Method and apparatus for modifying relocatable object code files and monitoring programs - Patent Review 5535329

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Method and apparatus for modifying relocatable object code files and monitoring programs
United States Patent	5535329
Link to this page	http://www.wikipatents.com/5535329.html
Inventor(s)	Hastings; Reed (La Honda, CA)
Abstract	An object code expansion program inserts new instructions and data between preexisting instructions and data of an object code file; offsets are modified to reflect new positions of the preexisting instructions and data. For each item of preexisting object code (instructions or data), the following steps are performed: making a new code block comprising any desired new instructions and the item, and storing it as new object code; tracking the location of the item and the new code block within the new object code; and tracking items that contain inter-item offsets. Then, each inter-item offset is updated using the new location of the item or new code block, as required. Finally, offsets in symbol tables and relocation structures are updated with the new location of the item. This expansion program is used to add instructions to object code files of a second program, to monitor substantially all of the memory accesses of the second program. The added instructions establish and maintain a memory status array with entries for memory locations that are validly accessible by the second program; entries indicate the status of corresponding memory locations. The memory status array is used to check for the errors of writing to unallocated memory and reading from unallocated or uninitialized memory. Also, the data section of the object code files are expanded with extra dummy entries to aid in the detection of array bounds violations and similar data errors. Furthermore, watchpoints can be established for more comprehensive monitoring.

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Reference	Relevancy	Comments	Reference	Relevancy	Comments
5438670 Baror et al. Aug,1995	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		5404499 Nichols Apr,1995	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
5335344 Hastings Aug,1994	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		5230070 Liu Jul,1993	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
5193180 Hastings Mar,1993	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		5175837 Arnold et al. Dec,1992	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
5132972 Hansen Jul,1992	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		5115499 Stiffler et al. May,1992	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
5075842 Lai Dec,1991	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		5029078 Iwai Jul,1991	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
5025366 Baror Jun,1991	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		4953084 Meloy et al. Aug,1990	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
4937736 Chang et al. Jun,1990	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		4903194 Houdek et al. Feb,1990	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
4815025 Ossfeldt et al. Mar,1989	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		4811347 Bolt Mar,1989	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
4802165 Ream Jan,1989	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		4533997 Furgerson Aug,1985	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
4394731 Flusche et al. Jul,1983	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]		4104718 Poublin et al. Aug,1978	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
3815103 Holtey et al. Jun,1974	Your vote accepted [0 after 0 votes]
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