Microsoft patents software tool that merges conflicting code versions for security checks
This filing describes a method for analyzing computer programs when different parts of the code refer to the same component by the same name but mean different things. Instead of picking one version to ignore the others, the system combines all conflicting versions into a single data structure and saves it permanently. This combined data is then used by security and licensing tools to check the program for issues.
In the filing’s own words
Some embodiments construct a set of build dependencies for a program without access to a full set of build instructions. When multiple clashing name resolutions are identified for a particular dependency, a union of the alternative versions is formed. Intermediate representations of the union of program versions, such as symbol tables, abstract syntax trees, and other internal compiler data structures, are emitted to persistent non-volatile storage, instead of using a single resolution to create temporary intermediate data to build an executable program. Security analysis and licensing analysis utilize the persisted program representations to analyze the union of multiple overlapping but different versions of the program.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computing system, comprising: a processor system; and a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that are executable by the processor system to at least: determine that a plurality of name resolutions in a non-empty set of name resolutions identify a plurality of different respective items to satisfy a build dependency of a program, the non-empty set of name resolutions comprising a first definition of a fully-qualified name in a dependency of the program and a second definition of the fully-qualified name in source code of the program; form a union which specifies the at least two name resolutions; supply the union to a tool which is configured to conduct an analysis of the program; and receive a result of the analysis, the result computed from at least the union.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- PROGRAM DEPENDENT COMPONENT AMALGAMATION
- Publication number
- US20260319774A1
- Application number
- 19706596
- Filed
- Jun 12, 2026
- Published
- Oct 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 8/433 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in AI & software
- Microsoft patents method to check AI answers against verified facts Oct 20, 2026
- Microsoft patents AI that presents PowerPoint slides for you Sep 3, 2026
- Microsoft patents method to check if LLM answers are based on real data Sep 10, 2026
- Microsoft patents system to blend multiple AI agents into one chat Oct 1, 2026
- Microsoft patents system that answers questions using your screen history Oct 15, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.