Contextual history of computing objects

Abstract

A computer-implemented computer shut-down method includes identifying that a computing device has been moved from an open configuration in which input and output mechanisms on the computing device are accessible to a user, to a closed configuration in which at least some of the input and output mechanisms are inaccessible to a user; starting a shut-down timer in response to identifying that the computing device has been moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration; waiting a predefined time period, as established by the shut-down timer, and determining from the shut-down timer that the computing device can be transitioned from an active state into a sleep state in which power consuming components of the computing device are powered down; and transitioning the computing device from the active state to the sleep state upon determining that the computing device can be transitioned.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A computer-implemented method for managing computer applications, the method comprising:
 executing one or more computer applications;   ranking the applications according to one or more criteria that change in response to a user's interaction with the applications and saving state information for certain of the one or more applications;   terminating one or more applications in response to a memory condition; and   subsequently reviving one of the terminated applications using the saved state information.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more criteria comprise focus with respect to each application. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the memory condition is a memory shortage. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the state information includes dependences between applications, 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein saving state information further comprises saving state information to an application memory and then saving state information to a persistent memory. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein saving the state information further comprises saving the state information to a remote computing device. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein ranking the applications further comprises generating a program stack of running applications. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein ranking the applications further comprises ranking the applications in response to a detection of a change in the one or more criteria. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the application on top of the program stack has focus. 
     
     
         31 . A computer-implemented system for managing computer applications, the system comprising:
 an application manager to classify applications according to one or more criteria that change in response to a user's interaction with the applications and to save state information for certain of one or more applications;   an application terminator to terminate one or more applications upon the occurrence of a memory shortage; and   a kernel to, in response to user interaction with the one or more applications, revive a terminated application using the saved state information when the terminated application has the highest application ranking.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more criteria comprise focus with respect to one or more of the applications. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the application terminator terminates a application upon detecting an impending memory shortage. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the state information includes dependences between applications. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein saving state information further comprises saving state information to an application memory and then saving state information to a persistent memory. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein saving state information further comprises saving the state information to a remote computing device. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein ranking the applications further comprises generating a program stack of running applications. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein ranking the applications further comprises ranking the applications in response to the detection of a change in the one or more criteria. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the application on top of the program stack has focus. 
     
     
         40 . A computer-implemented system, comprising:
 computer memory to store a plurality of simultaneously-operating computer applications;   an application manager; and   means for temporarily terminating and relaunching applications in response to a computer memory condition.