Abstract: In particular embodiments, an environment for modular software analysis is generated for a software module under analysis. Irrelevancy analysis is performed on the software module to determine that, for each input datum to the software module, whether the input datum is relevant or irrelevant with respect to branch coverage of the module code. A default concrete value is assigned to each irrelevant input datum. A set of concrete values is calculated for each relevant input datum using symbolic execution. The environment is enhanced such that default concrete values are passed to the software module for the irrelevant input data and sets of concrete values generated using symbolic execution are passed to the software module for the relevant input data. The enhanced environment enables module analysis with as much as 100% branch coverage of the module code.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing software comprising one or more inputs, one or more variables, and one or more segments of code that when executed operate on one or more of the inputs or one or more of the variables. The method includes, for every variable, determining whether the variable is relevant or irrelevant to a set of the inputs when expressed symbolically and, if the variable is relevant, instrumenting the variable and every one of the segments of code associated with the variable. A segment of code is associated with the variable if the variable affects the segment of code when executed. The method includes symbolically executing the software with every relevant variable and its associated segments of code as instrumented to test the software.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method include accessing one or more global temporal requirements of an application specified using one or more requirement templates from a library of requirement templates, accessing a model of the application, generating one or more symbolic expressions of one or more of the global temporal requirements of the application, searching a state space of the application model with a model checker, monitoring the search of the state space for events in the state space encompassed by the symbolic expressions and modifying construction of a graph of the state space in response to occurrence of one or more events encompassed by the symbolic expressions, evaluating the symbolic expressions based on the graph of the state space to determine whether one or more of the global temporal requirements are valid, and communicating one or more results of the evaluation of the symbolic expressions for presentation to a user.

Abstract: A method for detecting software defects includes selecting from a target program comprising a plurality of modules a first module for evaluation and isolating the first module. The method also includes iteratively performing the following steps until the first module has been reduced such that a validation program is able to determine whether the first module contains a defect: generating an environment surrounding the first module, the generated environment preserving at least one external constraint on the first module; reducing the size of the first module; and reducing the number of program states associated with the first module.

Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a method is offered that includes supporting requirement validation middleware and capturing global requirements or properties for one or more web applications. A template-based formalism is employed to capture the requirements or properties. A small set of relevant temporal patterns are provided from which to choose in capturing the global requirements or properties. In specific embodiments, the method uses a set of pre-coded semi-configurable checkers. A Java-like syntax is used to specify expressions. A library of atomic entities or events (to compose expressions) is automatically generated. In still other embodiments, a small set of light-weight automatically-customizable checkers are employed in capturing the global requirements or properties. The method can be used with both formal and semi-formal techniques.

Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a method is offered that includes detecting one or more defects in a software application composed of heterogeneous languages using a configurable web services architecture. The detecting step further includes: capturing use cases associated with the software application and checking their validity; providing an automatic invocation of property monitors for model checking; and visualizing one or more defects in the software application for diagnosis. The detecting can further include transforming a heterogeneous software application into a homogeneous application. In more specific embodiments, the detecting further includes providing an automatic test generation for a presentation layer associated with the software application. The configuration associated with the software application can be a simple properties file.

Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a method is offered that includes generating a symbolic string manipulation class library for one or more web applications. The manipulations are generalized into a string manipulation symbolic algebra. The method also includes performing symbolic execution for one or more web applications. Typically, a Java model checker is augmented to check for certain types of requirements or properties in performing the symbolic execution. If an error scenario exists, a solution to a set of symbolic constraints is obtained, and the solution is mapped back to a source code to obtain an error trace and a test case. In still other specific embodiments, requirements or properties are encoded through templates and checked using public domain decision procedures. The properties or requirements can relate to security validation. The symbolic execution can be customized and tuned for Java-based web applications.

Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a method is offered that includes generating an automatic test case generation using model checking for web applications, the automatic test case generation including: developing a specification; verifying a property using model checking on the specification; obtaining a counterexample, whereby the counterexample is mapped to a web test case; and executing the web test case on an implementation. In more specific embodiments, the method includes generating counterexamples by negating a desirable property and then model checking the specification, whereby the counterexamples represent a set of witnesses that are mapped to the web test case; and executing the web test case on the implementation. In still other specific embodiments, the generating step and the executing step are repeated on available properties and on their available counterexamples. The witnesses can be mapped to the web test case through selected framework technology.

Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a method is offered that includes executing processing on an open heterogeneous distributed application, whereby the application is partially written in Java code. The method further includes generating a closed homogeneous non-distributed Java application based on the open heterogeneous distributed application. In more specific embodiments, in generating the closed homogeneous non-distributed Java application, drivers and stubs are generated. Once drivers and stubs are generated, they are combined with an original code base to produce the closed homogeneous non-distributed Java application. Driver generation produces a Java implementation of a user component, along with setting up an event-handling mechanism of the application, which is done at deployment, whereby the stub generation replaces a database and various libraries (e.g., J2EE) with Java implementations that preserve important behaviors.

Abstract: A system for retrieving and disseminating information records from Internet sources includes a client device and an intermediary server system, including software, between the client device and the Internet. The system collects a record specific to a client from an individual one of said Internet sources in a first form in which the record is recorded at the Internet source, transforms the record from the first form to a second form specific to an application other than an Internet browser application, the application executable by the client device, and transmits the transformed record to the client device for display in the application other than an Internet browser application executable by the client device. In some cases the client device connects by a data link that is not Internet-compatible link. Data mining on the Internet specific to clients and client devices is taught, with aggregation services and synchronization for keeping a client up-to-date efficiently for changing data content.

