Selective Background Activity Blocking in Low-Power Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computing devices face challenges in efficiently managing background activity during low-power modes, leading to unnecessary power consumption and user experience issues, as they struggle to differentiate between critical and non-critical tasks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a quiet mode that selectively blocks and buffers background task trigger events, allowing users to customize which tasks can execute during low-power periods, ensuring connectivity and allowing essential activities like VoIP calls and instant messages while suppressing non-essential tasks like email checks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the processor enters a low-power idle state to save energy, then power consumption is reduced, but background tasks cannot be executed promptly when triggered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments trigger events into two categories: suspendable interrupts and non-suspendable interrupts. Suspendable interrupts are blocked during idle state to save power, while non-suspendable interrupts are allowed to wake the processor immediately. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by selectively handling different types of background tasks differently based on their importance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of interrupt handling by introducing a new attribute - whether an interrupt is suspendable or non-suspendable. This parameter change allows the system to dynamically adjust its response to background tasks based on the current power state, enabling both power savings and reliable task execution for critical events.
2Loss of energy
If all background tasks are blocked during low-power mode to maximize power savings, then energy efficiency is improved, but critical tasks like VoIP calls and instant messages cannot be executed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic behavior to interrupt handling by allowing the system to adapt its response based on the type of interrupt and current state. Critical tasks such as VoIP calls and instant messages are classified as non-suspendable and can dynamically wake the processor from idle state, while non-critical tasks are suspendable. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between energy efficiency and task execution flexibility.
3Speed
If the processor remains in wake state to execute all background tasks immediately, then task responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by allowing only non-suspendable interrupts to wake the processor from idle state, while suspendable interrupts are blocked. This partial execution of background tasks based on their priority resolves the contradiction by providing immediate responsiveness for critical tasks while accepting delayed execution for non-critical tasks, thereby reducing overall power consumption.
Data Source
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AI summary
Controlling background activity in a computing device or system during a low-power mode is described. In some example techniques, when a computing device or system is in a low power mode, a determination is made whether to block one or more trigger events from causing an activation of one or more respective background task operations. Based at least in part on the determination, at least one trigger event may be allowed to cause an activation of a respective background task operation during the low power mode.