Camera App Memory Management via Background Cache Purging

Solution Overview

Problem

Computing devices face operational degradation due to insufficient memory storage space, particularly when running applications like camera apps that require specific memory allocations for optimal performance, leading to failures in capturing images or videos when memory is not available.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method to manage memory allocation by monitoring available memory and triggering proactive memory freeing through a background service that purges data from a temporary data store associated with other applications, using dynamic threshold values adjusted based on application modes, historical user data, and machine learning algorithms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If cache data is stored in the temporary data store to improve application efficiency, then application operation speed is improved, but available memory storage space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication operation speedVSAvoidavailable memory storage space

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by proactively monitoring available memory storage space and triggering memory freeing operations before the camera application fails. The background service detects low memory conditions and purges cache data from temporary data stores in advance, preventing the harmful effect of memory exhaustion before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring available memory storage space and using this information to trigger appropriate responses. When memory usage exceeds threshold values, the system feeds back this information to the background service, which then purges cache data to restore adequate memory space, creating a closed-loop control system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If memory storage space is allocated to cache data for multiple applications, then application performance is improved, but camera application operation reliability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication performanceVSAvoidcamera application operation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by proactively monitoring available memory storage space and triggering memory freeing operations before the camera application fails. The background service detects low memory conditions and purges cache data from temporary data stores in advance, preventing the harmful effect of memory exhaustion before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring available memory storage space and using this information to trigger appropriate responses. When memory usage exceeds threshold values, the system feeds back this information to the background service, which then purges cache data to restore adequate memory space, creating a closed-loop control system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If threshold values are set low to maintain more cache data, then application efficiency is improved, but memory availability for camera operations is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication efficiencyVSAvoidmemory availability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies dynamics by implementing adjustable threshold values that can be modified based on device state and application requirements. Rather than using fixed threshold values, the system dynamically adjusts them to balance cache data retention with memory availability, allowing optimization of both application efficiency and memory availability under different operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by adjusting threshold values based on device state and application requirements. This allows the system to optimize the balance between retaining cache data for application efficiency and freeing memory for camera operations by modifying the threshold parameter dynamically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10852968B2Techniques for managing memory allocation within a storage device to improve operation of a camera application

Publication Date: 2020.12.01 APPLE INC

AI summary

This application sets forth techniques for managing the allocation of memory storage space in a non-volatile memory to improve the operation of a camera application. A camera application monitors an amount of available memory storage space in the non-volatile memory. Responsive to various triggering events, the camera application compares the amount of available memory storage space to a threshold value. When the amount of available memory storage space is less than the threshold value, the camera application transmits a request to a background service to free additional memory storage space within a temporary data store associated with one or more applications installed on the computing device. The temporary data store provides a location for local data to improve the efficiency of the applications, which can be exploited by the camera application to free up memory to avoid a low-memory condition that could prevent the camera application from performing certain operations.