Abstract: A system for retrieving and disseminating information records from Internet sources includes a client device and an intermediary server , including software, between the client device and the Internet. The collects a record specific to a client from an individual one of said Internet sources in a first form in which the record is recorded at the Internet source, transforms the record from the first form to a second form specific to an application other than an Internet browser application, the application executable by the client device, and transmits the transformed record to the client device for display in the application other than an Internet browser application executable by the client device. In some cases the client device connects by a data link that is not Internet-compatible link. Data mining on the Internet specific to clients and client devices is taught, with aggregation services and synchronization for keeping a client up-to-date efficiently for changing data content.

Abstract: A method for detecting software defects includes selecting from a target program comprising a plurality of modules a first module for evaluation and isolating the first module. The method also includes iteratively performing the following steps until the first module has been reduced such that a validation program is able to determine whether the first module contains a defect: generating an environment surrounding the first module, the generated environment preserving at least one external constraint on the first module; reducing the size of the first module; and reducing the number of program states associated with the first module.

Abstract: A state-transition system is extracted from a high-level description of a design. Assumptions regarding states of the design are determined for an initial clock cycle. Linear arithmetic relations are introduced to these assumptions. Guarantees are determine that provide properties of the design that hold after a fixed number of clock cycles. Symbolic simulation is performed for a limited number of clock cycles on the state transition system of the design. If the guarantees hold once simulation is performed, the design is verified. Otherwise, counter-examples are generated.

Abstract: A method for high level validation of a design includes receiving input associated with a design; generating a message diagram in response to the input, wherein the message diagram describes a relationship of messages communicated between multiple processes; resolving at least one scenario from the message diagram, wherein the scenario comprises a particular sequence of messages identified by the message diagram; generating a state machine operable to receive and transmit at least some of the messages identified by the message diagram according to the scenario; and testing an implementation of the design using the state machine.

Abstract: A system for retrieving and disseminating information records from Internet sources includes a client device and an intermediary server system, including software, between the client device and the Internet. The system collects a record specific to a client from an individual one of said Internet sources in a first form in which the record is recorded at the Internet source, transforms the record from the first form to a second form specific to an application other than an Internet browser application, the application executable by the client device, and transmits the transformed record to the client device for display in the application other than an Internet browser application executable by the client device. In some cases the client device connects by a data link that is not Internet-compatible link. Data mining on the Internet specific to clients and client devices is taught, with aggregation services and synchronization for keeping a client up-to-date efficiently for changing data content.

Abstract: An Internet-connected portal system has a data repository, a data-gathering system, a request processor, a plurality of report algorithms, and a report processor. The request processor receives a request from a user and matches the request to an individual one of the report algorithms. The data-gathering subsystem accesses plural Internet sites associated with the user and extracts raw data therefrom according to needs of the report algorithm. The report processor processes the raw data according to the report algorithm into metasummarized information defined by the report algorithm, and the portal system transmits the metasummarized information as a report to a destination associated with the report request.

Abstract: A network-based URL management and data gathering system is provided. The system utilizes a client-side utility for capturing URLs during normal Web browsing, and a server-side utility for organizing and managing the captured URLs on the network. The server-side utility periodically sends a request to a proxy browsing and data gathering utility for navigating to and retrieving data from Web pages associated with the captured URLs. Data retrieved from the Web pages is returned in summary form for presentation to subscribing users. In preferred embodiments, the system is practiced on the Internet network between users operating an Internet-capable appliance having an Internet connection, and an Internet portal service.

Abstract: An Internet-connected portal system has a data repository, a data-gathering system, a request processor, a plurality of report algorithms, and a report processor. The request processor receives a request from a user and matches the request to an individual one of the report algorithms. The data-gathering subsystem accesses plural Internet sites associated with the user and extracts raw data therefrom according to needs of the report algorithm. The report processor processes the raw data according to the report algorithm into metasummarized information defined by the report algorithm, and the portal system transmits the metasummarized information as a report to a destination associated with the report request.

Abstract: An Internet subscription system for alerting subscribers to changes in data maintained at Internet sites has an input interface for a subscriber to specify a data condition to be monitored and a condition for notification and a gatherer for gathering data changes from one or more Internet sites. A guard compares data changes with the condition for notification, and a notification alert system notifies the subscriber of a change that meets the condition for notification. The system is particularly suited to notification requirements regarding metadata changes over multiple sources. Users can configure the system to many different frequencies and many different data and notification conditions. Alerts may be made to many different devices in different ways as well, and may or may not include specific data.

Abstract: An Internet search system is structured for efficient data retrieval from semi-structured data sources. The configurable Internet WEB search system has a browser module for navigating to and displaying a WEB page, a block selection and configuration function having input tools for a user to select at least one block portion of a displayed WEB page for data retrieval, a data-type input function for a user to denote data type to be extracted from a selected block portion, and a search implementation function for implementing a search under the search system. The data type entered by the data input function is associated with a WEB page block selected, and upon search implementation the block selected is searched for the data type requested, and data found is retrieved to be provided to the user. In a preferred embodiment portions of the system are executed on a user station, and other portions on a Portal server to which the user may subscribe.