17876174. Operating System Compatibility Layer simplified abstract (GOOGLE LLC)

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Operating System Compatibility Layer

Organization Name

GOOGLE LLC

Inventor(s)

Travis Kirk Geiselbrecht of Bainbridge Island WA (US)

Nicholas J. Maniscalco of Seattle WA (US)

Operating System Compatibility Layer - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17876174 titled 'Operating System Compatibility Layer

Simplified Explanation

The technology described in this patent application allows for efficient and secure execution of software compiled for one operating system to run on another operating system. Here is a simplified explanation of the abstract:

  • The technology creates a virtualized environment where software compiled for a guest operating system can run on a host operating system.
  • The virtualized environment includes a kernel space and a user space.
  • The kernel space contains a handle table and the kernel of the host operating system.
  • The user space is divided into a restricted space and an unrestricted space.
  • The restricted space operates in a restricted mode, while the unrestricted space operates in an unrestricted mode.
  • A hyperprocess is implemented, and a hyperprocess handle table is created in the unrestricted space.
  • A set of child processes, associated with the guest operating system, is loaded into separate memory address spaces in the restricted space.
  • The hyperprocess handle table is shared among the child processes and includes file descriptor tables for each specific child process.

Potential applications of this technology:

  • Running software compiled for one operating system on a different operating system.
  • Virtualization and emulation of operating systems.
  • Cross-platform software development and testing.

Problems solved by this technology:

  • Incompatibility issues between different operating systems.
  • Efficient execution of software compiled for a specific operating system on a different operating system.
  • Secure isolation of guest operating system processes from the host operating system.

Benefits of this technology:

  • Increased flexibility in running software on different operating systems.
  • Improved efficiency by utilizing the resources of the host operating system.
  • Enhanced security through isolation of processes and controlled access to resources.


Original Abstract Submitted

The technology provides efficient and secure virtualized execution of software compiled for a first (guest) operating system to run on a second (host) operating system. This includes delineating a kernel space and a separate user space, the kernel space including a handle table and kernel of a host operating system. In the user space, a restricted space is separate from an unrestricted space. The restricted space corresponds to a restricted mode and the unrestricted space corresponding to an unrestricted mode. A hyperprocess is implemented and a hyperprocess handle table is created in the unrestricted space. A set of child processes is loaded into separate memory address spaces in the restricted space, wherein the set of child processes is associated with a guest operating system. The hyperprocess handle table is shared among the child processes and includes a file descriptor tables each associated with a specific child process.