Patent · US Expired

Method for making data objects having hidden pointers persistent

US5590327A · kind A · utility

34Cited by
5References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 22, 1994
Grant dateDec 31, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 22, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/4493
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for making data objects having hidden pointers persistent is disclosed. A pre-existing process for creating data objects is modified so as to selectively inhibit both the allocation of memory space for the data object and the initialization of data within the data object. A data object with hidden pointers created by a previous program invocation is retrieved into memory by a subsequent program invocation. The modified object creation process is then advantageously applied to the data object. As a result, the hidden pointers within the data object are initialized without allocating new memory or disturbing the data within the data object. Where the object creation process includes the execution of a user supplied initialization function, the initialization function is modified so as to inhibit the initialization of data within the data object. A global flag is set by the object creation process and tested within the initialization function. If the initialization function finds the flag to be set, execution of the data initialization code is avoided.

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