Patents by Inventor RYAN THOMAS RAWLINS

RYAN THOMAS RAWLINS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11836060
    Abstract: Inputs to a system under test (SUT) are modeled as a collection of attribute-value pairs. A set of testcases is executed using an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the attribute-value pairs. For each execution of the testcases, for each attribute-value pair, a non-binary success rate (SAV) is computed based on the binary execution results. in response to a success rate of an attribute-value pair being below a predetermined threshold, a subset of testcases that use the attribute-value pair is identified. Further, sets of code paths for the subset of testcases are identified, each set of code path respectively corresponding to a testcase from the subset of testcases. Further, an intersection of the sets of code paths is determined. Code paths of the SUT that are in the intersection, are highlighted to represent a soft failure with the SUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Kevin Minerley, Dale E. Blue, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
  • Patent number: 11669602
    Abstract: A system is provided and includes a securable resource, a locking element configured to assume a locked condition in which the securable resource is locked and an unlocked condition in which the securable resource is unlocked and a controller. The controller is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the securable resource and is configured to perform operating system (OS) level authentication of the users and OS level control of the locking element in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and the OS level authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
  • Patent number: 11663113
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for test case priority selection includes initiating execution of a set of test cases associated with a system under test. Further, the set of test cases are executed according to a first order of execution, and during the execution, at runtime a failing test case, from the set of test cases is determined. Further, at runtime, from the set of test cases, a subset of test cases that are not yet executed is identified. Further, at runtime, a priority value is assigned to each test case from the subset of test cases, the priority value based on a similarity of the test case with the failing test case. Further, at runtime, the set of test cases is reorganized to execute the subset of test cases in a second order of execution based on priority values that are assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue, Brian Mo
  • Patent number: 11636028
    Abstract: A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment to identify cause of a soft failure includes recording a first difference vector by executing a set of test cases on a baseline system and monitoring performance parameters of the baseline system before and after executing the test cases. Each performance record represents differences in the performance parameters of the baseline system from before and after the execution of a corresponding test case. The method further includes, similarly, recording a second difference vector by executing the test cases on the SUT and monitoring performance parameters of the SUT before and after executing the test cases. The method further includes identifying an outlier performance record from the second difference vector by comparing the difference vectors and further, determining a root cause of the soft failure by analyzing a test case corresponding to the outlier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue, Jacob Thomas Snyder
  • Patent number: 11609842
    Abstract: A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment includes receiving, by a testing system, a code path of the SUT that causes a soft failure in the active environment. The soft failure occurs in the active environment during execution of the SUT based at least on a parameter of the active environment. The method further includes generating, by the testing system, multiple tests for testing the SUT, the tests generated based on a coverage model of the SUT, wherein the coverage model uses several attributes. The method further includes selecting, by the testing system, from the generated tests, a set of tests that are associated with the code path. The method further includes executing, by the testing system, only the set of tests that are selected on the SUT to analyze a cause of the soft failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue, Kevin Minerley
  • Patent number: 11593256
    Abstract: A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment includes executing, by the testing system, on the SUT, a test from a set of tests. The method further includes, monitoring a first execution time to complete the test on the SUT in the active environment. Based on the first execution time being different than a second execution time of the test, marking, by the testing system, a code path associated with the test. The second execution time is a duration to complete execution of the test on the SUT in a clean execution environment. The method further includes communicating, by the testing system, the code path for analyzing a soft failure of the SUT in the active environment, wherein the soft failure occurs in the active environment during execution of the SUT based at least on a parameter of the active environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue, Kevin Minerley
  • Patent number: 11531787
    Abstract: A system is provided. The system includes a computing resource, a cable insertable into the computing resource, a locking element and a controller. The locking element is configured to assume a locked condition in which the cable is locked to the computing resource or prevented from insertion into the computing resource and an unlocked condition in which the cable is removable from the computing resource and permitted to be inserted into the computing resource. The controller is configured to define rules for users. The rules are associated with respective identifiers (IDs) of each of the users and establish criteria associated with each user for causing the locking element to assume one of the locked and unlocked conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
