Compact Type Layout for CLR Metadata Compression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing Common Intermediate Language (CIL) metadata is computationally expensive to translate and takes up significant space, requiring efficient compression and optimization for processor and platform independence.
Innovation Solution
The compact type layout (CTL) format is derived from CIL metadata, organizing data types into a contiguous byte stream that can be compressed and randomly accessed, suppressing irrelevant information and pre-computing virtual override and interface implementation details.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If CIL metadata is used to describe data types, then processor and platform independence is achieved, but memory usage and computation cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential layout information from CIL metadata to create a compact representation. It removes redundant information such as full type names, signatures, and unnecessary metadata, retaining only the structural details needed for memory layout and virtual machine data structure creation. This extraction process significantly reduces memory usage while preserving the necessary adaptability for processor and platform independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the representation parameters of type information from the verbose CIL metadata format to a compact binary format. It transforms hierarchical metadata structures into flat byte streams with optimized field layouts, changing how type information is encoded and stored. This parameter transformation maintains the semantic meaning while dramatically reducing the quantity of data required.
2Ease of manufacture
If CIL metadata is translated into runtime data structures, then virtual machine data structures can be created, but computation time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary compilation of type layout information into a compact format during the assembly process, before runtime execution. By pre-computing and optimizing the representation of type structures, the system eliminates the need for expensive runtime translation and computation, significantly reducing execution time while maintaining ease of virtual machine data structure creation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the essential type layout information in a compact binary format, separate from the full CIL metadata. This copy contains only the necessary structural data for virtual machine data structure creation, allowing rapid instantiation without reprocessing the complete metadata hierarchy, thus reducing computation time while preserving manufacturing ease.
3Reliability
If complete CIL metadata is stored, then all type information is preserved, but irrelevant information increases storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and retains only the essential type layout information needed for virtual machine data structure creation and execution. It removes irrelevant information such as full type names, signatures, and metadata that do not contribute to memory layout or runtime performance. This selective extraction maintains reliability for type information completeness regarding structural data while significantly reducing storage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different levels of detail to different parts of the type information. It stores complete information where necessary (such as field offsets, virtual table slots, and method pointers) while using compressed or simplified representations where full detail is not needed (such as type names and signatures). This local quality approach maintains reliability for critical runtime information while reducing overall storage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A precompiled form of information derived from CIL metadata is created in a compact type layout (CTL) format. Information in CTL format for each data type in a program can be represented as a contiguous byte stream. Information that is irrelevant to decisions concerning layout of a data type in memory can be suppressed. Information that is irrelevant to creation of virtual machine data structures can be suppressed. The information in CTL format may reference types, methods, and fields by CIL metadata token. Virtual override information such as, for example, a logical virtual table layout, can be pre-computed. Interface implementation information can be pre-computed. A decoder can generate data structures used in generation of an executable from the CTL formatted data.