System and method for terminating applications

• US 20050138448A1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Published: 06/23/2005
• 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 7,725,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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. An application termination module, comprising:

a first logic for determining which of multiple currently executing applications is a best candidate application for termination; and

a second logic for terminating the best candidate application.

2. The application termination module as recited in claim 1, wherein the best candidate application is determined by comparing priority values associated with the multiple currently executing applications.

3. The application termination module as recited in claim 2, wherein the priority values are calculated based on characteristics of the multiple currently executing applications, wherein the characteristics are stored as parameter values.

4. The application termination module as recited in claim 3, wherein an operating system defines the names of the parameters and the multiple currently executing applications provide the value associated with the parameter.

5. The application termination module as recited in claim 4, wherein a class parameter is one of the parameters, and if the class parameter has a value of one, then the application comprises a personal information manager, if the class parameter has a value of two, then the application comprises a game, and if the class parameter has a value of three, then the application comprises a personal a utility.

6. The application termination module as recited in claim 4, wherein a memory parameter is one of the parameters and has an associated value that indicates the typical memory usage of one of the multiple currently executing applications.