System and method for providing run-time type checking
View Patent ↗The present invention provides systems and methods for providing run-time type checking to prevent software errors. In architecture, a representative system includes a compiler that parses a program and further comprises a logic that generates a checksum for a block of code in the program, a logic that stores the checksum in the block of code, and a logic that inserts checksum instruction code into the block of code. The present invention can also be viewed as a method for providing run-time type checking to prevent software errors. A representative method operates by generating a checksum for a block of code in the program, and storing the checksum in the block of code. During execution of the program, a run-time checksum is generated for the block of code, and the block of code is executed if the checksum equals the run-time checksum, and the execution of the block of code is skipped if the checksum does not equals the run-time checksum.
1. A method for providing run-time type checking comprising steps of:
generating a checksum corresponding to the form of an object in a program;
storing the checksum in the object;
computing a run-time checksum corresponding to the form of the object during execution of the program;
executing the object if the checksum equals the run-time checksum; and
skipping execution of the object if the checksum does not equal the run-time checksum.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating a checksum step further comprises:
allocating area for the generated checksum.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating a checksum step further comprises:
inserting the checksum in the object.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
inserting checksum instruction code into the object.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating a checksum step further comprises:
using a parameter to generate the checksum, wherein the parameter comprises a base address of the object, number of elements in the object, type of the elements in the object, and order of the elements in the object.
6. A system for providing run-time type checking, comprising:
means for generating a checksum corresponding to the form of an object in a program;
means for storing the checksum in the object; and
means for computing a run-time checksum corresponding to the form of the object during execution of the program, wherein the computing means executes the object if the checksum equals the run-time checksum, and skips execution of the object if the checksum does not equal the run-time checksum, said means for computing comprising a processor.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the generating means further comprises:
means for allocating area for the generated checksum.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the generating means further comprises:
means for inserting the checksum in the object.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the generating means further comprises:
means for inserting checksum instruction code into the object.
10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the checksum is generated using a parameter, wherein the parameter comprises a base address of the object, number of elements in the object, type of the elements in the object, and order of the elements in the object.
11. A computer readable electronic storage medium executing computer readable instructions for providing run-time type checking, comprising:
logic for generating a checksum corresponding to the form of an object in a program;
logic for storing the checksum in the object; and
logic for computing a run-time checksum corresponding to the form of the object during execution of the program, wherein the computing logic executes the object if the checksum equals the run-time checksum, and skips execution of the object if the checksum does not equal the run-time checksum.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said logic for generating a checksum further comprises:
logic for allocating area for the checksum.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said logic for generating a checksum further comprises:
logic for inserting the checksum in the object.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said logic for generating a checksum further comprises:
logic for inserting checksum instruction code into the object.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the checksum is generated using a parameter, wherein the parameter comprises a base address of the object, number of elements in the object, type of the elements in the object, and order of the elements in the object.
16. A system for providing run-time type checking, comprising:
a compiler that parses a program, wherein the compiler further comprises:
logic that generates a checksum corresponding to the form of an object in the program;
logic that stores the checksum in the object; and
logic that inserts checksum instruction code into the object.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the compiler further comprises:
logic that allocates area in the object for the checksum.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the compiler further comprises:
logic that inserts the checksum in the object.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the checksum is generated using a parameter, wherein the parameter comprises a base address of the object, number of elements in the object, type of the elements in the object, and order of the elements in the object.