Mapping usage patterns using code features

• US 8,549,477 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mundy, Kiran, Wasowicz, Margaret
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US12/606,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software

Abstract

A usage pattern detector includes a determining module configured to determine that a monitored code feature of a software application has been executed on a first computer. The usage pattern detector also includes a recording module configured to record an indication that the monitored code feature has been used and an indication providing module configured to provide the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to a second computer.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine usage patterns, the determining comprising:

determine that a monitored code feature of a software application has been executed on a first computer;

record an indication that the monitored code feature has been used; and

provide the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to a second computer;

wherein the monitored code feature is one feature of a plurality of code features that comprise the software application and is associated with a branch within the software application; and

the determining that the monitored code feature has been executed comprises determining that the branch has been taken when the software application is executing, wherein the branch has been taken in response to an action by a user of the software application, the action taken in response to the monitored code feature identified as a decision point presented to the user while the user is interacting with the software application.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the indication that the monitored code feature has been used is recorded by a virtual counter embedded within the monitored code feature.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprising:

accept, from a user of the first computer, a selection of an option to provide the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to the second computer.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the determining further comprising:

deactivate providing of the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to the second computer responsive to a selection of an option by the user of the first computer.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the providing of the indication is performed by a job installed on a user site associated with the first computer that periodically sends collected indications that code features were used to the second computer.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second computer is configured to increment a counter for a specific user associated with the software application, an installation of the software application, a product feature of the software application, a calendar period of when the code feature was used and an identifier for the particular code feature that was used, in response to receiving the indication that the monitored code feature has been used.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein indications that monitored code features have been used enable the second computer to map usage of specific products and specific code features of the software application.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, the indication comprising at least one of a first number of times the monitored code feature has been used or a second number of usage time of the monitored code feature.

8. A usage pattern detector, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the processor and comprising a determining module, a recording module and an indication providing module;

the determining module, when executed by the processor, configured to determine that a monitored code feature of a software application has been executed on a first computer;

the recording module, when executed by the processor, configured to record an indication that the monitored code feature has been used; and

the indication providing module, when executed by the processor, configured to provide the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to a second computer;

wherein the monitored code feature is one feature of a plurality of code features that comprise the software application and is associated with a branch within the software application; and

the determining that the monitored code feature has been executed comprises determining that the branch has been taken when the software application is executing;

wherein the branch has been taken in response to an action by a user of the software application, the action taken in response to the monitored code feature identified as a decision point presented to the user while the user is interacting with the software application.

9. The usage pattern detector of claim 8, wherein the recording module comprises a virtual counter embedded within the monitored code feature.

10. The usage pattern detector of claim 8, wherein the indication providing module comprises a job installed on a user site associated with the first computer that periodically sends collected indications that code features were used to the second computer.

11. The usage pattern detector of claim 8, wherein the second computer is configured to increment a counter for a specific user associated with the software application, an installation of the software application, a product feature of the software application, a calendar period of when the code feature was used and an identifier for the particular code feature that was used, in response to receiving the indication that the monitored code feature has been used.

12. The usage pattern detector of claim 8, wherein indications that monitored code features have been used enable the second computer to map usage of specific products and specific code features of the software application.

16. The usage pattern detector of claim 8, the indication providing module further configured to accept, from a user of the first computer, a selection of an option to provide the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to the second computer.

17. The usage pattern detector of claim 16, the indication providing module further configured to deactivate providing of the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to the second computer responsive to a selection of an option by the user of the first computer.

19. The usage pattern detector of claim 8, the indication comprising at least one of a first number of times the monitored code feature has been used or a second number of usage time of the monitored code feature.

20. The method of claim 16, the indication providing module further configured to accept, from a user of the first computer, a selection of an option to provide the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to the second computer.

13. A computer-implemented method for detecting usage patterns, comprising:

determining that a monitored code feature of a software application has been executed on a first computer of a user site;

recording an indication, via a virtual counter embedded within the monitored code feature, that the monitored code feature has been used; and

providing the indication that the monitored code feature has been used to a second computer of a developer of the software application, wherein the providing of the indication is performed by a job installed on a user site associated with the first computer that periodically sends collected indications that code features were used to the second computer;

wherein the monitored code feature is one feature of a plurality of code features that comprise the software application and is associated with a branch within the software application; and

the determining that the monitored code feature has been executed comprises determining that the branch has been taken when the software application is executing;

wherein the branch has been taken in response to an action by a user of the software application, the action taken in response to the monitored code feature identified as a decision point presented to the user while the user is interacting with the software application.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

incrementing, by the second computer, a counter for a specific user associated with the software application, an installation of the software application, a product feature of the software application, a calendar period of when the code feature was used and an identifier for the particular code feature that was used, in response to receiving the indication that the monitored code feature has been used.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein indications that monitored code features have been used enable the second computer to map usage of specific products and specific code features of the software application.