System, method, and article of manufacture for dynamically profiling memory transfers in a program

• US 6,668,312 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Celoxica Ltd. (Celoxica Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Aubury, Matthew Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Kevin L.
• Application Number:
  US10/026,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 711/154, 711/165, 711/167, 711/170
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for recording memory transfers required by an executing application. A memory of a system hosting an application is divided into micropages (small ranges of memory). A memory map of the application is maintained. The map records which functions have valid copies of micropages. The map is checked to determine which functions have a valid copy of the data when a current function reads for a micropage. A transfer of the data from another function to the current function is recorded if the current function does not have a valid copy of the data. The map is updated to reflect that the current function has a valid copy of the micropage if the data is transferred from another function. A write to a micropage is recorded. The map is updated to reflect that the current function has the only valid copy of a micropage when a write to the micropage occurs. A report of data transfers among the functions is output.

Claims

1. A method for recording memory transfers required by an executing application, comprising the steps of:

(a) dividing a memory of a system hosting an application into micropages;

(b) maintaining a memory map of the application which records which functions have valid copies of micropages;

(c) checking the map to determine which functions have a valid copy of the data when a current function reads for a micropage;

(d) recording a transfer of the data from another function to the current function if the current function does not have a valid copy of the data;

(e) updating the map to reflect that the current function has a valid copy of the micropage if the data is transferred from another function;

(f) recording a write to a micropage;

(g) updating the map to reflect that the current function has the only valid copy of a micropage when a write to the micropage occurs; and

(h) outputting a report of data transfers among the functions.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data is taken as coming from an external source function if no function has a valid copy of the data.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the report is a 2-dimensional table recording data transfers among the functions.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an ownership of the micropage is represented by a bitmask, wherein each bit represents a possible ownership domain.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the functions of the application are partitioned into domains representing hardware and software domains of a target system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein external libraries are supported.

7. A computer program product for recording memory transfers required by an executing application, comprising the steps of:

(a) computer code for dividing a memory of a system hosting an application into micropages;

(b) computer code for maintaining a memory map of the application which records which functions have valid copies of micropages;

(c) computer code for checking the map to determine which functions have a valid copy of the data when a current function reads for a micropage;

(d) computer code for recording a transfer of the data from another function to the current function if the current function does not have a valid copy of the data;

(e) computer code for updating the map to reflect that the current function has a valid copy of the micropage if the data is transferred from another function;

(f) computer code for recording a write to a micropage;

(g) computer code for updating the map to reflect that the current function has the only valid copy of a micropage when a write to the micropage occurs; and

(h) computer code for outputting a report of data transfers among the functions.

8. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the data is taken as coming from an external source function if no function has a valid copy of the data.

9. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the report is a 2-dimensional table recording data transfers among the functions.

10. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein an ownership of the micropage is represented by a bitmask, wherein each bit represents a possible ownership domain.

11. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the functions of the application are partitioned into domains representing hardware and software domains of a target system.

12. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein external libraries are supported.

13. A system for recording memory transfers required by an executing application, comprising the steps of:

(a) logic for dividing a memory of a system hosting an application into micropages;

(b) logic for maintaining a memory map of the application which records which functions have valid copies of micropages;

(c) logic for checking the map to determine which functions have a valid copy of the data when a current function reads for a micropage;

(d) logic for recording a transfer of the data from another function to the current function if the current function does not have a valid copy of the data;

(e) logic for updating the map to reflect that the current function has a valid copy of the micropage if the data is transferred from another function;

(f) logic for recording a write to a micropage;

(g) logic for updating the map to reflect that the current function has the only valid copy of a micropage when a write to the micropage occurs; and

(h) logic for outputting a report of data transfers among the functions.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the data is taken as coming from an external source function if no function has a valid copy of the data.

15. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the report is a 2-dimensional table recording data transfers among the functions.

16. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein an ownership of the micropage is represented by a bitmask, wherein each bit represents a possible ownership domain.

17. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the functions of the application are partitioned into domains representing hardware and software domains of a target system.

18. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein external libraries are supported.