Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Nintendo of America Inc.

Steve Rabin

Mark Jawad

Chad Hinkle

Fernando Emilio Silva

Kelly Lindseth

Nathaniel Guy

Joseph Gregory Vasquez, Ii

Methods and systems for detecting anomalous function execution in a program, such as a video game or simulation program, are described herein. Certain methods attempt to isolate and score functions that behave in a particular manner that is deemed to be problematic within a repetitive program. Other methods can use the repetitive nature of the program to directly compare and isolate problematic functions.

Detecting anomalous function execution in a program

Methods for classifying functions as belonging to a particular software system is disclosed. Various embodiments are also described that use and display the result of the function classification in various ways, regardless of whether the information was generated by any particular of the described methods. One example graph combines function membership data, time interval frame data, and call stack profile data in the form of an Icicle Graph. The Icicle Graph is then distorted into a Sunburst Graph, resulting in an overall Software System Sunburst Icicle Graph.

Classification and display of code execution profile data

Profile data collected through sampling is transformed and visually and interactively manipulated and displayed. In one scenario, the profile data is collected through statistical profiling of a program for a video game. The game program profile data is visually and interactively manipulated and displayed to visually present a dynamic behavior of the video game that shows correlation of impacts that the functions of the program have on the video game's performance. This allows the developer to identify inefficient sections of the program for optimization.

Method and apparatus for visualizing and interactively manipulating profile data

Efficient statistical profiling in embedded computing devices, such as video games, uses a hybrid random distribution of sampling points for more accurate reconstruction of executing code. Transmission of only function start addresses and corresponding representation of the call graph data reduces the memory overhead and increases communication speed.

Method and apparatus for efficient statistical profiling of video game and simulation software

The present technology is directed to a non-limiting system and method for generating an abstract code execution timeline from repetitive programs, such as video games and simulations. As a non-limiting example, a statistical sampling profile is first taken of the running program, and then the data is converted into several representations. By selecting representative functions based on sampling frequency and call tree hierarchy and then sorting those functions chronologically and hierarchically, an abstract code execution timeline can be generated that summarizes execution within a single repetitive time period, such as a video frame. This timeline is called 'Story Mode' since it tells a story of how the program executes over the course of a frame. This abstract code execution timeline can then be used to facilitate program comprehension, primarily for the purposes of modifying the code to improve execution speed.

System and method for generating a code execution timeline from an executing program

The disclosure provide for improved depiction of interactions between virtual objects and physical objects in augmented reality (AR) images, and may include operations for: receiving a captured image of the real world physical structure, the captured image provided by a camera disposed in a housing; identifying, by image processing performed on the captured image using at least one processor arrangement, the at least one marker disposed at a location of the real world physical structure; determining aspects of user viewpoint of the housing relative to the physical structure at least in part in response to the identified at least one marker; using an at least partial three dimensional model of the real world physical structure to determine a view of interaction between the real world physical structure and the provided virtual object from the determined user viewpoint; and displaying, on a display, an augmented reality view of the captured image including the determined view of the interaction.

Visually convincing depiction of object interactions in augmented reality images

The present technology is directed to accurately identifying code execution rhythms from a running program, even when they are occasionally irregular. The present technology is capable of detecting and inferring the rhythms without any prior knowledge or expectations of rates or number of rhythms present in a running program. These code execution rhythms can then be used to further understand and analyze the behavior of a running program, for example, by exposing various rhythms that might have been unknown/unrealized, irregularity of rhythms, or by analyzing the behavior of functions on a per frame basis under different rhythms.

System and method to identify code execution rhythms

Analysis data from the execution of a computer program is collected. The analysis data may include samples of two different types of performance data from the execution of the computer program. Performance data may include sampled hardware performance counter data and sampled executing functions. The performance data is used to create a composite view of the data. The composite view may allow a user to efficiently correlate the different types of performance data by using a colored visual display.

Method and apparatus for visualizing computer program execution

A method and apparatus that utilizes techniques for formatting assembly and/or machine code, including using arrows, indentations and textual symbols, so that a programmer who reads the code has an enhanced understanding of the program flow. Different methods of assessing computing time complexity (e.g., the up branch method and the strongly connected subgraph method) have strengths and weaknesses but benefit from being used together.

Method and apparatus for enhancing comprehension of code time complexity and flow

An example system and method of providing an input to a processor-controlled system uses a handheld control device comprising an accelerometer. The example system and method involve determining magnitudes of outputs of the accelerometer for one or more axes based on movement of the handheld control device and controlling the processor-controlled system based at least in part on a combination of the determined magnitudes.

Handheld control device for a processor-controlled system

A multiple game jukebox system includes a hard drive that is able to execute video game software designed for execution on a conventional home-based system. The hard drive embodies various partitions including multiple partitions, where each partition represents a video game DVD disk. In communicating with such a hard disk drive device using the existing DVD bus, a particular pattern of disk reads or seeks is utilized to cause the hard drive to serve alternative data on subsequent disk reads (other than what exists on the currently selected disk). A media serving device initially defaults to playing a disk that contains a game selection menu program. The menu permits a user to select one of multiple video games for play.

Enhanced video game jukebox-type system and methodology

An example system and method is provided for filtering input values associated with movement of a hand-held control device. A current input value is compared with an average input value and, based on the comparing, an output value is generated in a range between the current input value and a prior output value.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Steve Rabin