Patent ID: 6363403
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for use in a computer system to collect garbage in an object oriented database using transaction cyclic reference counting, the method comprising the steps of:(a) determining if there are first objects not marked of a first type in a first prescribed reference table but not in a second prescribed reference table; when the result of step (a) is YES; (b) marking a first object as said first type; (c) determining a prescribed object pointed to by said marked first object such that a pointer from said first object to said prescribed object is strong; (d) determining all strong pointers to said prescribed object; (e) determining the last of said strong pointers from said marked first object to said prescribed object; (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) for all of said first objects to yield a first set of objects of said first type; when the result in step (a) is NO; (g) waiting for all currently executing transactions to be completed; (h) determining and removing from said first set of objects of said first type, second objects of said first type that are pointed to from objects other than said first type; (i) determining and removing from said first set of objects of said first type, third objects of said first type that are in a third prescribed reference table; wherein a second set of objects of said first type resulting after removal of said second objects of said first type and said third objects of said first type from said first set of objects of said first type is defined as garbage.