Mobile Device Memory Management via User-Oriented Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing memory management systems for mobile devices fail to effectively select applications to release memory without significantly affecting user experience, particularly in situations where users are not interacting with the device, and cannot reflect the importance of applications based on individual user usage patterns.

Innovation Solution

A multi-level memory management system that includes a user-oriented component to monitor memory usage and perform a shutdown procedure, selecting a 'loser' process based on gathered information to release resources, with levels escalating from notifying processes to release memory to potentially exiting them, ensuring critical user applications remain active.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If applications are selected randomly to release memory, then memory management is simple, but user experience deteriorates significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory management complexityVSAvoiduser experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different applications based on their importance to user experience. Instead of uniform random termination, the system identifies and protects critical applications (those with high user interaction frequency or recent usage) while allowing termination of less important applications. This creates non-uniform memory management behavior that preserves user experience while maintaining feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If a window is popped up for users to choose applications to terminate, then user control is provided, but the system cannot respond in time when users are sleeping or unresponsive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser control over memory managementVSAvoidmemory management response speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining criteria for application importance based on usage patterns, interaction frequency, and system state before memory pressure occurs. The system continuously monitors and maintains this classification in advance, so when OOM occurs, the decision-making process can proceed immediately without requiring user input. Critical applications are pre-identified and protected, enabling rapid automated response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If applications are selected by priorities to release memory, then memory management is systematic, but it cannot reflect individual user usage patterns since priorities are static or simple

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory management strategyVSAvoidadaptability to individual user usage patterns

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static priorities to dynamic application importance assessment. The system continuously monitors usage patterns, interaction frequency, and temporal characteristics to dynamically adjust which applications are considered critical. This dynamic re-evaluation based on actual usage behavior enables the system to adapt to individual user patterns rather than relying on fixed or simple priority rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple memory usage thresholds are used with different management strategies, then memory management is nuanced, but the system becomes complex and difficult to implement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenuanced memory management approachVSAvoidmemory management system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the memory management strategy into distinct operational phases based on memory usage thresholds. Below the first threshold, normal operation occurs. Between the first and second thresholds, multi-level management activates with progressive measures. Above the second threshold, primitive management executes with aggressive measures. This segmentation into discrete, manageable phases simplifies implementation while maintaining nuanced response to memory conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9032168B2Memory management methods and systems for mobile devices

Publication Date: 2015.05.12 HTC CORP

AI summary

Memory management methods and systems for mobile devices are provided. A memory usage of a memory is monitored by a built-in memory management component of an OS of the device and a user-oriented memory management component. It is determined whether the memory usage of the memory is greater than a first threshold or a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold. When the memory usage of the memory is greater than the first threshold, a multi-level memory management is performed by the user-oriented memory management component. When the memory usage of the memory is greater than the second threshold, a primitive memory management is performed by the built-in memory management component.