Patent ID: 8370854
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method, in a data processing system, for automatically closing a file or a device, the method comprising: monitoring, by a service routine monitor in the data processing system, for a request received from either a first application that opened the file or a device driver that readied the device; determining, by the service routine monitor, whether the file or the device has been accessed within a predetermined time interval; responsive to the file or the device failing to be accessed within the predetermined time interval, sending, by the service routine monitor, a call to the first application that opened the file or a second application or a higher level device driver that requested that the device driver ready the device to determine whether the first application or higher level device driver still requires the file or the device; and responsive to a response from the first application or the higher level device driver indicating that the use of the file or the device is no longer needed, closing, by the service routine monitor, the file or quiescing, by the service routine monitor, the device.