

computer readable program code configured to identify a possible memory leak area when the total size of the ParentNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode.

2. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein comparing a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode comprises calculating a difference between the total size of the ParentNode and the total size of the largest ChildNode, and wherein identifying a possible memory leak area comprises identifying a possible memory leak area when the difference between the total size of the Parent Node and the total size of the largest ChildNode exceeds a difference threshold.

3. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein comparing a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode comprises calculating a ratio of the total size of the largest ChildNode with respect to the total size of the ParentNode, and wherein identifying a possible memory leak area comprises identifying a possible memory leak area when the ratio of the total size of the largest ChildNode with respect to the total size of the ParentNode is less than a ratio threshold.

4. A computer program product according to claim 1 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to identify a largest GrandChildNode when the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode;

computer readable program code configured to compare a total size of the ChildNode to a total size of the largest GrandChildNode after identifying the largest GrandChildNode; and

computer readable program code configured to identify a possible memory leak area when the total size of the ChildNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest GrandChildNode.

5. A computer program product according to claim 1 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to compare the total size of the ChildNode to a size threshold when the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode;

computer readable program code configured to return a no memory leak detected result when the total size of the ChildNode is less than the size threshold;

computer readable program code configured to identify a largest GrandChildNode when the total size of the ChildNode is greater than the size threshold;

computer readable program code configured to compare a total size of the ChildNode to a total size of the largest GrandChildNode after identifying the largest GrandChildNode of the ChildNode; and

computer readable program code configured to identify a possible memory leak area when the total size of the ChildNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest GrandChildNode.

6. A computer program product according to claim 1 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to determine if the largest ChildNode is a terminal node when the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode;

computer readable program code configured to return a no memory leak detected result when the largest ChildNode is a terminal node;

computer readable program code configured to identify a largest GrandChildNode when the largest ChildNode is not a terminal node;

computer readable program code configured to compare a total size of the ChildNode to a total size of the largest GrandChildNode after identifying the largest GrandChildNode; and

computer readable program code configured to identify a possible memory leak area when the total size of the ChildNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest GrandChildNode.

7. A computer program product according to claim 1 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to determine if the largest ChildNode is a terminal node when the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode;

computer readable program code configured to return a no memory leak detected result when the largest ChildNode is a terminal node;

computer readable program code configured to compare the total size of the ChildNode to a size threshold when the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode;

computer readable program code configured to return a no memory leak detected result when the total size of the ChildNode is less than the size threshold;

computer readable program code configured to identify a largest GrandChildNode when the ChildNode is not a terminal node and when the total size of the ChildNode is greater than the size threshold;

computer readable program code configured to compare a total size of the ChildNode to a total size of the largest GrandChildNode after identifying the largest GrandChildNode; and

computer readable program code configured to identify a possible memory leak area when the total size of the ChildNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest GrandChildNode.

8. A system for detecting a memory leak, the system comprising:

a processor configured to identify a largest ChildNode of a ParentNode, to compare a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode, and to identify a possible memory leak area if the total size of the ParentNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein comparing a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode comprises calculating a difference between the total size of the ParentNode and the total size of the largest ChildNode, and wherein identifying a possible memory leak area comprises identifying a possible memory leak area if the difference between the total size of the Parent Node and the total size of the largest ChildNode exceeds a difference threshold.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein comparing a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode comprises calculating a ratio of the total size of the largest ChildNode with respect to the total size of the ParentNode, and wherein identifying a possible memory leak area comprises identifying a possible memory leak area if the ratio of the total size of the largest ChildNode with respect to the total size of the ParentNode is less than a ratio threshold.

12. A system according to claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to compare the total size of the ChildNode to a size threshold if the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode, to return a no memory leak detected result if the total size of the ChildNode is less than the size threshold, to identify a largest GrandChildNode if the total size of the ChildNode is greater than the size threshold, to compare a total size of the ChildNode to a total size of the largest GrandChildNode after identifying the largest GrandChildNode, and to identify a possible memory leak area if the total size of the ChildNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest GrandChildNode.

13. A system according to claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the largest ChildNode is a terminal node if the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode, to return a no memory leak detected result if the largest ChildNode is a terminal node, to identify a largest GrandChildNode of the ChildNode if the largest ChildNode is not a terminal node, to compare a total size of the ChildNode to a total size of the largest GrandChildNode after identifying the largest GrandChildNode, and to identify a possible memory leak area if the total size of the ChildNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest GrandChildNode.

11. A system according to claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to identify a largest GrandChildNode if the total size of the ParentNode is not significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode, to compare a total size of the ChildNode to a total size of the largest GrandChildNode after identifying the largest GrandChildNode, and to identify a possible memory leak area if the total size of the ChildNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest GrandChildNode.