The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 07, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1999
Graham Stoney, Carlingford New South Wales, AU;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method of dynamically allocating blocks of memory in a computer system ( ) is disclosed. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, generating a first memory allocation list in which free memory blocks (S) are recorded on the basis of size. Secondly, generating a second memory allocation list in which free memory blocks (S) are recorded on the basis of memory block address (b). When a memory block (S) is requested by the computer system, searching the first list to determine a suitably sized memory block, allocating the requested memory block from the suitably sized memory block in response to the request, and updating the first and second lists to take the allocation into account. When a memory block (S) is freed by the computer system ( ) it is determined whether a free memory block exists adjacent the freed memory block by searching the second list. In the event that one or more free memory blocks exist adjacent the freed memory block, the freed memory block and free memory blocks are merged together to form a unitary free memory block. Finally, the first and second lists are updated to take the freed memory block and any free memory block merges therewith into account.