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Abstract

A hierarchical bitmap-based memory manager maintains a hierarchical bitmap having an entry for each memory block in a memory heap. Each bitmap entry contains a multi-bit value that represents an allocation state of the corresponding memory block. The memory manager manages allocation, deallocation, and reallocation of the memory blocks, and tracks the changes in allocation state via the hierarchical bitmap. Using a two-bit value, the bitmap can represent at most four different allocation states of the corresponding memory block, including a 'free' state, a 'sub-allocated' state in which the corresponding memory block is itself an allocated set of smaller memory blocks, a 'continue' state in which the corresponding memory block is allocated and part of, but not last in, a larger allocation of plural blocks, and a 'last' state in which the corresponding memory block is allocated and last in an allocation of one or more memory blocks.

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