Memory Leak Detection via Unique Fixed Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
In linear memory models, memory leaks occur due to allocated memory not being freed, leading to system crashes and resource constraints, as traditional garbage collection methods are inefficient and not feasible in large systems without significant overhead.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a garbage collection system that groups similar memory allocations into Unique Fixed Identifiers (UFIs), identifies the UFI with the highest accumulated memory size, and releases unreferenced memory addresses associated with Potential Leak Candidate Lists to manage and prevent memory leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional garbage collection methods are used in large linear memory systems, then memory leaks can be detected, but significant system overhead is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the memory management task by dividing memory allocations into groups based on allocation characteristics (size, duration, pattern). Instead of analyzing all memory allocations uniformly, the system creates multiple allocation groups and identifies potential leaks within specific groups, reducing the overall complexity of garbage collection in large linear memory systems.
2Measurement precision
If memory allocations are monitored individually, then precise leak identification is achieved, but the search space becomes too large for efficient processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual memory allocations into groups based on similar characteristics (allocation size, lifetime pattern, access pattern). By combining allocations with identical or similar profiles into single allocation groups, the system reduces the search space from individual allocations to groups, making leak detection computationally feasible while maintaining precision through group-level analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by focusing garbage collection efforts only on allocations that exhibit leak-like characteristics. Instead of processing all memory allocations, the system identifies and processes only those allocation groups showing patterns consistent with memory leaks (e.g., allocations that persist beyond expected lifetime), thereby reducing the effective search space while maintaining detection accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for managing memory leaks in a memory device includes grouping, by a garbage collection system, a plurality of similar memory allocations of the memory device into one or more Unique Fixed Identifiers (UFIs); identifying, by the garbage collection system, one of the one or more UFIs having a highest accumulated memory size and adding each of the plurality of memory allocations in the identified one of the one or more UFIs into a Potential Leak Candidate List (PLCL); identifying, by the garbage collection system, the memory leaks in the memory device by identifying unreferenced memory addresses associated with the plurality of memory allocations in the PLCL; and releasing, by the garbage collection system, the identified unreferenced memory addresses associated with the plurality of memory allocations corresponding to the memory leaks into the memory device.