Method and means for using sound to indicate flow of control during computer program execution

A machine-executable method for debugging a computer program using auditory means, including the steps of:

• mapping a set of predetermined syntactical cues into a set of auditory properties;
• parsing lines of the computer program element-by-element to identify syntactical cues included in the set of predetermined syntactical cues;
• executing procedural sequences of the computer program, the procedural sequences including a plurality of syntactical cues identified as predetermined syntactical cues;
• and
• synchronizing and correlating the execution of the procedural sequences with patterns of sounds generated by said auditory means during the execution of the procedural sequences in response to the plurality of syntactical cues, said sounds including said auditory properties.

In a computer system including means for receiving, parsing, compiling, and executing a computer program and means for generating sounds in response to computer program events or computer program objects during execution of the computer program, a method for providing auditory information for debugging the computer program, the method including the steps of:

• providing a computer program to the computer system;
• parsing lines of the computer program, element by element, to identify syntactical cues in the computer program;
• mapping the syntactical cues in the computer program to auditory events;
• executing the computer program;
• and
• generating patterns of sounds which include the auditory events during execution of procedural sequences of the computer program in response to syntactical cues contained in the procedural sequences.

In a computer system including means for executing computer programs and means for generating sounds in response to sound commands, a combination for debugging a computer program, the combination comprising:

• mapping means for mapping a set of computer program syntactical elements to a set of auditory events;
• means in the mapping means for parsing the computer program and providing in the computer program a respective sound token for each syntactical element in the set of syntactical elements which is in the computer program, the respective sound token representing an auditory event mapped to the syntactical element;
• and
• means responsive to a sequence of sound tokens provided during occurrence of a sequence of syntactical elements produced by execution of the computer program for providing a sequence of sound commands to the means for generating a pattern of sounds during execution of the computer program.

In the computer system including means for executing object-oriented computer programs and means for generating sounds in response to sound commands, a combination for debugging an object-oriented computer program, the combination comprising:

• mapping means for mapping a set of message syntactical elements to a set of auditory events;
• means in the mapping means for parsing messages during execution of the computer program and providing a respective sound token for each syntactical element in the set of syntactical elements found in a message, the respective sound token representing an auditory event mapped to the syntactical element;
• and
• means responsive to a sequence of sound tokens provided during occurrence of a message containing a sequence of syntactical elements produced by execution of the computer program for providing a sequence of sound commands to the means for generating a pattern of sounds.