System and method for the sub-allocation of shared memory

Abstract

This invention is directed to a system and method for allocation of random access memory. A memory area is first acquired from a primary memory allocation system of an associated data processing system. The memory area includes a plurality of uniformly fixed size memory blocks. Next an application program interface is interfaced with a plurality of processes in connection with memory needed for each process. A memory request is then received from each of the processes via the application program interface with each memory request including data representing a requested memory allocation size associated therewith. Memory from the acquired memory blocks is then allocated to each of the processes corresponding to each received memory request. Each allocation is defined by a base memory address disposed within the memory area, an offset value corresponding to the base memory address, and a corresponding memory allocation size.