Patent Publication Number: US-10776152-B2

Title: Concurrent execution of a computer software application along multiple decision paths

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to managing the execution of a computer software application in general. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     During the execution of a computer software application a point may be reached where the application presents a set of options, such as where a computer user is meant to select one of the options, whereupon execution of the application is meant to continue along one of several paths depending on which option is selected. Often, when an application presents such options to a computer user for selection, the user might not know what selection to make, thus delaying execution of the application until a selection is made. Such execution delays are often costly, and therefore undesirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the invention a method is provided for managing the execution of a computer software application, the method including duplicating a primary instance of a computer software application during its execution in a primary execution context, thereby creating multiple duplicate instances of the computer software application in corresponding duplicate execution contexts, and effecting a selection of a different candidate subset of predefined elements for each of the duplicate instances. 
     In other aspects of the invention systems and computer program products embodying the invention are provided. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified conceptual illustration of a system for concurrent execution of a computer software application along multiple decision paths, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 2A-2D  are simplified conceptual illustrations of various aspects of the operation of the system of  FIG. 1  with respect to an exemplary scenario, operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified flowchart illustration of an exemplary method of operation of the system of  FIG. 1 , operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified flowchart illustration of an exemplary method of operation of the system of  FIG. 1 , operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified flowchart illustration of an exemplary method of operation of the system of  FIG. 1 , operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a simplified block diagram illustration of an exemplary hardware implementation of a computing system, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is now described within the context of one or more embodiments, although the description is intended to be illustrative of the invention as a whole, and is not to be construed as limiting the invention to the embodiments shown. It is appreciated that various modifications may occur to those skilled in the art that, while not specifically shown herein, are nevertheless within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 
     As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon. 
     Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical data storage device, a magnetic data storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
     Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
     Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which is a simplified conceptual illustration of a system for concurrent execution of a computer software application along multiple decision paths, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In the system of  FIG. 1 , an execution manager  100  is configured to duplicate a primary instance  102  of a computer software application during its execution in a primary execution context on a computer  104 , thereby creating any number of duplicate instances  106  of the computer software application, where the duplicate instances  106  are preferably executed in parallel in a corresponding number of duplicate execution contexts on computer  104  or one or more other computers (not shown). 
     A selection point detector  108  is configured to detect when primary instance  102  requests that primary instance  102  be duplicated, such as when primary instance  102  reaches a point during its execution where it presents a set  110  of predefined elements, such as buttons representing various options, where a computer user is meant to select one of the options, whereupon execution of primary instance  102  is meant to continue along one of several paths depending on which option is selected. Execution manager  100  is preferably configured to duplicate primary instance  102  in response to selection point detector  108  detecting the request by primary instance  102 . Additionally or alternatively, selection point detector  108  is configured to detect when primary instance  102  otherwise provides an indication that a selection be made of any of the predefined elements in set  110 , where execution manager  100  is configured to duplicate primary instance  102  in response to selection point detector  108  detecting the indication. 
     A selector  112  is configured to effect a selection of a different candidate subset of the predefined elements in set  110  for each of the duplicate instances  106 . Continuing with the previous example where primary instance  102  presents various options for selection, selector  112  preferably selects a different option for each of the duplicate instances  106 , such that each of the duplicate instances  106  continues its execution based on the selection of a different one of the options. 
     A selection detector  114  is configured to detect when a selection of a primary subset of set  110  of the predefined elements is made for primary instance  102 . Execution manager  100  is preferably configured to determine, in response to the primary subset selection being made, whether any of the duplicate instances  106  is currently being executed whose candidate subset is identical to the primary subset. Execution manager  100  is preferably configured to terminate primary instance  102  and any, and preferably all, of the duplicate instances  106  whose candidate subset of the predefined elements in set  110  differs from the primary subset. Preferably, only one of the duplicate instances  106  is maintained in an execution context, one whose candidate subset of the predefined elements in set  110  is identical to the primary subset selected for primary instance  102 . Execution manager  100  preferably provides a notification if no such duplicate instance  106  is found, and/or terminates any, and preferably all, of the duplicate instances  106 . 
