International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security (IJCSIS),
Vol. 14, No. 5, May 2016
An Analysis and Review on Memory Management
Algorithms for Real Time Operating System
Vatsalkumar H. Shah
PhD Scholar,
Computer Science and Engineering Department,
M. S. University, India
Abstract – Real Time Operating System (RTOS) is an operating
system which supports real-time application by giving correct
result within given dead line. There are so many features
supported by RTOS like synchronization, clock and timer
support, interrupt handling, memory management, task
preemption etc. Among these all memory management is a crucial
component. Memory management is nothing but memory
allocation/ deallocation technique for the process.
This paper presents different memory management algorithms for
RTOS and comparison between them.
Keywords – Memory management, Memory Allocation, Real time
operating system
I. INTRODUCTION
Real time operating system (RTOS) is an operating
system which provides the correct result within given deadline
[10]. It support so many features like synchronization, interrupt
handling, memory management, task preemption etc. But
memory management is one of the main part of any kind of
operating system. Memory management is nothing but to
allocate or deallocate the part of memory to the process as per
the need.
Memory management can be categorized as static
memory management and Dynamic memory management [1]
[10]. In Static memory management, memory is allocated at
compile time. While in Dynamic memory management,
memory is allocated at run time. In static memory management,
required memory for given process is already known and once
the memory has been allocated, no changes can be done at run
time. While in dynamic memory management, memory
management unit explicitly keeping track of allocated and free
memory. During process execution, memory
allocation/deallocation can be done in Dynamic memory
management, while in static memory management this thing
can’t be done. The advantage of dynamic memory management
is that it required less memory while in static management more
memory required.
236
Dr. Apurva Shah
Associate Professor
Computer Science and Engineering Department,
M. S. University, India
Dynamic Memory management can be further divided
in two category. 1) Manual memory management 2) Automatic
memory management. [10]. In Manual memory management,
programmer can allocate or deallocate memory manually as per
the need, so advantage of this technology is that it is easier for
him/her, but disadvantage is that, the memory management
bugs are common. While in automatic memory management,
memory management unit deallocate the memory if object is
out of scope. So it overcome the disadvantage of manual system
of bugs, but it consume more processor time as well it causing
memory overflow issue it failure to deallocate the memory.
This paper presents certain conventional algorithms as
well as unconventional algorithm which has been proposed by
certain inventors are explained. Both types of algorithms come
into the category of Dynamic Memory Allocator (DMA). To
permit the application to read/write segments of memory from
available unallocated memory blocks is the main purpose of
Dynamic Memory Allocator.
The main methodology of Dynamic Memory
Allocator algorithm is keeping link list of unallocated memory
blocks and allocated memory blocks. So, as and when any
process requires memory then it will allocate memory from list
of unallocated memory blocks and then it will be put in the list
of allocated memory blocks. This is the simplest method.
However to gain more performance, number of list of
unallocated memory blocks can be increased, where each list
contain memory blocs of specific size [3][4][5].
In the following section, details of both type
(Conventional as well as Unconventional) is explained.
II. CONVENTIONAL ALGORITHMS
There are four types of conventional dynamic memory
allocation/deallocation algorithms. 1) Sequential fit 2) Buddy
allocator system 3) Indexed fit 4) Bitmapped fit [3]
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 International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security (IJCSIS),
Vol. 14, No. 5, May 2016
1. Sequential Fit Algorithm: This is the simplest
algorithm for dynamic memory allocator algorithm in
which it maintains single link list of unallocated
memory blocks and unallocated blocks are allocated
from this link list via different mechanism. First Fit,
Next Fit, Best Fit, Worst Fit [3][10].
In first fit, the link list is searched from starting and it
will return the first block which is large enough to
satisfy the need. While in Next fit, unlike First fit it
will search from where the search was left off. In the
Best Fit, the entire link list will be searched and return
the smallest block which will large enough to hold the
request. While in Worst Fit, unlike best fit it will
return the largest block [3][10].
2. Buddy Allocator Algorithm: This algorithm uses an
array of link lists of unallocated block. Each list for
allowable block size. For example list of 2N block size
like 200 kb, 400 kb, 800 kb so on. The buddy allocator
finds a smallest block which is large enough to hold
the request from list of unallocated blocks. If the
unallocated block list is empty then it will search a
block from another list which is larger than request,
then select and split the block [6][10]. A block must
be split in to a same size blocks i.e. 400 kb block will
split in to two 200 kb blocks. In the same way block
may be merged with its adjacent block of same size,
and this is possible if the adjacent block has not been
split into smaller block.
3. Indexed Fit: This algorithm uses structured index to
implement desired fit [3]. According to allocation
policy, it uses data structure likes tree or hash table for
searching unallocated blocks.
