Transitive Closure Graphs for Leaner Operating System Binary Hosting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern operating systems have become large and complex, leading to inefficiencies in processing and storage resources due to unused code and vulnerabilities through unnecessary dependencies, such as APIs, which can expose user and system data.

Innovation Solution

An OS dependency management system analyzes dependencies using a binary analyzer to determine transitive closures, generating a transitive closure graph to optimize the OS by removing unnecessary code and presenting a reduced version for efficient resource utilization and vulnerability reduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the operating system includes a comprehensive framework to accommodate a variety of software packages and applications, then the adaptability and functionality of the operating system are improved, but the size and complexity of the operating system increase, resulting in significant expenses of processing and storage resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to accommodate software packages and applicationsVSAvoidsize and complexity of operating system

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The operating system is segmented into a core framework and optional add-on components. The system identifies and separates frequently used code paths from less-used ones, allowing the core OS to remain compact while maintaining the ability to load additional functionality as needed. This segmentation enables the OS to accommodate various software packages without permanently including all possible code paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The operating system dynamically adapts its structure based on the specific applications and software packages being executed. Code paths that are not currently needed are suspended or removed from active memory, while only the necessary framework and dependencies are maintained. This dynamic approach allows the OS to maintain versatility while reducing the active processing and storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If applications are modified, removed, and updated in the operating system, then the functionality and relevance of the operating system are improved, but unused code and invalid dependencies accumulate, representing significant processing and storage resources and exposing vulnerabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctionality and relevance of operating systemVSAvoidvulnerabilities through unnecessary dependencies

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of application dependencies before executing or installing software packages. By pre-identifying the exact code paths and libraries required for specific applications, the system can selectively include only those dependencies in the active operating system image, preventing the accumulation of unused code and invalid dependencies that could expose vulnerabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The operating system systematically discards unused code and invalid dependencies through automated analysis and removal processes. When applications are updated or removed, the system recovers and eliminates the associated unused dependencies, maintaining a clean and secure dependency structure. This continuous discarding and recovering process prevents vulnerability accumulation while preserving necessary functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Adaptability or versatility

If the operating system maintains a robust framework with numerous binaries and code packages, then the functionality available to users is improved, but the processing and storage resources required to host and execute these binaries increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctionality available to usersVSAvoidprocessing and storage resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The operating system applies local quality optimization by analyzing the specific functionality required for each application and tailoring the included code paths and dependencies to match those local requirements. Rather than maintaining a uniform comprehensive framework for all possible applications, the system locally adapts the framework to include only the necessary components for currently executed applications, reducing overall processing and storage resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12399692B2Generating and presenting transitive closures for an operating system

Publication Date: 2025.08.26 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

This disclosure relates to determining, presenting, and optimizing an operating system (OS) for use in hosting a set of binaries. An operating system (OS) dependency management system provides features and functionality for analyzing dependencies within an OS with respect to one or more binaries to determine transitive closures representative of branches of dependencies within the OS and optimizing one or more components of the OS for the binaries in a way that reduces or otherwise removes the unnecessary code from the OS while enabling the binaries to be hosted. In addition to this analysis and optimization, the systems described herein further involve providing a presentation of an optimized version of the OS (or select OS components) in a way that enables a user to navigate dependencies within the OS associated with hosting a given set of binaries.