MULTI-ENVIRONMENT OPERATING SYSTEM

• US 20110016299A1
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tzakis, Andrew N., Carlyle, Jeffrey C., Galicia, Joshua D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,348,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45537 Provision of facilities of other operating environments, e.g. WINE I/O emulation G06F13/105

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile computing device that operates multiple, co-existing and independent operating system environments on a common kernel. A booting process for initiating a multiple operating system environment is also provided. Additionally, various embodiments of the present invention include processes for managing a switch between one operating system environment to a second operating system environment.

Claims

1. A mobile device operating system comprising:

a core kernel configured to interface a device hardware component and a middleware component; and

at least two co-existing independent middleware operating environments coupled to the core kernel, the middleware operating environments each having a corresponding application component.

2. The operating system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the middleware operating environments is a Linux environment.

3. The operating system according to claim 1, further comprising a resource manager configured to control resources shared by the at least two co-existing middleware operating environments.

4. A mobile computing device comprising:

a memory storage unit coupled to a computer processor, the memory storage unit having computer executable instructions capable of operating at least two operating system environments on a common kernel.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein a first operating system environment is optimized for mobile communication.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a second operating system environment is optimized for desktop communication.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first operating system environment is a standard Linux-based distribution.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein a predetermined device state dictates a primary and secondary operating environment.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the primary environment is an Android operating system operating in a mobile mode.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the primary operating environment switches from the first to the second operating environment when a user invokes an application associated with the second operating environment.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein the primary operating environment switches from the second to the first operating environment when a user selects programs associated with the first operating environment.

12. A mobile telephone comprising:

a graphical user interface configured to receive and transmit multimedia information;

a computing system comprising a processor coupled to a memory storage unit;

a multi-environment operating system having a common kernel, the memory storage unit having computer executable instructions capable of managing resources shared between at least two co-existing independent operating system environments.

13. A mobile computing device comprising:

a computer processor coupled to a computer memory having computer executable instructions configured to initiate an operating system; and

an operating system configured to simultaneously run a standard Linux distribution operating system environment and an Android operating system environment on a single kernel.

14. The mobile computing device according to claim 13, wherein a predetermined device state dictates a primary and secondary operating environment.

15. The mobile computing device according to claim 13, wherein the operating system further comprises a portal service and a resource manager.

16. The mobile computing device according to claim 14, wherein Android is the primary operating environment when the device is operating in a mobile mode.

17. The mobile computing device according to claim 15, wherein the portal service and resource manager enable the device to selectively operate the Ubuntu and Android operating system based at least in part upon a set of predetermined device criteria.

18. The mobile device according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined device state is programmable.

19. A mobile device operating system comprising:

a core kernel configured to interface a device hardware component and a middleware component; and

a first independent middleware operating environment configured to run JAVA-interpreted applications and coupled to the core kernel; and

a second independent middleware operating environment configured to run native applications and coupled to the core kernel.

20. The operating system according to claim 19, wherein the first and second independent middleware operating environments each have a corresponding application component.

21. The operating system according to claim 20, wherein a resource manager controls system resources shared by the first and second independent middleware operating environments.

22. The operating system according to claim 21, wherein the shared resources include display devices and input devices.