Software code comments management method and system supporting speech recognition technology

• US 6,993,487 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maxima Blue Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Maxima Blue Ltd.
• Inventors: Bluvband, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Smits, Talivaldis Ivars
• Assistant Examiner(s): Serrou, Abdelali
• Application Number:
  US10/079,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 704/235, 704/251, 364/443, 395/575, 717/100, 717/124, 717/134, 717/125, 717/127, 717/128, 700/94, 701/200
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/73 Program documentation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for enabling audio comments to be used when writing and executing code, during design time and run time. A code writer is hereby enabled to simultaneously write code and compose voice comments. These comments, divided into help comments, test items and variable comments, are subsequently recorded, stored, analyzed, prescribed and displayed using text to speech and voice recognition software. It is therefore possible to define test cases, execute vocal follow up on changes, and listen to comments and variables values, while running a program

Claims

1. A software code comments management system operating with and within a software code development environment and able to interact dynamically with the code segments, variables and characteristics, the system comprising:

a multimedia user interface that includes a graphic user interface that responds to voice commands;

a comment management component, for managing the comments;

a speech recognition module operatively connected to said multimedia user interface;

a database system for storing system data and control information; and

an output mechanism for outputting the comments or comments-code interaction results;

wherein said comment management component enables classifying comments into comments categories from the group comprising of;

Help comments, Testing comments and Watch variable comments;

wherein said testing comments are used for quality control programs including;

integrating a test table structure with a comment object that specifies at least one test case for the code segment related to said comment;

automatic processing of the actual result for each said at least one test case in run time;

controlling the automatic test processing with the ability to plan to test all the cases, or part of them, or not to test at all;

evaluation of the value expressions in each said at least one test case in run time;

generating a test design document from said comment; and

generating a test result report from said automatic processing of the actual result.

2. A software code comments management system operating with and within a software code development environment and able to interact dynamically with the code segments, variables and characteristics, the system comprising:

a multimedia user interface that includes a graphic user interface that responds to voice commands;

a comment management component for managing a plurality of comments;

a speech recognition module operatively connected to said multimedia user interface;

a database system for storing system data and control information; and

an output mechanism for outputting the comments or comments-code interaction results;

wherein said comment management component enables classifying comments into comments categories from the group comprising of;

Help comments, Testing comments and Watch variable comments;

wherein said watch variable comments enable follow up of variables and expressions values including;

adding to a comment at least one reference to code variables, to be displayed for tracing and debugging;

adding a description for every variable, to be displayed when evaluated;

displaying said evaluated variable by pronouncing said added description and said evaluated expression of said watch item while running a program in debug mode and running mode;

adding to a comment at least one reference to code expression, to be displayed for tracing and debugging;

adding a description for every expression, to be displayed when evaluated; and

displaying said evaluated expression by pronouncing said added description and said evaluated expression of said watch item while running a program in debug mode and running mode.