  • Patent number: 11442839
    Abstract: Techniques for runtime metrics based test ordering in a computer system are described herein. An aspect includes determining a first runtime metric associated with a first module based on the execution of a first test case. Another aspect includes determining a second runtime metric associated with a second module based on the execution of a second test case. Another aspect includes comparing the first runtime metric and the second runtime metric. Another aspect includes determining an order of a plurality of test cases based on the comparison of the first runtime metric and the second runtime metric. Another aspect includes executing the plurality of test cases in the determined order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Deborah A. Furman
  • Patent number: 11436132
    Abstract: A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment to identify cause of a soft failure includes recording a first difference vector by executing a set of test cases on a baseline system and monitoring performance parameters of the baseline system before and after executing the test cases. Each performance record represents differences in the performance parameters of the baseline system from before and after the execution of a corresponding test case. The method further includes, similarly, recording a second difference vector by executing the test cases on the SUT and monitoring performance parameters of the SUT before and after executing the test cases. The method further includes identifying an outlier performance record from the second difference vector by comparing the difference vectors and further, determining a root cause of the soft failure by analyzing a test case corresponding to the outlier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue, Jacob Thomas Snyder
  • Patent number: 11422924
    Abstract: A method for identifying optimal tests includes defining functional coverage by a test suite based on a functional coverage model of a System Under Test (SUT). The test suite includes a plurality of tests. The functional coverage model includes a plurality of attributes, each attribute having a set of possible values. The functional coverage model defines possible combinations of values of the attributes as covered by the test suite. A subset of the possible combinations of values is determined. A subset of the plurality of tests is selected that is operative to cover the determined subset of the possible combinations of values. A plurality of trees is generated to represent the selected subset of tests. Complexity of the generated trees is analyzed based on user-specified criteria. An optimal tree is selected from the subset of the plurality of trees to achieve the objective of the test suite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew Hicks, Dale E. Blue, Ryan Thomas Rawlins
  • Publication number: 20220261340
    Abstract: A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment to identify cause of a soft failure includes recording a first difference vector by executing a set of test cases on a baseline system and monitoring performance parameters of the baseline system before and after executing the test cases. Each performance record represents differences in the performance parameters of the baseline system from before and after the execution of a corresponding test case. The method further includes, similarly, recording a second difference vector by executing the test cases on the SUT and monitoring performance parameters of the SUT before and after executing the test cases. The method further includes identifying an outlier performance record from the second difference vector by comparing the difference vectors and further, determining a root cause of the soft failure by analyzing a test case corresponding to the outlier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, RYAN THOMAS RAWLINS, Dale E. Blue, Jacob Thomas Snyder
  • Patent number: 11379352
    Abstract: Inputs to a system under test (SUT) are modeled as a collection of attribute-value pairs. A set of testcases is executed using an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the attribute-value pairs. For each execution of the testcases, for each attribute-value pair, a non-binary success rate (SAV) is computed based on the binary execution results. The method further includes outputting, to a user, in response to the success rate SAV of the attribute-value pair being below a predetermined threshold, an identification of one or more testcases that use the attribute-value pair, wherein the one or more testcases are to be used for diagnosing a soft failure associated with the SUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Kevin Minerley, Dale E. Blue, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
  • Publication number: 20220188219
    Abstract: Inputs to a system under test (SUT) are modeled as a collection of attribute-value pairs. A set of testcases is executed using an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the attribute-value pairs. For each execution of the testcases, for each attribute-value pair, a non-binary success rate (SAV) is computed based on the binary execution results. The method further includes outputting, to a user, in response to the success rate SAV of the attribute-value pair being below a predetermined threshold, an identification of one or more testcases that use the attribute-value pair, wherein the one or more testcases are to be used for diagnosing a soft failure associated with the SUT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Kevin Minerley, Dale E. Blue, RYAN THOMAS RAWLINS, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
  • Publication number: 20220188205
