Patent ID: 8266627
Filing Date: 2012-09-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: prior to switching context of a processor having local memory from a first process to a second process, determining a portion of the local memory that does not require transfer to system memory for proper saving of data associated with the first process to the system memory, without interaction with the first process itself such that the first process is not involved in the determining; and, switching the context of the processor from the first process to the second process, including transferring all of the local memory as the data associated with the first process to the system memory, except for the portion of the local memory that has been determined as not requiring saving to the system memory for proper saving of the data associated with the first process to the system memory, such that switching the context of the processor from the first process to the second process results in a reduction of data transferred from the local memory of the processor to the system memory as compared to transferring all of the local memory including the portion of the local memory, wherein the first and the second processes are not involved in determining at what point of the first process the context of the processor is switched from the first process to the second process, wherein a user does not a priori specify at what point of the first process the context of the processor is switched from the first process to the second process, wherein determining the portion of the local memory that does not require transfer to the system memory for proper saving of the data associated with the first process to the system memory comprises determining the portion of the local memory as temporarily unused by the first process during execution of the first process by the processor, and wherein determining the portion of the local memory that does not require transfer to the system memory for proper saving of the data associated with the first process to the system memory further comprises determining the portion of the local memory as not requiring transfer to the system memory until subsequent switching of the context in relation to the first process.