System and method for managing resources and threshsold events of a multicore portable computing device

• US 9,098,521 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gargash, Norman S., Vijayarajan, Vinod
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhe, Mengyao
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHAFFARI, ABU Z
• Application Number:
  US13/349,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20130019249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 718/104, 709/226, 709/310
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]

Abstract

A method and system for managing resources of a portable computing device is disclosed. The method includes receiving node structure data for forming a node, in which the node structure data includes a unique name assigned to each resource of the node. A node has at least one resource and it may have multiple resources. Each resource may be a hardware or software element. The system includes a framework manger which handles the communications between existing nodes within a node architecture. The framework manager also logs activity of each resource by using its unique name. The framework manager may send this logged activity to an output device, such as a printer or a display screen. The method and system may help reduce or eliminate a need for customized APIs when a new hardware or software element (or both) are added to a portable computing device.

Claims

1. A method for managing resources of a portable computing device having a plurality of device resources controlled by at least one core of a multicore central processing unit (CPU) located within the portable computing device, the method comprising:

receiving, from a hardware or software element of the portable computing device, node structure data for an uninstantiated node that represents or models the hardware or software element, the node structure data comprising a unique name for each of the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device that are part of the node;

reviewing the node structure data for one or more dependencies between the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the one or more dependencies for the uninstantiated node exists within a node framework for the portable computing device, the node framework defined by a graph wherein each node of the graph represents one or more device resources controlled by the CPU of the portable computing device;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the uninstantiated node is available to support a request from a client internal to the portable computing device, wherein the client comprises a hardware or software element of the portable computing device;

instantiating the uninstantiated node on one of cores of the multicore CPU if each of the plurality of device resources for each of the one or more dependencies exists and is available;

creating a threshold event against one of the plurality of device resources associated with newly instantiated node wherein creating the threshold event comprises receiving one or more requests from another of the plurality of device resources or a thread of execution to create the threshold event, receiving a plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, receiving at least one function that tracks the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, and receiving the unique name for each of the plurality of device resources that will receive a notice of an occurrence of the threshold event;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the instantiated node is available to support a respective request; and

if any of the plurality of the device resources associated with the instantiated node is unavailable to support a respective request, then preventing the instantiated node from use by other device resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each resource comprises at least one of a second software and second hardware element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from a hardware or software element of the portable computing device data for forming a stub resource which functions as a placeholder for the formation of at least one functional resource in the node framework.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving data for replacing the stub resource with the functional resource.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the client request is suppressible for delayed execution.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining if one or more of the plurality of conditions have been achieved for delaying execution of the suppressible requests.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold event comprises a temperature threshold for the portable computing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event comprises a plurality of temperatures of the portable computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link.

10. A computer system for managing resources of a portable computing device having a plurality of device resources controlled by at least one core, the system comprising:

a multicore central processing unit (CPU) located within the portable computing device, at least one core of the multicore CPU operable for;

receiving, from a hardware or software element of the portable computing device, node structure data for an uninstantiated node that represents or models the hardware or software element, the node structure data comprising a unique name for each of the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device that are part of the node;

reviewing the node structure data for one or more dependencies between the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the one or more dependencies for the uninstantiated node exists within a node framework for the portable computing device, the node framework defined by a graph wherein each node of the graph represents one or more device resources controlled by the CPU of the portable computing device;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the uninstantiated node is available to support a request from a client internal to the portable computing device, wherein the client comprises a hardware or software element of the portable computing device;

instantiating the uninstantiated node on one of cores of the multicore CPU if each of the plurality of device resources for each of the one or more dependencies exists and is available;

creating a threshold event against one of the plurality of device resources associated with newly instantiated node wherein creating the threshold event comprises receiving one or more requests from another of the plurality of device resources or a thread of execution to create the threshold event, receiving a plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, receiving at least one function that tracks the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, and receiving the unique name for each of the plurality of device resources that will receive a notice of an occurrence of the threshold event;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the instantiated node is available to support a respective request; and

if any of the plurality of the device resources associated with the instantiated node is unavailable to support a respective request, then preventing the instantiated node from use by other device resources.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each resource comprises at least one of a second software and second hardware element.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable for:

receiving data for forming a stub resource which functions as a placeholder for the formation of at least one functional resource in the node framework.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable for:

receiving data for replacing a stub resource with the functional resource.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable for:

determining if the client request is suppressible for delayed execution.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operable for:

determining if one or more conditions have been achieved for delaying execution for suppressible requests.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the threshold event comprises a temperature threshold for the portable computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event comprises a plurality of temperatures of the portable computing device.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link.

