System and method for terminating applications

• US 20050034129A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chew, Chee H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,503,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44594 Unloading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99957 Garbage collection

Abstract

A computer application program executing on a computer, such as a portable computer, is selected for termination by first identifying computer application programs executing on the computer. A priority value is assigned to each of the identified computer applications. The priority value is based on multiple characteristics of the identified computer application programs. The computer application program with the smallest priority value is automatically terminated. If the computer application program with the smallest priority value is in a modal state in which it waits for a response from a user, then a default response is provided to the application prior to terminating the computer application program. The characteristics associated with the computer application programs may include average launch times, average memory usages, a class or type of application, frequencies of usage, and an amount of data stored on the computer by the computer application program.

Claims

1. A method of terminating a computer application program executing on a computer, the method comprising:

determining whether the computer application program being terminated is in a modal state in which it waits for a response from a user;

if the computer application being terminated is in a modal state, then providing a default response to the computer application program in lieu of a response from a user, wherein the default response takes the computer application program out of its modal state; and

terminating the computer application program.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing the default response to the computer application program is repeated until the computer application program being terminated is in a non-modal state, prior to performing the terminating step.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an operating system executing on the computer instructs the computer application to generate its own default response.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an operating system executing on the computer provides the default response to the computer application.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an operating system executing on the computer provides the default response to the computer application, and wherein the operating system receives the default response from the computer application when the computer application is launched.