Product testing and bug tracking system

• US 7,657,872 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Diederich, Dave, Bush, Eric, Kelbaugh, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phillip H
• Application Number:
  US09/827,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,224 Days
• Field of Search: 717124-135, 707/1, 707/500, 714/38, 714/39, 714/57, 709/227, 702/188, 345/87, 703/14, 379/9, 712/11, 716/4, 713/201
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software

Abstract

An Internet-based, secure communications system is utilized for enabling communications between a video game tester, project coordinator and others with a game developer. A master bug log which compiles all uncovered bugs is accessible by a game developer and other authorized system users via a web server, which stores bug tracking system applications programs and associated data bases. Such a master bug log includes a file attachment capability permitting a digitized image file replicating a video game display screen sequence depicting the bug, to be attached for downloading to, for example, a game developer. Bugs may be sorted, for example, so that a game developer can retrieve only those bugs having a digitized file attachment. Game and debugging related messages may be exchanged between testers, project coordinators, and corporate contacts.

Claims

1. A software bug related processing and tracking system comprising:

a first computer system for use by a software developer including a processing system for executing an Internet browser;

an encryption system coupled to said first computer for encrypting data transmitted via the Internet by said first computer;

a second computer system for use by a software tester including a processing system for executing an Internet browser;

a third computer system for use by a software project coordinator including a processing system for executing an Internet processor; and

a web server for storing a bug tracking system and for permitting an authorized software developer, an authorized software tester, and an authorized project coordinator to access said bug tracking system and to communicate with each other via said bug tracking system, and in response to received user identification information, including a password, for providing at least one bug tracking related menu including contents which vary based on the user'"'"'s role as a software developer, software tester or software project coordinator in the software development process,

wherein said web server is operable to transmit a bug related message using an accessed bug related menu from a computer of either the first computer system, the second computer system or the third computer system to another computer of either the first computer system, the second computer system or the third computer system,

wherein said web server is operable to access a test plan identifying a plurality of tests to be performed with respect to an identified software package, and

wherein said web server is operable to edit bug related information in response to user input via at least one bug tracking related menu.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second computer system for use by a software tester is a computer system for use by a video game software tester and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game testers.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the third computer system for use by a software project coordinator is a computer system for use by a video game software project coordinator and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game project coordinators.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first computer system for use by a software developer is a computer system for use by a video game software developer and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game developers.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first computer system for use by a software developer is a computer system for use by a video game software translator and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game translators.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web server includes an associated data base storing a plurality of bug tracking menus related to identified software under development, and wherein said web server is operable to provide said plurality of bug tracking menus related to identified software under development.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web server includes an associated data base storing a master bug log identifying a plurality of bugs in a selected software package under development.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web server includes a database storing data indicative of a plurality of bugs in a selected software package;

and wherein said web server is operable to sort the bugs based upon any one of a plurality of sorting criteria selected by a user.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said sorting criteria includes video game stage.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said sorting criteria includes a video game character.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein said sorting criteria includes the type of bug.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein said sorting criteria includes the reported date of the bug.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web server is operable to transmit a bug related message using an accessed bug related menu from a computer of the second computer system to a computer of the third computer system.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web server is operable to transmit a bug related message using an accessed bug related menu from a computer of the third computer system to another computer of the third computer system.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said web server is operable to associate a digitized video file for visually displaying at least one screen display showing an identified bug with a bug description.

16. A method for processing and monitoring software bug related information for use in software package development, the method being performed by executing on a computer instructions tangibly stored on a computer-readable storage medium, the method comprising:

providing a first computer system for use by a software developer including a processing system for executing an Internet browser, an encryption system being coupled to said first computer for encrypting data transmitted via the Internet by said first computer;

providing a second computer system for use by a software tester including a processing system for executing an Internet browser;

providing a third computer system for use by a software project coordinator including a processing system for executing an Internet processor; and

enabling a web server, the web server being configured to (1) store a bug tracking system, (2) permit an authorized software developer, an authorized software tester, and an authorized project coordinator to access said bug tracking system and to communicate with each other via said bug tracking system, and (3) in response to received user identification information, including a password, provide at least one bug tracking related menu including contents which vary based on the user'"'"'s role as a software developer, software tester or software project coordinator in the software development process,

wherein said web server is operable to transmit a bug related message using an accessed bug related menu from a computer of either the first computer system, the second computer system or the third computer system to another computer of either the first computer system, the second computer system or the third computer system,

wherein said web server is operable to access a test plan identifying a plurality of tests to be performed with respect to an identified software package, and

wherein said web server is operable to edit bug related information in response to user input via at least one bug tracking related menu.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second computer system for use by a software tester is a computer system for use by a video game software tester and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game testers.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the third computer system for use by a software project coordinator is a computer system for use by a video game software project coordinator and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game project coordinators.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first computer system for use by a software developer is a computer system for use by a video game software developer and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game developers.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first computer system for use by a software developer is a computer system for use by a video game software translator and wherein said web server is operable to provide a bug tracking related menu tailored to video game translators.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein said web server includes an associated data base storing a plurality of bug tracking menus related to identified software under development, and wherein said web server is operable to provide said plurality of bug tracking menus related to identified software under development.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein said web server includes an associated data base storing a master bug log identifying a plurality of bugs in a selected software package under development.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein said web server includes a database storing data indicative of a plurality of bugs in a selected software package;

and wherein said web server is operable to sort the bugs based upon any one of a plurality of sorting criteria selected by a user.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said sorting criteria includes video game stage.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein said sorting criteria includes a video game character.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein said sorting criteria includes the type of bug.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein said sorting criteria includes the reported date of the bug.

28. The method according to claim 16, wherein said web server is operable to transmit a bug related message using an accessed bug related menu from a computer of the second computer system to a computer of the third computer system.

29. The method according to claim 16, wherein said web server is operable to transmit a bug related message using an accessed bug related menu from a computer of the third computer system to another computer of the third computer system.

30. The method according to claim 16, wherein said web server is operable to associate a digitized video file for visually displaying at least one screen display showing an identified bug with a bug description.