Virtual Machine Power Management via Dynamic Freezing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Virtual machines consume computing resources even when applications are inactive, leading to inefficient power management in devices like portable electronic devices, where power consumption is a concern.

Innovation Solution

A computing device is equipped with a virtual machine power management feature that includes a smart virtual machine power manager, which can freeze and unfreeze virtual machines based on their state, reducing processor cycles when idle and increasing them when active, thereby conserving resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the virtual machine continues to execute instructions using traditional scheduling policies (first in first out or round robin), then the system maintains operational readiness and responsiveness, but power consumption increases unnecessarily during idle periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem responsivenessVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of the virtual machine based on activity conditions. When idle, the VM is frozen to conserve power; when activity is detected, it is unfrozen to restore responsiveness. This dynamic state transition resolves the contradiction between power consumption and system readiness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameter of the virtual machine from active execution to frozen state based on detected activity levels. This parameter change allows the system to optimize power consumption during idle periods while maintaining the capability to quickly resume normal operation when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If the virtual machine is frozen to reduce processor cycles during idle states, then power consumption decreases, but system responsiveness may be degraded when the VM needs to become active

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsystem responsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of activity conditions before freezing the virtual machine. By monitoring for activity and only freezing when truly idle, the system ensures that responsiveness is maintained when actually needed while achieving power savings during genuine idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from activity detection to control the frozen state of the virtual machine. When activity is detected, the VM is unfrozen; when idle, it is frozen. This feedback mechanism ensures that the system responds appropriately to actual usage conditions, balancing power consumption with responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9921862B2Virtual machine power management

Publication Date: 2018.03.20 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Embodiments described herein relate generally to managing the power consumption of a virtual machine on a computing device. The computing device may include a virtual machine power management feature that is to detect when a virtual machine running on the computing device should be frozen. In response to this detection, the virtual machine may be frozen by reducing the processor cycles consumed by the virtual machine. This detection may be based on, for example, detection that the virtual machine is no longer running in the foreground or detection that the virtual machine is idle. The computing device may be a portable electronic device in which power consumption is an important consideration. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.