Methods and apparatus for concurrently executing a garbage collection process during execution of a primary application program

Abstract

A wireless mobile communication device has an application program and a garbage collection program stored in memory. The garbage collection program is configured to identify a root set of referenced objects of the application program with use of a reference indicator array and to perform a mark and sweep process based on the root set of referenced objects. The reference indicator array has a plurality of reference indicators where each referenced indicator corresponding to a referenced object is set as referenced. The application program is configured to be executed during execution of a mark and sweep process of the garbage collection program, such that information received or provided via the user interface during the execution of the mark and sweep process is received or provided without suspension or delay. The application program has computer instructions which are based on an instruction set defined by a plurality of opcodes or native codes, including a single predefined opcode or a single predefined native code which is a 'get object reference' instruction. Each 'get object reference' instruction is associated with a target object and is defined to retrieve a reference from the target object and also set one of the reference indicators corresponding to the target object as referenced in the reference indicator array.