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Breakpoints have now been patented
An anonymous reader noted that apparently Breakpoints have now been patented. From the link "A method for debugging including the steps of receiving code having a software breakpoint function therein, running the code for the purpose of debugging, monitoring the code to detect the presence of the software breakpoint function, recognizing the software breakpoint function, determining an action to be performed based on the software breakpoint function, and implementing the action. The present invention also includes an apparatus for implementing the method for debugging and a medium embodying a program of instructions for execution by a device to perform the method for debugging."
No that's not what they've patented. They've patented source level debugging with static break points. Apparently the developer litters the source code with SOFTWARE_BREAKPOINT; calls which turn into do-nothing statements if there is no debugger running the code. The target environment appears to be an embedded system like a cellphone.
/., but is it too much to ask that the article submitter or the editor read them first?
They have not patented hardware breakpoints, gdb, etc. and a huge advantage of their system is that you could apparently debug and selectively enable/disable breakpoints in a production ROM executable image.
I know noone reads these patents when these kinds of articles go by, this is