Patent ID: 7870171

Claim:
A method for garbage collection comprising: allocating a first plurality of objects in a young generation, wherein the first plurality of objects is specific to a first task, and wherein the young generation is specific to the first task; performing a minor garbage collection, wherein performing the minor garbage collection comprises: identifying a first object of the first plurality of objects for promotion to a shared older generation; identifying a promotion area list specific to the first task and comprising an active promotion area record and a full promotion area record, wherein the active promotion area record designates a first promotion area in the shared older generation comprising free memory and occupied memory, and wherein the full promotion area record designates a second promotion area in the shared older generation comprising occupied memory; and promoting the first object of the first plurality of objects to the first promotion area in the shared older generation, wherein the first promotion area and the second promotion area are specific to the first task; and freeing the young generation by freeing the first promotion area and the second promotion area when the first task terminates, wherein freeing the first promotion area creates a first free promotion area, and wherein the first promotion area is freed without performing a major garbage collection.