Patent ID: 7707232
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for performing garbage collection of memory blocks in a computing environment, wherein the method comprises: a computer allocating memory for storing one or more data objects, the allocated memory comprising allocated memory blocks, wherein the data objects include image objects and wherein the method further comprises updating a value that indicates how much unmanaged image data is associated with image objects in managed memory; storing a first time at which memory is allocated; allocating additional memory for storing the one or more data objects at a second time, the allocated additional memory comprising additional allocated memory blocks; determining a first elapsed time corresponding to a difference in time between the first and second times; and in response to determining the first elapsed time is greater than or equal to a first time threshold, using a garbage collector to perform a garbage collection of unreferenced memory blocks, by collecting unused memory from the allocated memory blocks and additional allocated memory blocks, wherein the first time threshold is greater than a duration of time in which the computer having the memory allocates for images, and wherein the method further includes refraining from performing the garbage collection while the value is less than a predetermined memory threshold.