METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR COLLECTING TIMING DATA RELATED TO A COMPUTER APPLICATION

• US 20140130018A1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Realworld Holding B.V.
• Original Assignee: Realworld Holding B.V.
• Inventors: Arghirescu, Dan
• Application Number:
  US14/071,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20140130018A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/130
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

In a computer, a method of collecting timing data related to a compute application is provided. The method comprises receiving user input from a user, the user input triggering providing at least one instruction to the computer application for execution of an operation and executing the operation. The results out of execution of the operation are presented to the user. The method further comprises generating a timing data record comprising data for determining the amount of time lapsed between start of the execution of the instruction and end of the execution of the instruction. By generating the timing data in the computer, the data for generating the timing data record is already available in the device can be directly used and stored. In this way, accurate timing data may be collected for further use.

Claims

1. In a computer, a method of collecting timing data related to a computer application, the method comprising:

Receiving user input from a user, the user input triggering providing at least one instruction to the computer application for execution of an operation;

Executing the operation;

Presenting results resulting out of execution of the operation to the user; and

Generating a timing data record comprising data for determining the amount of time lapsed between start of the execution of the instruction and end of the execution of the instruction.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the computer is arranged for being operationally connected to a data analysis server, the method further comprising:

Storing the timing data record in a buffer memory comprised by the computer;

Monitoring user activity on the computer; and

Sending the buffered timing data record to the data analysis server if no user activity on the computer is detected for a pre-determined amount of time.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the buffer memory has a pre-determined size for storing a maximum amount of data, the method further comprising:

Determining whether storing the timing data record generated in the buffer memory causes a buffer overflow;

Delete at least one older timing data record by the timing data record generated if storing the timing data record generated in the buffer memory causes a buffer overflow.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein deleting the older timing data record is effectuated by overwriting the older timing data record by the timing data record.

5. Method according to claim 3, further comprising generating a summary timing data record comprising data comprised by the older timing data record in summarised form.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein generating the summary timing data record comprises, based on data held by the older timing data records, determining per record amounts of time lapsed between start of the execution of the instruction and end of the execution of the instruction and determining at least one of the average, standard deviation, and/or median of the set of amounts of time lapsed and storing said value in a summary timing record.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein generating the summary timing data record comprises, based on data held by the older timing data records, determining per record amounts of time lapsed between start of the execution of the instruction and end of the execution of the instruction and determining timing data records comprising data indicating a time period lapsed between start of the instruction and end of the execution of the instruction which time period differs from the average time period with a pre-determined value and storing said value in a summary timing record.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein user input triggers execution of at least the following operations:

Sending a data request to a data storage server;

Receiving data from the data storage server;

Processing the received data; and

Rendering the processed data for presentation on a display;

The method further comprising generating a timing data record comprising data for determining the amount of time lapsed between at least one of the following operations or events;

Receiving user input from the user and rendering the processed data for presentation on a display;

Sending a data request to a data storage server and receiving data from the data storage server;

Sending a data request to a data storage server and processing the received data; and

Receiving data from the data storage server; and

rendering the processed data for presentation on a display.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein generating a timing data record comprising data for determining the amount of time lapsed comprises:

Obtaining a first timestamp at the start of the execution of the instruction;

Obtaining a second timestamp at the end of the execution of the instruction; and

Providing the first timestamp and the second time stamp in the timing data record.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein generating the timing data record further comprises adding to the timing data record at least one of the following data items:

A user identifier identifying the user;

A computer identifier identifying the computer;

An input identifier identifying the user input;

An instruction identifier identifying the instruction;

An operation identifier identifying the operation; and

A computer application running on the computer.

12. Computer programme product stored on a computer readable medium, comprising computer programme code arranged to perform the method of claim 1 when running on a computer.

11. Device for collecting timing data related to a computer application, comprising:

A user input receiving module connectable to a user input device for receiving a user input and for passing on said user input to other components of the device;

A processing unit arranged to;

execute an operation following an instruction provided by the computer application upon receiving the user input; and

Generate a timing data record comprising data for determining the amount of time elapsed between start of the execution of the instruction and end of the execution of the instruction.