Patent ID: 7340493

Claim:
A computer implemented method for automatically nullifying variables in a middleware computer program, said method comprising: reading, by a just in time compiler, one or more variables included in one or more activation records included in the middleware computer program, wherein the variables reference one or more objects, the objects stored in a garbage collected heap stored in a computer memory; identifying, by the just in time compiler, a program statement in the middleware computer program where a selected variable is last used; inserting, by the just in time compiler, a nullification statement after the identified program statement, the nullification statement adapted to nullify the selected variable; writing the activation records, the identified program statement, and the nullification statement to a resulting code file for the middleware computer program; executing the middleware computer program, wherein the executing further comprises: executing the nullification statement to nullify the selected variable; and after nullifying the selected variable, executing a garbage collection program, wherein executing the garbage collection program comprises identifying one of the objects that was previously referenced by the selected variable, and reclaiming the memory occupied by the identified object.