Patent ID: 8473927

Claim:
A method for performing points-to analysis by generating a value flow graph for source code comprising: initializing the value flow graph comprising a plurality of memory objects and a set of edges based on Base and Assignment instructions, wherein the set of edges represents inclusion constraints between the plurality of memory objects and a plurality of pointer variables; determining, using the value flow graph, a pointed-to-by set comprising at least one pointer variable of the plurality of pointer variables that are reachable from one of the plurality of memory objects; updating the value flow graph by introducing a flow edge based on an indirect reference, wherein the flow edge is related to a memory object of the plurality of memory objects that is added to a working list, wherein updating the value flow graph terminates when no new flow edges can be introduced into the value flow graph; updating the pointed-to-by set based on the memory object in the working list; and analyzing the source code using the pointed-to-by set.