US 6,519,594 B1 · Computer-implemented sharing of java classes for increased memory efficiency and communication method

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system for allowing Java classes to be shared among many Java virtual machines (JVMs) including a communication system allowing Java and native applications to readily interoperate. An implementation of the JVM on an operating system platform, e.g., the Aperios AV/OS, allows a variety of applications including desktop applications, applets and Internet based applications, home networking applications, MHEG-6 applets, gaming, gaming applications and next generation audio visual applications to operate with the operating system. The present invention provides a shared memory pool (SMP) into which a JVM and store and register a particular Java class. The stored and registered Java class is then accessible by other JVMs using the SMP and a Java layer class manager that is implemented in software. The Java layer class manager requires other JVMs to access a key for the stored class in order to synchronize access to the Java class among several installed and operating JVMs of the computer system. By sharing common Java classes in this fashion, the memory resource overhead required to operate multiple JVMs on a common computer system is drastically reduced thereby allowing a multiple JVM platform to be operable on an embedded computer system. A novel communication method is also disclosed for communicating information between a JVM application and a native application using the computer system's operating system. The novel communication method also allows multiple JVM applications to communicate using the shared memory pool. These functions are incorporated into a JavaLayer that supports the full PersonalJava™ platform.

Claims20

Dependent claims

In a computer system, a method of sharing Java classes comprising the steps of:

a) a first Java Virtual Machine (JVM) loading an instantiation of a first Java class into a shared memory pool;
b) registering a name of said first Java class into a name table that is used for said shared memory pool;
c) querying said name table on behalf of a second JVM to determine if said first Java class is stored in said shared memory pool, wherein said second JVM is operating on said computer system simultaneously with said first JVM;
and
d) said second JVM accessing and utilizing said instantiation of said first Java class from said shared memory pool in lieu of creating a separate instantiation of said first Java class for its own use.

2 more elements

An embedded computer system having a processor coupled to a bus and a memory device coupled to said bus wherein said memory device contains instructions stored therein that implement a method of sharing Java classes, said method comprising the steps of:

a) a first Java Virtual Machine (JVM) loading an instantiation of a first Java class into a shared memory pool;
b) registering a name of said first Java class into a name table that is used for said shared memory pool;
c) querying said name table on behalf of a second JVM to determine if said first Java class is stored in said shared memory pool, wherein said second JVM is operating on said computer system simultaneously with said first JVM;
and
d) said second JVM accessing and utilizing said instantiation of said first Java class from said shared memory pool in lieu of creating a separate instantiation of said first Java class for its own use.

2 more elements

In a computer system, a method of communicating between applications comprising the steps of:

a) a first Java Virtual Machine (JVM) loading an instantiation of a first Java class into a shared memory pool;
b) registering a name of said first Java class into a name table that is used for said shared memory pool;
c) querying said name table on behalf of a second JVM to determine if said first Java class is stored in said shared memory pool, wherein said second JVM is operating on said computer system simultaneously with said first JVM;
d) said second JVM accessing and utilizing said instantiation of said first Java class from said shared memory pool in lieu of creating a separate instantiation of said first Java class for its own use;
and
e) a first Java application of said first JVM communicating messages to a native application by writing said messages into said shared memory pool and said native application reading said messages from said shared memory pool.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Computer-implemented sharing of java classes for increased memory efficiency and communication method

Life of this patent

Computer-implemented sharing of java classes for increased memory efficiency and communication method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20