Kernel awareness of physical environment
First Claim
1. A method of modifying behavior of an operating system that is executing on a device comprising a memory and a processor, the operating system comprising a kernel controlling the processor and a thread scheduler, the method comprising:
- executing, by the kernel, instructions that cause the device to;
read a policy specifying an environmental temperature threshold of an environment of the computer;
measure a current environmental temperature outside of the computer;
compare the current environmental temperature with the environmental temperature threshold defined by the policy;
responsive to determining, by the comparing, that the current environmental temperature exceeds the environmental temperature threshold, reduce a task priority of a process to reduce an execution rate of the process by the processor, wherein reducing the task priority and the execution rate of the process also reduce a processor usage of the processor according to the thread scheduler; and
managing the processor according to the processor usage according to the thread scheduler, to reduce heat produced by the computer and to reduce the current environmental temperature toward the environmental temperature threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques to implement physically aware kernels are described. A kernel or operating system controlling resources and processing on a computer is rendered environmentally aware. The physical environment of a computer is measured by one or more sensors. The measurements or observations are evaluated. When a pre-specified environmental condition exists according the measurements or observations, the kernel is adapted accordingly. The core behavior of the kernel, such as how it manages memory or how it manages processes, is modified in light of sensed environmental conditions. That is, kernel-level functionality, as opposed to user-space application code, is modified in response to specific environmental conditions. An embodiment may have a policy engine that monitors sensor observations and an enforcement module that reaches into the kernel to modify the kernel based on conclusions reached by the policy engine. In another embodiment, the kernel itself stores, monitors, and responds to environment data.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of modifying behavior of an operating system that is executing on a device comprising a memory and a processor, the operating system comprising a kernel controlling the processor and a thread scheduler, the method comprising:
executing, by the kernel, instructions that cause the device to; read a policy specifying an environmental temperature threshold of an environment of the computer; measure a current environmental temperature outside of the computer; compare the current environmental temperature with the environmental temperature threshold defined by the policy; responsive to determining, by the comparing, that the current environmental temperature exceeds the environmental temperature threshold, reduce a task priority of a process to reduce an execution rate of the process by the processor, wherein reducing the task priority and the execution rate of the process also reduce a processor usage of the processor according to the thread scheduler; and managing the processor according to the processor usage according to the thread scheduler, to reduce heat produced by the computer and to reduce the current environmental temperature toward the environmental temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer-readable storage device, storing instructions that, when executed by a kernel of a computer having a processor and a thread scheduler, cause the kernel to:
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read a policy specifying an environmental temperature threshold of an environment of the computer; measure a current environmental temperature outside of the computer; compare the current environmental temperature with the environmental temperature threshold defined by the policy; and responsive to determining, by the comparing, that the current environmental temperature exceeds the environmental temperature threshold, reduce a task priority of a process to reduce an execution rate of the process by the processor, wherein reducing the task priority and the execution rate of the process also reduce a processor usage of the processor according to the thread scheduler; and managing the processor according to the processor usage according to the thread scheduler to reduce heat produced by the computer and to reduce the current environmental temperature toward the environmental temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device comprising:
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an environmental temperature sensor that measures a current environmental temperature outside of the computer; a memory storing a policy that specifies an environmental temperature threshold of an environment of the computer; a thread scheduler; and a processor executing instructions including; a set of tasks respectively executed according to a task priority; and an operating system kernel that; compares the current environmental temperature measured by the environmental temperature sensor with the environmental temperature threshold defined by the policy; responsive to determining, by the comparing, that the current environmental temperature exceeds the environmental temperature threshold, reduces a task priority of at least one process to reduce an execution rate of the process by the processor, including reducing the task priority of at least one process below an idle processor threshold, wherein reducing the task priority and the execution rate of the processor also reduce a processor usage according to the thread scheduler; and manages the processor according to the processor usage according to the thread scheduler to reduce heat produced by the computer and to reduce the current environmental temperature toward the environmental temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification