Method and apparatus for management of mapped and unmapped regions of

Abstract

A memory management method for a microkernel architecture and the microkernel itself feature template regions which are defined by the microkernel in the memory, as special objects. In the memory management method, after the microkernel is loaded into the memory of a data processing system, it begins creating task containers in the memory. It does this by forming template regions as special objects in the memory, the template regions having a set of attributes. Then, when the microkernel forms a task in the memory, it does so by mapping the template region into the task. The microkernel defines a virtual address space for the task based upon the template region. Later, when the microkernel conducts virtual memory operations on the template regions, the effect of the virtual memory operations is manifested in the task by means of the mapping relationship. In this manner, a single template region can be mapped into multiple tasks, simultaneously. By directing virtual memory operations to the template region on which they will take effect, the sharing of the virtual memory operations is much easier to accomplish since the changes are made to a template region, not to the mapping of the template region within each task.