Constructing control flows graphs of binary executable programs at post-link time
First Claim
1. A method for execution on a signal processing unit for constructing a control flow graph from a computer executable program the instructions of which belong to one or more computer architecture instruction sets, said method comprising defining a number of block leader types including at least one type related to an instruction set change, block leaders specifying basic block boundaries in the program, said basic blocks including instructions or data, building a control flow graph structure comprising basic blocks found in the program, adding control flow and addressing information to said control flow graph by propagating through said basic blocks and internals of said basic blocks and stored on said memory device.
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Abstract
A method and a system for constructing a control flow graph (CFG, 106) from an executable computer program (104). The solution detects data intermixed with instructions and instruction set changes. The method includes the steps of defining block leader types specifying basic block boundaries in the program (104), building a CFG structure (106) according to the basic blocks found in the program, and adding control flow and addressing information to the CFG (106) by propagating through the basic blocks and internals thereof. The CFG (106) may be then optimised (108) and a compacted executable (112) created as a result.
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Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A method for execution on a signal processing unit for constructing a control flow graph from a computer executable program the instructions of which belong to one or more computer architecture instruction sets, said method comprising defining a number of block leader types including at least one type related to an instruction set change, block leaders specifying basic block boundaries in the program, said basic blocks including instructions or data, building a control flow graph structure comprising basic blocks found in the program, adding control flow and addressing information to said control flow graph by propagating through said basic blocks and internals of said basic blocks and stored on said memory device.
- 13. A system for constructing a control flow graph from a computer executable program, the instructions of which belong to one or more computer architecture instruction sets, said system comprising a processing device and a memory device for processing and storing instructions and data, and a data transfer device for accessing data, said system arranged to define a number of block leader types including at least one type related to an instruction set change, block leaders specifying basic block boundaries in the program, said basic blocks including instructions or data, said system further arranged to build a control flow graph structure comprising basic blocks found in the program, and to add control flow and addressing information to said control flow graph by propagating through said basic blocks and internals of said basic blocks and stored on said memory device.
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15. A system for constructing a control flow graph from a computer executable program, the instructions of which belong to one or more computer architecture instruction sets, said system comprising a processing means and a memory means for processing and storing instructions and data, and a data transfer device for accessing data, said system arranged to define a number of block leader types including at least one type related to an instruction set change, block leaders specifying basic block boundaries in the program, said basic blocks including instructions or data, said system further arranged to build a control flow graph structure comprising basic blocks found in the program, and to add control flow and addressing information to said control flow graph by propagating through said basic blocks and internals of said basic blocks and stored on said memory device.
Specification