Patent · US Expired

Database memory compaction and reclamation method

US5577246A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
16References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 22, 1995
Grant dateNov 19, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 22, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0253
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for maintaining the performance of the system while identifying and reclaiming unreferenced tuples. A set of status bits is associated with each tuple, which are used to indicate the current state of the tuple, and whether it is in a transient state while the garbage collector, according to this invention, is examining it, thus permitting the garbage collector to run without locking out other processing. Further, the garbage collector uses the status bits to audit linked lists used by a database manager against linkage failure. Finally, the garbage collector compresses data and removes redundant data found while traversing the tuple structure of the database.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.