Using audio to detect changes to the performance of an application

• US 7,486,196 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dunn, Tim, Zhang, Xiaoming, Hurworth, Ian P., Bicheno, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/102,533
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 340/691.3, 340/328, 340 749- 762, 3403841-3847, 340/514, 714/47, 714/E11.18, 714/E11.192, 717/127, 709/207, 709/224, 702 38- 54, 702/75, 702/108, 702171-185
• US Class Current: 340/691.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold

Abstract

A method for monitoring the performance of an application comprises determining an output of an application that requires monitoring, assigning an audible sound to the output, running the application and allowing the application to reach a state of equilibrium, determining a baseline for the output when the application is in the state of equilibrium, monitoring the output to detect a change relative to the baseline, emitting the audible sound assigned to the output when the detected change varies from the baseline by a predetermined amount, and adjusting configurable parameters of the audible sound to indicate the existence of the detected change, the magnitude of the detected change relative to the baseline, and the degree of deviation from the baseline. The amplitude of the audible sound may be adjusted to indicate the magnitude of the detected change from the baseline, and the pitch of the audible sound may be adjusted to indicate a positive change or a negative change from the baseline.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the performance of an application comprising:

determining an output of an application that requires monitoring, the output representing a performance metric associated with the application;

assigning an audible sound to the output, wherein the audible sound is comprised of a plurality of configurable parameters including amplitude, frequency, pitch, and phase;

running the application and allowing the application to reach a state of equilibrium;

determining a baseline for the output when the application is in the state of equilibrium, the baseline representing an output level that is substantially constant;

monitoring the output to detect a change relative to the baseline;

emitting the audible sound assigned to the output when the detected change varies from the baseline by a predetermined amount; and

adjusting the configurable parameters of the audible sound to indicate the existence of the detected change, the magnitude of the detected change relative to the baseline, and the degree of deviation from the baseline, wherein the amplitude of the audible sound is adjusted to indicate the magnitude of the detected change from the baseline, and wherein the pitch of the audible sound is adjusted to indicate a positive change or a negative change from the baseline.