The present invention relates generally to computer central processing units (CPUs) and more particularly, to methods and systems for indicating a current utilization level of the CPU.
CPU utilization is a current calculation of how busy a CPU is at the current time. The CPU utilization is typically accessible through various graphical displays that express the CPU utilization as a graphical expression. FIG. 1 shows a typical graphical expression 10 of the CPU utilization. The graphical expression 10 of the CPU utilization is represented in a scale. The scale is typically a percentage in the vertical axis and a current window of time (e.g., 30 seconds) in the horizontal axis. The graphical expression 10 is typically displayed in a display screen.
The CPU utilization is also often expressed as a numerical value, typically expressed as a percentage (e.g., 53%). The numerical value 20 is also typically displayed in a display screen. The numerical value 20 can be combined with the graphical expression 10 as shown in FIG. 1.
Unfortunately each of the graphical expression 10 and the numerical value 20 require a relatively complex display screen and supporting hardware. This relatively complex display screen and supporting hardware is more complex than necessary and must be large enough to be accurately and easily read by a user. These factors increase the cost of the display screen and reduce the user accessibility of the CPU utilization.
Further, each of the graphical expression 10 and the numerical value 20 require a user to read multiple portions of information from the CPU utilization indication. By way of example the graphical expression 10 requires the user to orient the currently displayed graphical value relative to the axes (percentage and time) to determine the current CPU utilization. When the CPU utilization is expressed as a numerical value 20, the user must be able to clearly read each digit of the expressed numerical value 20 to accurately determine the current CPU utilization.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a simpler, more accessible and more intuitive indicator for current CPU utilization.