     Additionally or alternatively, selection detector  114  is configured to detect when a selection is made of any of the instances of the computer software application, including duplicate instances  106  and optionally including primary instance  102  as well, where execution manager  100  is configured to terminate any, and preferably all, of the instances excluded from the selection. 
     Additionally or alternatively, primary instance  102  and/or any of the duplicate instances  106  may be configured to self-terminate if the instance determines that any other of the instances meets a predefined condition. For example, if one of the duplicate instances  106  successfully completes a particular task, and primary instance  102  and the other duplicate instances  106  are able to determine this using any conventional technique, such as where the successful duplicate instance  106  is able to directly or indirectly notify the other instances using a publication/subscription system, the other instances may self-terminate, leaving only the successful instance to continue its execution. 
     It is appreciated that any duplicate instance may itself be duplicated as described herein in the same manner as primary instance  102  is duplicated, such as when it, too, reaches a point during its execution where it presents a set of predefined elements for selection. Thus, a primary instance may spawn duplicate instances which in turn spawn duplicate instances and so on, preferably to a user-defined limit, such as to a predefined generation depth or maximum number of instances. Each duplicate instance of any generation may be managed with respect to its “parent” instance as primary instance  102  and its duplicate instances  106  are managed as described herein. 
     Any of the elements shown in  FIG. 1  are preferably implemented by one or more computers, such as computer  104 , in computer hardware and/or in computer software embodied in a non-transitory, computer-readable medium in accordance with conventional techniques. 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 2A-2D , which illustrate, in the context of an exemplary scenario, various aspects of the operation of the system of  FIG. 1 , operative in accordance with embodiments of the invention.  FIG. 2A  shows a dialog  200  of a primary instance of an installation program during its execution, where at a certain point during its execution the installation program asks a user to select one of two options  202  and  204 . In the example shown, the installation program is executed inside a virtual machine (VM) that is managed by a hypervisor, which is itself managed by an execution manager that is referred to herein as a Cloud Management System (CMS). Upon presenting the options to the user the installation program within the VM, now referred to as the Base-VM, provides the options to the CMS and asks the CMS to duplicate or “fork” the Base-VM by cloning the Base-VM, including the currently-executed installation program and the Base-VM internal state information, into a different clone VM, now referred to as Clone- 01  and Clone- 02 , for each one of the options.  FIG. 2B  shows the CMS, the Base-VM, Clone- 01 , and Clone- 02  immediately after the forking is completed, where the states of Clone- 01  and Clone- 02  are identical to the state of Base-VM. Clone- 01  and Clone- 02  then ask the CMS to provide selected options for execution. Thus, in the example shown, the CMS selects and returns one option to Clone- 01  and selects and returns the other option to Clone- 02  as is shown in  FIG. 2C . The installation program in Clone- 01  then continues its execution using the option selected for it, while the installation program in Clone- 02  continues its execution using the option selected for it. 
       FIG. 2D  shows the installation programs within the VMs providing status notifications relating to their execution progress. Thus, when Clone- 01  reports its installation progress as being 50% complete, the Base-VM may use this information to notify a user regarding the progress of the installation. When Clone- 02  reports that its installation attempt ended in failure (i.e., it is configured to make this determination) and Clone- 01  reports that its installation attempt ended in success, the Base-VM may use this information to notify a user that the selection of option # 1  is recommended, and/or the CMS may automatically terminate Clone- 02  as well as Base-VM itself, whereupon the user may continue to work only with Clone- 01 . In this manner, execution of the installation program may continue even if a user never selects either of options  202  and  204  ( FIG. 2A ). However, should a user select an option at any time during the execution of the installation program in the clone VMs, and a clone VM exists that corresponds to the selected option, the CMS may terminate the Base-VM and all other clone VMs, whereupon the user may continue to work only with the clone VM that corresponds to the selected option. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 3 , which is a simplified flowchart illustration of an exemplary method of operation of the system of  FIG. 1 , operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In the method of  FIG. 3 , duplicate instances are made of a primary instance of a computer software application during its execution (step  300 ), such as when the primary instance reaches a point during its execution where it presents a set of predefined elements for selection, whereupon execution of the primary instance is meant to continue along one of several paths depending on which of the predefined elements is selected. A selection of a different candidate subset of the predefined elements is effected for each of the duplicate instances (step  302 ), such that each of the duplicate instances continues its execution based on the candidate subset selected for it. If a selection of a primary subset of the predefined elements is made for the primary instance (step  304 ), and a duplicate instance exists whose candidate subset is identical to the primary subset (step  306 ), then the primary instance and any, and preferably all, of the duplicate instances whose candidate subset differs from the primary subset are terminated (step  308 ). If no duplicate instance exists whose candidate subset is identical to the primary subset, any, and preferably all, of the duplicate instances are terminated and processing of the primary instance continues (step  310 ). 