Dynamic Power Assertion via Voucher Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mechanisms in operating environments are statically constrained and inefficient in dynamically distributing characteristics such as security privileges and execution priorities among processes, leading to potential security risks and delayed system responses.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a voucher system that allows for the dynamic transfer of attributes like security privileges and execution priorities through inter-process communication, enabling processes to temporarily adopt new identities and priorities for specific tasks while maintaining context information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If processes are assigned fixed security levels and priorities by the OS, then system security is improved through centralized control, but system responsiveness deteriorates because processes cannot dynamically adjust their attributes based on task requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem securityVSAvoidsystem responsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic attribute transfer where processes can temporarily acquire and release security levels and priorities based on task requirements. The voucher mechanism enables processes to dynamically adjust their attributes without permanent OS intervention, resolving the contradiction between fixed security control and dynamic responsiveness needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The voucher acts as an intermediary carrier that transfers process attributes between processes. Instead of direct OS control for every attribute change, the voucher mediates the transfer of security levels and priorities, enabling responsive attribute changes while maintaining overall system security through controlled attribute transfer mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If uber processes are assigned high authorization capability to accommodate diverse application requests, then service versatility is improved, but system security deteriorates due to increased vulnerability to hijacking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice capabilityVSAvoidsystem security

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments authorization capability into separate transferable attributes carried by vouchers rather than a single monolithic uber process permission set. This segmentation allows fine-grained attribute transfer based on specific task requirements, reducing the attack surface compared to broad uber process authorization while maintaining service versatility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The voucher mechanism creates temporary, disposable attribute carriers that are automatically invalidated after use. This disposable nature ensures that high authorization attributes are not permanently held by processes, reducing long-term security risks while enabling temporary high-authorization operations when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Device complexity

If execution priorities are pre-assigned to processes, then process management is simplified through static scheduling, but task completion time increases because processes cannot adjust priorities based on real-time needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess management complexityVSAvoidtask completion time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables dynamic priority adjustment through the voucher mechanism, allowing processes to acquire and release execution priorities based on real-time task requirements. This dynamic adjustment reduces task completion time compared to static pre-assigned priorities while the automated voucher handling keeps the complexity increase manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Speed

If threads raise execution priority randomly when blocked to passively wait for resolution, then thread unblocking responsiveness is improved, but system performance deteriorates because unrelated high-priority threads consume processor cycles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethread unblocking speedVSAvoidsystem performance

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by transferring priority attributes selectively to only those threads that are actually blocked and need unblocking, rather than raising priorities globally or randomly. The voucher mechanism ensures priority adjustment is localized to specific thread contexts, improving unblocking speed without degrading overall system performance through unnecessary high-priority scheduling of unrelated threads

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9619012B2Power level control using power assertion requests

Publication Date: 2017.04.11 APPLE INC

AI summary

A method and an apparatus for a power assertion management are described. A power assertion indicator may be maintained for a device component having a power level. The power assertion indicator can indicate whether the power level of the device component is allowed to be lowered. A power assertion request may be sent from a first process to prevent lowering the power level of the device component before a data processing task is completed. A second process can receive a request from the first process to perform operations for the data processing task. The power level of the device component may not be allowed to be lowered before the second process completes the operations for the data processing task. The power level of the device component may be lowered after the data processing task is completed.