Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for performing generational garbage collection in a segmented heap

US6928460B2 · kind B2 · utility

18Cited by
37References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 1, 2002
Grant dateAug 9, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 27, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99957
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates performing generational garbage collection on a heap. The system operates by dividing an old generation of the heap into segments. Next, the system divides each segment into a series of cards and associates a separate card table with each segment. This card table has an entry for each card in the segment. In a variation on this embodiment, while updating a pointer within an object in the old generation, the system locates the segment containing the object and accesses the card table for the segment. The system then marks the entry in the card table associated with the card containing the object.

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