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , which is a simplified flowchart illustration of an exemplary method of operation of the system of  FIG. 1 , operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In the method of  FIG. 4 , duplicate instances are made of a primary instance of a computer software application during its execution (step  400 ), such as when the primary instance reaches a point during its execution where it presents a set of predefined elements for selection, whereupon execution of the primary instance is meant to continue along one of several paths depending on which of the predefined elements is selected. A selection of a different candidate subset of the predefined elements is effected for each of the duplicate instances (step  402 ), such that each of the duplicate instances continues its execution based on the candidate subset selected for it. If a selection is made of any of the instances (step  404 ), then any, and preferably all, of the non-selected instances are terminated (step  406 ). 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , which is a simplified flowchart illustration of an exemplary method of operation of the system of  FIG. 1 , operative in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In the method of  FIG. 5 , duplicate instances are made of a primary instance of a computer software application during its execution (step  500 ), such as when the primary instance reaches a point during its execution where it presents a set of predefined elements for selection, whereupon execution of the primary instance is meant to continue along one of several paths depending on which of the predefined elements is selected. A selection of a different candidate subset of the predefined elements is effected for each of the duplicate instances (step  502 ), such that each of the duplicate instances continues its execution based on the candidate subset selected for it. If any given instance determines that any other of the instances meets a predefined condition that warrants the termination of the given instance (step  504 ), the given instance may self-terminate (step  506 ). Additionally or alternatively, if any given instance determines that it meets a predefined condition that warrants the termination of the other instances, such as when the given instance successfully reaches a specified point in its execution, the given instance may instruct or otherwise cause the other instances to self-terminate or be terminated, or may provide a notification that the predefined condition is met, whereupon the user may continue to work only with the successful instance. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , block diagram  600  illustrates an exemplary hardware implementation of a computing system in accordance with which one or more components/methodologies of the invention (e.g., components/methodologies described in the context of  FIGS. 1-5 ) may be implemented, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     As shown, the techniques for controlling access to at least one resource may be implemented in accordance with a processor  610 , a memory  612 , I/O devices  614 , and a network interface  616 , coupled via a computer bus  618  or alternate connection arrangement. 
     It is to be appreciated that the term “processor” as used herein is intended to include any processing device, such as, for example, one that includes a CPU (central processing unit) and/or other processing circuitry. It is also to be understood that the term “processor” may refer to more than one processing device and that various elements associated with a processing device may be shared by other processing devices. 
     The term “memory” as used herein is intended to include memory associated with a processor or CPU, such as, for example, RAM, ROM, a fixed memory device (e.g., hard drive), a removable memory device (e.g., diskette), flash memory, etc. Such memory may be considered a computer readable storage medium. 
     In addition, the phrase “input/output devices” or “I/O devices” as used herein is intended to include, for example, one or more input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, scanner, etc.) for entering data to the processing unit, and/or one or more output devices (e.g., speaker, display, printer, etc.) for presenting results associated with the processing unit. 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     It will be appreciated that any of the elements described hereinabove may be implemented as a computer program product embodied in a computer-readable medium, such as in the form of computer program instructions stored on magnetic or optical storage media or embedded within computer hardware, and may be executed by or otherwise accessible to a computer (not shown). 
     While the methods and apparatus herein may or may not have been described with reference to specific computer hardware or software, it is appreciated that the methods and apparatus described herein may be readily implemented in computer hardware or software using conventional techniques. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to one or more specific embodiments, the description is intended to be illustrative of the invention as a whole and is not to be construed as limiting the invention to the embodiments shown. It is appreciated that various modifications may occur to those skilled in the art that, while not specifically shown herein, are nevertheless within the true spirit and scope of the invention.