Methods and systems for repairing applications

A method for repairing an application from software failures, the method comprising:

• monitoring execution the application for a failure using at least one sensor, wherein the application comprises code;
• identifying where the code is vulnerable to the failure;
• isolating a portion of the code based at least in part on the identification;
• generating an instrumented version of the portion of the code;
• constructing a vaccine based at least in part on the portion of the code;
• emulating segments of the instrumented version with the vaccine to verify that the vaccine repaired the failure;
• and
• updating the application based at least in part on the verification that the vaccine repaired the failure.

A system for repairing an application from software failures, the system comprising:

• a processor having a memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
• monitor execution of the application and corresponding code for a failure and isolates a portion of the code that caused the failure in response to detecting the failure;
• emulate the portion of the code in an instruction level emulator;
• and
• evaluate one or more potential vaccines on the portion of the code using the emulator to determine whether the portion of the code is repaired including applying one or more input variables that caused the failure on the portion of the code;
• and
• update the application in response to repairing the portion of the code without user input.

A method for repairing an application from software failures, the method comprising:

• defining an application community that includes a plurality of devices, each device executing an instance of the application;
• assigning a portion of the application to each of the plurality of devices, each device monitoring the execution of its assigned portion of the application of its instance of the application;
• receiving an indication that one of the plurality of devices has detected a failure in the execution of its assigned portion of the application of its instance of the application;
• and
• in response to receiving an indication that one of the plurality of devices detected a failure, notifying the application community of the failure.

A method for repairing an application from software failures, wherein the application comprises code, the method comprising:

• defining an application community that includes a plurality of devices, each device executing an instance of the application;
• assigning each of the plurality of devices a failure to monitor in its instance of the application;
• receiving an indication that one of the plurality of devices has detected its assigned failure in its instance of the application;
• and
• in response to receiving the indication that one of the plurality of devices has detected its assigned failure, notifying the application community of the failure.

A method for repairing an application operating on first and second members of an application community, the method comprising:

• separating the application into first and second portions, wherein the first portion and the second portion each operate on the first member and the second member;
• assigning the first portion to the first member for evaluation of failure in the first portion;
• assigning the second portion to the second member for evaluation of failure in the second portion;
• receiving from the first member an indication of a failure in the first portion and a repaired first portion;
• and
• transmitting to the second member the indication of the failure in the first portion and the repaired first portion.