Microsoft patents method to move running apps between computers
This patent describes a way to move a running application from one computer to another without restarting it. The system takes a snapshot of the app's memory state and sends only the changes made after that snapshot to the new computer, which then resumes the app exactly where it left off.
In the filing’s own words
A first device initiates a template state phase of executing an executable file comprising portable bytecode, including supplying a non-deterministic value request with a deterministic value. After completing the template state phase, the first device generates a memory snapshot for a set of memory pages used by the executable file. The first device then initiates an operational phase of executing the executable file, including generating a memory delta comprising each mutation to the memory pages since the snapshot point. The first device exports the memory delta to a second device. The second device initiates the template state phase of executing the executable file, including supplying a non-deterministic value request with the deterministic value. After completing the template state phase, the second device applies the memory delta to the memory pages used by the executable file and continues the execution of the executable file.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method, implemented at a computer system that includes a processor system, comprising: obtaining an executable file comprising portable bytecode that is executable within a runtime environment of a host operating system, the portable bytecode being independent of an instruction set architecture of the processor system; initiating a template state phase of execution of the executable file, wherein, during the template state phase, the runtime environment, executes initialization instructions of the portable bytecode; intercepts a system interface call resulting from execution of the initialization instructions, wherein the system interface call returns a non-deterministic value; and returns a deterministic value in response to the system interface call; and after completing the template state phase, generating a memory snapshot for a set of memory pages used by the executable file, the memory snapshot defining a deterministic template memory state created by execution of the portable bytecode; initiating an operational phase of the execution of the executable file, including, during the operational phase, generating a memory delta comprising each mutation to the set of memory pages relative to the deterministic template memory state; and exporting the memory delta.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Live migration of running applications between computer systems
- Patent number
- US12743323B2
- Application number
- 18191794
- Filed
- Mar 28, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 9/5088 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.