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AssigneeScientific and Engineering Software
InventorsMark A. Esslinger, Allan D. Clarke, Robert M. Howard, Douglas K. Matchett, Douglas M. Neuse, James R. Palmer, Carolyn W. West
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A graphical, interactive debugger for a computer-based discrete-event simulation model of systems having parallel processes includes a run-time graphic user interface module in which predefined events of the executing simulation model are animated, and a run-time interface simulator module for controlling execution of the simulation model based on commands from the graphical user interface. The model and the animation are based on hierarchical directed process execution graphs in which a transaction represents one of several processes executing in parallel within the system modeled with the graphs. One transaction at a time is shown moving between nodes in one of the graphs. The animation follows the transaction as it moves between sub-models represented by each graph, switching to other graphs as needed. Once the transaction is blocked, the next transaction is displayed in context of the appropriate graph and followed until it is blocked. The screen on which animation is presented is divided into two areas. One provides the animation, the other displays the text of trace messages generated by the executing simulation model and on which the animation is based. The animation may be selectively limited to user-specified events, transactions or sub-models, providing detailed probing of the model for purposes of debugging.
A method of animating a system having parallel processes for the purpose of debugging the system, the system being modeled as a hierarchical collection of directed process execution graphs, said graphs representing sub-models of the system and having collections of nodes and arcs, and the parallel processes as transactions, the nodes indicating manipulation of physical or logic resources or other process steps in a transaction's life, and the arcs indicating paths along which transactions may flow from one node to another;
A discrete event simulator having a graphical debugging interface, the simulator having multiple execution threads in which only one thread is executed at a time, through one or more events, until an occurrence of a blocking event;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.