Collection-tick mechanism for a collector based on the train algorithm

A method for employing a computer system, which includes memory of which at least some is used as a heap for dynamic allocation, to perform garbage collection on an incrementally collected generation of the heap in collection increments in which respective collection sets are collected, a method comprising:

• A) computing a projected amount of reclamation from the size of a collection set projected to be collected in an upcoming collection increment;
• B) determining a maximum allocation amount from the projected amount of reclamation;
• C) making a determination, by computing an allocation amount from the amount of allocation that has occurred since the most-recent collection increment and comparing the allocation amount thus computed with the maximum allocation amount, of whether to trigger a collection increment;
• and
• D) triggering a collection increment in response to an affirmative result of such a determination.

A computer system comprising:

• A) processor circuitry operable to execute processor instructions;
• and
• B) memory circuitry, to which the processor circuitry is responsive, that contains processor instructions readable by the processor circuitry to configure the processor circuitry to:
• i) treat at least a portion of the memory as a heap, in which dynamic allocation occurs,
• ii) act as a garbage collector that collects an incrementally collected generation of the heap in collection increments in which the generation is treated as divided into allocation regions;
• and
• iii)
• a) allocate objects in the generation between increments of collection of the generation;
• b) respond to some allocations of objects in the generation by making a determination of whether the amount of allocation has met the trigger criterion, the allocation of a given object in the generation causing an evaluation of whether the amount of allocation has met the trigger criterion only when that object is allocated in a new car section;
• and
• C) initiate a collection increment when the amount of allocation is thereby found to meet the trigger criterion.

A computer system comprising:

• A) a processor circuitry operable to execute processor instructions;
• and
• B) memory circuitry, to which the processor circuitry is responsive, that contains processor instructions readable by the processor circuitry to configure the processor circuitry to:
• i) treat at least some of the memory as a heap, in which dynamic allocation occurs;
• ii) perform garbage collection on an incrementally collected generation of the heap in collection increments in which respective collection sets are collected;
• iii) compute a projected amount of reclamation from the size of a collection set projected to be collected in an upcoming collection increment;
• iv) determine a maximum allocation amount from the projected amount of reclamation;
• v) make a determination, by computing an allocation amount from the amount of allocation that has occurred since the most-recent collection increment and comparing the allocation amount thus computed with the maximum allocation amount, of whether to trigger a collection increment;
• and
• vi) trigger a collection increment in response to an affirmative result of such a determination.

A storage medium containing instructions readable by processor circuitry in a computer system including memory to configure the processor circuitry to:

• A) treat at least a portion of the memory as a heap, in which dynamic allocation occurs,
• B) act as a garbage collector that collects an incrementally collected generation of the heap in collection increments in which the generation is treated as divided into allocation regions;
• and
• C)
• i) allocate objects in the generation between increments of collection of the generation;
• ii) respond to some allocations of objects in the generation by making a determination of whether the amount of allocation has met the trigger criterion, the allocation of a given object in the generation causing an evaluation of whether the amount of allocation has met the trigger criterion only when that object is allocated in a new car section;
• and
• iii) initiate a collection increment when the amount of allocation is thereby found to meet the trigger criterion.

A storage medium containing instructions readable by processor circuitry in a computer system that also includes memory to configure the processor circuitry to:

• A) treat at least some of the memory as a heap, in which dynamic allocation occurs;
• B) perform garbage collection on an incrementally collected generation of the heap in collection increments in which respective collection sets are collected;
• C) compute a projected amount of reclamation from the size of a collection set projected to be collected in an upcoming collection increment;
• D) determine a maximum allocation amount from the projected amount of reclamation;
• E) make a determination, by computing an allocation amount from the amount of allocation that has occurred since the most-recent collection increment and comparing the allocation amount thus computed with the maximum allocation amount, of whether to trigger a collection increment;
• and
• F) trigger a collection increment in response to an affirmative result of such a determination.