Patent · US Expired

High performance counter for realistic measurement of computer system load

US7421592B1 · kind B1 · utility

18Cited by
13References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 13, 2004
Grant dateSep 2, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 28, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/348
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention leverages high-frequency interrupts and/or low priority threads to accurately determine which computing resources are available. This provides a computing asset (CPUs and/or software applications) with a means to accurately compensate for resource utilization in order to increase its performance. By utilizing the present invention, the computing asset can optimize its performance in a real-time, self-tuning manner. In one instance of the present invention, high intensity, low priority threads are initiated on available CPUs (logical and/or physical) to effectively replace a CPU's idle time with the low priority thread. This thread generally constitutes a computationally-intensive and/or a memory-intensive thread which permits a highly accurate performance measurement to be obtained for available CPU resources. In another instance of the present invention, high-frequency interrupts are initiated on CPUs to compensate for processes that are shorter than a thread's time quantum, providing a more accurate performance counter.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.