Abstract: A system and method of unifying data structures is described. Equivalent data structures are combined so that multiple programming languages can recognize the data structure. One embodiment includes a data structure. The data structure includes a pointer to a vtable. The vtable includes at least one pointer. The pointer points to one or more classes and at least one of the classes includes a unified type hierarchy.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for optimizing memory usage through vtable cloning. When a request to acquire a shared object is received, it is first examined to see whether the shared object is currently locked via a vtable pointer stored in the shared object. If the shared object is not locked, a cloned vtable is constructed based on a shared vtable and the cloned vtable is used to lock the shared object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for prefetching based upon type identifier tags in an object-oriented programming environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a register tag including a type identifier and a word count in a cache line may be used to populate a prefetch prediction table. The table may be used to determine correlation between fetches initiated by pointers, and may be used to prefetch to the address pointed to by the value at the word count after a fetch to the address pointed to by the type identifier.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for optimizing memory usage through vtable cloning. When a request to acquire a shared object is received, it is first examined to see whether the shred object is currently locked via a vtable pointer stored in the shared object. If the shared object is not locked, a cloned vtable is constructed based on a shared vtable and the cloned viable is used to lock the shared object.

Abstract: A system and method of unifying data structures is described. Equivalent data structures are combined so that multiple programming languages can recognize the data structure. One embodiment includes a data structure. The data structure includes a pointer to a vtable. The vtable includes at least one pointer. The pointer points to one or more classes and at least one of the classes includes a unified type hierarchy.

Abstract: Code implants for compilers are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a computerized system includes a virtual machine, a module within the virtual machine and providing a predetermined functionality, and a compiler. The compiler is desirably a just-in-time compiler, and compiles a first code (such as byte code in the case of the Java programming language) into a second code, which is desirably machine code. The compiler calls the module during compilation to receive a code implant associated with the module for inclusion into the second code.