Hypervisor Mediator for VM Display Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtualized computer systems, applications executing within a virtual machine cannot effectively manage power settings for host display devices, such as disabling dimming when the application is visible, due to the lack of communication between the host and guest operating systems.
Innovation Solution
The hypervisor receives a notification from the host operating system to dim the display and forwards it to the guest operating system, which then sends signals to prevent the host operating system from executing the dimming command, ensuring that display dimming is disabled either always or only when the application is not visible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the host operating system dims the display to save power, then energy consumption is reduced, but applications within virtual machines cannot prevent dimming when they are visible, resulting in loss of information about application state
Solution Approach 1:
The hypervisor acts as an intermediary between the host operating system and the guest operating system. It receives notifications from the host OS about dimming commands, forwards them to the guest OS, and enables the guest OS to send signals back through the hypervisor to prevent execution of dimming commands when applications are visible. This intermediary mechanism allows information flow that was previously blocked in virtualized systems.
2Ease of operation
If communication channels are added between host and guest operating systems to enable power management, then application control over display settings is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The notification and signal mechanism implemented through the hypervisor serves multiple functions: it enables display power management, maintains application visibility state information, and provides a general framework that can be extended to other output devices like audio volume control. This multi-functional approach justifies the added communication infrastructure.
3Ease of operation
If the hypervisor forwards all host OS notifications to the guest OS, then application control is maximized, but processing overhead and loss of time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes notification and signal pathways in advance through the hypervisor before power management events occur. When the host OS needs to dim the display, the pre-established communication channel allows immediate forwarding of the notification to the guest OS, which can then quickly respond with prevent dimming signals. This preliminary setup reduces processing time compared to ad-hoc communication establishment.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for display power management in a virtualized environment are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor receives a notification that a host operating system has received a command to dim a display, and forwards the notification to a guest operating system hosted by a virtual machine. The hypervisor receives from the guest operating system a first signal that indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. The hypervisor then transmits a second signal that notifies the host operating system to refrain from executing the command.