Mobile Computing Device Activity Manager

• US 20120102497A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Stahl, Nathaniel R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5021 Priority
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]

Abstract

A system and a method are disclosed for an activity manager providing a centralized component for allocating resources of a mobile computing device among various activities. An activity represents work performed using computing device resources, such as processor time, memory, storage device space or network connections. An application or system service requests generation of an activity by the activity manager, causing the activity manager to associate a priority level with the activity request and identify resources used by the activity. Based on the priority level, resources used and current resource availability of the mobile computing device, the activity manager determines when the activity is allocated mobile computing device resources. Using the priority level allows the activity manager to optimize performance of certain activities, such as activities receiving data from a user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allocating resources of a mobile computing device to an activity, the method comprising:

receiving a request for the activity from a source;

identifying resources of the mobile computing device used by the activity during operation;

associating a priority level with the activity, the priority level determined at least in part by the source of the request for the activity;

determining when to allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity based on the priority level associated with the activity and the availability of resources of the mobile computing device; and

generating an activity object associated with the activity, the activity object including a unique identifier associated with the activity, the priority level associated with the activity, data identifying resources of the mobile computing device used by the activity during operation and data identifying when to allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when to allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity based on the priority level associated with the activity and the availability of resources of the mobile computing device comprises:

identifying the priority level associated with the activity;

determining resources of the mobile computing device available for use by the activity;

responsive to the priority level associated with the activity having a first value, allocating resources of the mobile computing device to the activity at a first interval; and

responsive to the priority level associated with the activity having a second value, allocating resources of the mobile computing device to the activity at a second interval that is later in time than a first interval.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source currently receiving data from a user and the second priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source that previously received data from the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the activity object in a computer-readable storage medium.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining when to allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity based on the priority level associated with the activity and the availability of resources of the mobile computing device further comprises:

responsive to the priority level associated with the activity having a third value, allocating resources of the mobile computing device to the activity at a second interval that is later in time than the second interval.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the third priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source that does not receive data from a user.

7. A computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions to allocate resources of a mobile computing device to an activity, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive a request for the activity from a source;

identify resources of the mobile computing device used by the activity during operation;

associate a priority level with the activity, the priority level determined at least in part by the source of the request for the activity;

determine when to allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity based on the priority level associated with the activity and the availability of resources of the mobile computing device;

generate an activity object associated with the activity, the activity object including a unique identifier associated with the activity, the priority level associated with the activity, data identifying resources of the mobile computing device used by the activity during operation and data identifying when to allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to determine when to allocate resources further comprises instructions that when executed cause the processor to:

identify the priority level associated with the activity;

determine resources of the mobile computing device available for use by the activity;

responsive to the priority level associated with the activity having a first value, allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity at a first interval; and

responsive to the priority level associated with the activity having a second value, allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity at a second interval that is later in time than a first interval.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source currently receiving data from a user and the second priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source that previously received data from the user.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions that cause the processor to store the activity object in a computer-readable storage medium.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to determine when to allocate resources further comprises instructions that when executed cause the processor to:

responsive to the priority level associated with the activity having a third value, allocate resources of the mobile computing device to the activity at a third interval that is later in time than the second interval.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the third priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source that does not receive data from a user.

13. A computer-implemented method for scheduling allocation of resources of a computing device, the method comprising:

identifying activities operating on the mobile computing device;

determining resources of the computing device currently used by the activities;

identifying a priority level associated with each activity currently using resources of the computing device; and

allocating resources to a stored activity based on resources of the computing device used by the stored activity and a priority level associated with the stored activity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein allocating resources to the stored activity and the priority level associated with the stored activity comprises:

responsive to the priority level associated with the stored activity having a first value, allocating resources of the computing device to the activity at a first interval before allocating resources of the computing device to an activity associated with a second priority level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein allocating resources to the stored activity and the priority level associated with the stored activity further comprises:

responsive to the priority level associated with the stored activity having the second value, allocating resources of the computing device to the activity at an earlier interval before allocating resources of the computing device to an activity associated with a third priority level.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first priority level is associated with a stored activity requested by a source currently receiving data from a user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source that previously received data from the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the third priority level is associated with an activity requested by a source that does not receive data from a user.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein allocating resources to the stored activity based on resources of the computing device used by the stored activity and the priority level associated with the stored activity comprises:

receiving an input modifying the resources of the computing device currently used by the identified activities operating on the mobile computing device; and

allocating resources to the stored activity based on resources of the computing device used by the stored activity, the priority level associated with the stored activity and the modified resources of the mobile computing device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the input modifying the resources of the computing device currently used by the identified activities operating on the mobile computing device comprises at least one of:

an input to pause one or more of the identified activities operating on the mobile computing device; and

an input to terminate one or more of the identified activities operating on the mobile computing device.