Patent ID: 6874105
Filing Date: 2005-03-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for tracing computer system operations of a computer system comprised of a plurality of functional units, comprising the steps of: storing in a storage memory execution path information for each computer system operation including computer system operation graphs, each of which computer system operation graphs is a complete description of the sequence of operation states the computer system operation assumed during a traced computer system operation, assigning a unique operation identifier ID to each traced computer system operation, maintaining the unique operation identifier ID constant during processing of each traced computer system operation by the plurality of functional units of the computer system, associating each traced computer system operation with its own individual and dedicated, event-triggered, operation graph finite state machine which contains the complete specification of legal computer system operation state transitions, and which monitors the plurality of functional units to trace the path of that traced computer system operation through the computer system, each functional unit generating and reporting events for traced computer operations along with its associated operation identifier ID, for each traced computer system operation, storing in its own dedicated operation graph finite state machine and in storage memory, events generated and reported with each associated operation identifier ID by different functional units for that specific traced computer system operation, evaluating the contents stored in a dedicated operation graph finite state machine to retrieve trace data information for a traced computer system operation.