System and method for terminating applications

• US 7,503,044 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chew, Chee H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr.; Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): YAARY, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US10/945,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 718/100, 718/103, 718/107
• US Class Current: 718/103
• 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:

identifying computer application programs executing on the computer;

assigning a priority value to each of the identified computer application programs, wherein the priority value is determined based on a plurality of characteristics of the identified computer application programs, wherein each characteristic of the plurality of characteristics has a parameter value associated with a weighting factor;

automatically terminating the computer application program with the smallest priority value, including 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,

wherein core applications are not terminated, regardless of priority value, wherein a unique code is assigned to the application'"'"'s priority indicating that the application is a core application, and wherein the method is executed on a palmtop computing device.

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.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each priority value is determined based on a plurality of characteristics of the identified computer application programs including 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.

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

identifying computer application programs executing on the computer;

assigning a priority value to each of the identified computer application programs, wherein the priority value is determined based on a plurality of characteristics of the identified computer application programs, each characteristic of the plurality of characteristics having a parameter value associated with a weighting factor;

automatically terminating the computer application program with the smallest priority value, including 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 program 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.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the method is executed on a palmtop computing device.