Patent ID: 8051223

Claim:
A computer-implemented method to manage memory, wherein the method comprises: creating a buffer construct that represents a region of memory, the buffer construct being associated with any one of multiple mutually exclusive states, the multiple exclusive states including an open state and a closed state; making the region of memory represented by the buffer construct accessible to one or more DMA operations in response to the buffer construct being in the closed state; enabling the buffer construct to transition from the closed state to the open state in response to completion of the one or more DMA operations; making the region of memory represented by the buffer construct accessible for use with one or more cache operations in response to the buffer construct being in the open state, so that the one or more cache operations are not in conflict with the one or more DMA operations; generating a notification or execution error in response to an occurrence of a DMA operation initiated to the region of memory while the buffer construct is in the open state.