Patent ID: 6701334
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: G06F,G09G,H04L,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of loading and unloading classes by an application manager, the method comprising:constructing a first class loader for a first application, the class loader being adapted for loading classes associated with the first application; constructing a second class loader for a second application, the class loader being adapted for loading classes associated with the second application; employing the first class loader to load one or more classes associated with the first application such that the class loader maintains a reference to the one or more classes associated with the first application; employing the second class loader to load one or more classes associated with the second application such that the class loader maintains a reference to the one or more classes associated with the second application; de-referencing the first class loader for the first application when execution of the first application ends or is terminated such that the first class loader and the one or more classes referenced by the first class loader become unreachable, thereby enabling the one or more classes referenced by the first class loader to be unloaded during garbage collection; and de-referencing the second class loader for the second application when execution of the second application ends or is terminated such that the second class loader and the one or more classes referenced by the second class loader become unreachable, thereby enabling the one or more classes referenced by the second class loader to be unloaded during garbage collection.