Microsoft patents moving running apps between computers without restarting
This filing describes a method for moving a running program from one computer to another by taking a snapshot of its memory state. It uses a technique where the program starts with fixed values to create a consistent baseline, then only transfers the changes made during normal use to the new device.
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 computing system, comprising: a processor system; and a computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that are executable by the processor system to cause the computing system to at least: obtain 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; initiate 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, generate 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; initiate 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 export the memory delta.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- LIVE MIGRATION OF RUNNING APPLICATIONS BETWEEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS
- Publication number
- US20260288541A1
- Application number
- 19648241
- Filed
- Apr 15, 2026
- Published
- Sep 24, 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.