    Abstract: Inputs to a system under test (SUT) are modeled as a collection of attribute-value pairs. A set of testcases is executed using an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the attribute-value pairs. For each execution of the testcases, for each attribute-value pair, a non-binary success rate (SAV) is computed based on the binary execution results. in response to a success rate of an attribute-value pair being below a predetermined threshold, a subset of testcases that use the attribute-value pair is identified. Further, sets of code paths for the subset of testcases are identified, each set of code path respectively corresponding to a testcase from the subset of testcases. Further, an intersection of the sets of code paths is determined. Code paths of the SUT that are in the intersection, are highlighted to represent a soft failure with the SUT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Kevin Minerley, Dale E. Blue, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
  • Patent number: 11341279
    Abstract: A system is provided and includes a securable resource, a locking element configured to assume a locked condition in which the securable resource is locked and an unlocked condition in which the securable resource is unlocked, a first controller, which is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the securable resource, and a common interface to which the first controller and additional controllers, which are independent from the first controller and one another, are tied. The first controller is configured to authenticate the users and to perform operating system (OS) level control of the locking element in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and an authentication of the users by the common interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
  • Patent number: 11341278
    Abstract: A system is provided and includes a securable resource, a locking element configured to assume a locked condition in which the securable resource is locked and an unlocked condition in which the securable resource is unlocked, a controller and a physical authentication interface. The controller is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the securable resource and configured to perform operating system (OS) level authentication of the users and OS level control of the locking element in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and the OS level authentication. The physical authentication interface is configured to enable or disable a capability of the controller to perform the OS level authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
  • Patent number: 11321644
    Abstract: Techniques for an expertise score vector for software component management are described herein. An aspect includes determining a size and an amount of time corresponding to committed code contributed by a first developer to a first software component. Another aspect includes determining a time per unit of contribution based on the size and amount of time. Another aspect includes updating component mastery metrics corresponding to the first software component in an expertise score vector corresponding to the first developer based on the time per unit of contribution. Another aspect includes assigning the first developer to a developer tier based on the component mastery metrics. Another aspect includes assigning a work item corresponding to the first software component to the first developer based on the developer tier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Michael Terrence Cohoon, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Michael E. Gildein
  • Patent number: 11307975
    Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for machine code analysis includes executing a set of test cases associated with a software product. The method further includes determining a failing test case, from the set of test cases. The method further includes identifying a portion of a machine code of the software product, the portion of the machine code corresponding to the failing test case. The method further includes analyzing the portion of the machine code to identify a pattern of machine code causing the failing test case to fail. The method further includes searching the machine code of the software product to find the identified pattern of machine code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Mo, Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue
  • Patent number: 11289852
    Abstract: A cable assembly is provided. The cable assembly includes a cable element, a plug element to which a terminal end of the cable element is connected and which is configured to be plugged into a plug receptor, a sensor and an analysis engine. The sensor is disposed along the cable element or in the plug element and is configured to sense a manipulation of at least one of the cable element and the plug element relative to the plug receptor and to issue signals indicative of sensing results. The analysis engine is receptive of the signals and is configured to analyze the signals to determine a type of the manipulation and to determine whether to take an action responsive to the manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
  • Patent number: 11232020
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described for utilizing breakpoint value-based fingerprints of failing regression test cases to determine specific components of a System Under Test (SUT) that are causing a fault such as specific lines of source code. A failing test case from a regression run is selected and fault localization and inverse combinatorics techniques are employed to generate a set of failing test cases around the selected failing test case. A set of test fingerprints corresponding to the set of failing test cases is compared to a set of test fingerprints corresponding to a set of passing test cases to determine breakpoints that are indicated as being encountered during execution of at least one failing test case and that are not encountered during execution of any of the passing test cases. Specific lines of source code that correspond to these breakpoints are then identified as causing the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew Hicks, Dale E. Blue, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Steven M. Partlow