Non-intrusive gathering of code usage information to facilitate removing unused compiled code
US6738969B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 12, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 18, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 4, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2201/88
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that gathers code usage information to facilitate removing compiled code that has not been recently used. This method operates in a mixed-mode system that supports execution of both compiled code and interpreter code. During operation, the system gathers usage information for compiled methods within an application while the application is executing. Next, the system identifies compiled methods to be removed based on this usage information, and removes identified compiled methods so that interpreter code is executed for the compiled methods instead of compiled code. In this way, the system frees up the memory space used to store the compiled methods.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.