19. A computer system for managing resources of a portable computing device having a plurality of device resources controlled by at least one core of a multicore central processing unit (CPU) located within the portable computing device, the system comprising:

means for receiving, from a hardware or software element of the portable computing device, node structure data for an uninstantiated node that represents or models the hardware or software element, the node structure data comprising a unique name for each of the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device that are part of the node;

means for reviewing the node structure data for one or more dependencies between the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device;

means for determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the one or more dependencies for the uninstantiated node exists within a node framework for the portable computing device, the node framework defined by a graph wherein each node of the graph represents one or more device resources controlled by the CPU of the portable computing device;

means for determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the uninstantiated node is available to support a request from a client internal to the portable computing device, wherein the client comprises a hardware or software element of the portable computing device;

means for instantiating on one of the cores of the multicore CPU located within the portable computing device the uninstantiated node with its one or more corresponding resources for supporting the portable computing device if each of the plurality of device resources for each of the one or more dependencies exists and is available;

means for creating a threshold event against one of the plurality of device resources associated with newly instantiated node wherein creating the threshold event comprises receiving one or more requests from another of the plurality of device resources or a thread of execution to create the threshold event, receiving a plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, receiving at least one function that tracks the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, and receiving the unique name for each of the plurality of device resources that will receive a notice of an occurrence of the threshold event;

means for determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the instantiated node is available to support a respective request; and

means for preventing the instantiated node from use by other resources if any of the plurality of the device resources associated with the instantiated node is unavailable to support a respective request.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein each resource comprises at least one of a second software and second hardware element.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for receiving data for forming a stub resource which functions as a placeholder for the formation of at least one functional resource in the node framework.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving data for replacing a stub resource with the functional resource.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining if the client request is suppressible for delayed execution.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining if one or more of the plurality of conditions have been achieved for delaying execution of the suppressible requests.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the threshold event comprises a temperature threshold for the portable computing device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event comprises a plurality of temperatures of the portable computing device.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link.

28. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for managing resources of a portable computing device having a plurality of device resources controlled by at least one core of a multicore central processing unit (CPU) located within the portable computing device, said method comprising:

receiving, from a hardware or software element of the portable computing device, node structure data for an uninstantiated node that represents or models the hardware or software element, the node structure data comprising a unique name for each of the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device that are part of the node;

reviewing the node structure data for one or more dependencies between the plurality of device resources contained within the portable computing device;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the one or more dependencies for the uninstantiated node exists within a node framework for the portable computing device, the node framework defined by a graph wherein each node of the graph represents one or more device resources controlled by the CPU of the portable computing device

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the uninstantiated node is available to support a request from a client internal to the portable computing device, wherein the client comprises a hardware or software element of the portable computing device;

instantiating the uninstantiated node on one of cores of the multicore CPU if each of the plurality of device resources for each of the one or more dependencies exists and is available;

creating a threshold event against one of the plurality of device resources associated with newly instantiated node wherein creating the threshold event comprises receiving one or more requests from another of the plurality of device resources or a thread of execution to create the threshold event, receiving a plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, receiving at least one function that tracks the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event, and receiving the unique name for each of the plurality of device resources that will receive a notice of an occurrence of the threshold event;

determining if each of the plurality of device resources associated with the instantiated node is available to support a respective request; and

if any of the plurality of the device resources associated with the instantiated node is unavailable to support a respective request, then preventing the instantiated node from use by other resources.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein each resource comprises at least one of a second software and second hardware element.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:

receiving data for forming a stub resource which functions as a placeholder for the formation of at least one functional resource in the node framework.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:

receiving data for replacing a stub resource with the functional resource.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:

determining if the client request is suppressible for delayed execution.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises:

determining if one or more of the plurality of conditions have been achieved for delaying execution of the suppressible requests.

34. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the threshold event comprises a temperature threshold for the portable computing device.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the plurality of conditions associated with the threshold event comprises a plurality of temperatures of the portable computing device.

36. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link.