4. Bitmapped Fit: This algorithm uses a bitmap which
represent weather heap is used or not. This map is a
simple vector of one bit flag with one bit
corresponding to each word of heap area [6][10]. Each
bit in this map having value either 1 or 0. If the part of
bitmap is in use than its value is 1 else its 0. The
benefit of this algorithm is memory overhead is small
due to search time which is depend on bitmap size.
III. UNCONVENTIONAL ALGORITHMS
“Unconventional” itself suggest that it is not usual or
traditional. Here unconventional means to overcome the issues
of conventional algorithms, certain researchers have been find
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new algorithms which are more accurate and perfect in terms
of performance for allocating memory to the processes. Here
three algorithms are explained. 1) Two level segregated fit
algorithm (TLSF) 2) Improved two level segregated fit
algorithm 3) Smart memory allocator algorithm.
1. Two level segregated fit algorithm: M. Masmano, I.
Ripoll, A. Crespo, and J. Real have been invented this
algorithm in 2004 [7]. This algorithm resolves the
problem of worst case bound by preserving the
efficiency of allocation or deallocation. Where huge
amount of memory is required such as video
surveillance, virtual reality in such application this
algorithm is useful.
In order to meet embedded system constraint
the TLSF algorithm has been made with strict
constrain like immediate merging, splitting threshold,
good-fit strategy, no reallocation, same strategy for all
block sizes, memory is not cleaned up [3][7].
Immediate merging means as soon as the memory
block is freed, it would merge with its neighbor free
block to make a larger block. So it will be used in such
application where different size of memory block is
required. This algorithm implement splitting threshold
by limiting the minimum size of memory block to 16
bytes. So that it can store the information to manage
the memory block as well as include the pointer to link
list of unallocated block. TLSF implements good-
strategy fit policy by maintaining large set of
unallocated link lists and each list is non-orderd link
list of unallocated blocks whose size is between the
size class and next size class. So it implements
segregated list.
The ordinary segregated fit methodology uses
an array of unallocated block link lists, with each array
holding unallocated blocks within a size class. To
reduce the time of accessing unallocated blocks and to
manage a large set of segregated lists the array of lists
has been organized as a two-level array. The first-level
array divides unallocated blocks in classes which are
a power of two like 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 … 2n while the
second-level sub-divides each first-level class
linearly, where the number of divisions is suggested
by user. Each array of lists has an associated bitmap
used to mark which link lists are empty and which
contain unallocated blocks. Information regarding
each block is stored inside the block itself [7].
TLSF provides explicit allocation and
deallocation of memory blocks with a temporal cost
Ө(1) [7]. According to M. Masmano, I. Ripoll, A.
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 International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security (IJCSIS),
Vol. 14, No. 5, May 2016
Crespo, and J. Real, this algorithm has shown
excellent experimental results with respect to both
response time and fragmentation.
Figure 1. TLSF Architecture [7]
2. Improved TLSF: Improved TLSF is nothing but
improvement in two level segregated fit algorithm
which has been proposed by XiaoHui Sun, JinLin
Wang and Xiao Chen in 2007 [8]. This algorithm is
known as TLSF-I. This algorithm is proposed to
improve the performance and efficiency in allocating
small blocks and reduce fragmentation, it uses
different strategies to allocate blocks for different
sizes. If the block size is small, it uses the exact fit,
which is indexed by a double occupancy map. And if
the block size is larger blocks uses a compound FIFO
and LIFO strategy.
In this algorithm double occupancy bitmap is
used to maintain an exact fit table. The first level
bitmap is an index of the second bitmap. A two level
bitmap can totally index up to 8k bytes. When it
requires to allocate memory which is small, it first gets
the map index of required size to see if the block list
is unallocated. If it gets success to find an available
block in the unallocated list, it simply extract that. If
not, then it will search the bitmap tree to find the
available block. If it gets failure to find suitable block
in the small block area, it continue to search the large
block area till it finds extractable blocks [8].
This algorithm combine the FIFO and LIFO
operations in unallocated memory blocks
management.
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As shown in Figure 2, TLSF-I uses the two
level indexes for the unallocated block linked-list
same as TLSF. The difference is that in TLSF-I when
it requires unallocated block, it will first search in its
own list and check if the first element is available. For
example, when it wants to allocate a block that is
between 2048 and 4096 bytes, it will first check its
own list (marked as X), if the first block is larger than
or equal to request, it will use this block and split
that(if required). If the first element is smaller than
request or does not exist, it will continue to search for
the next available block and extract the block from its
tail (marked as Y).
Figure 2. TLSF-I Architecture [8]
While deallocating a memory block,
previous block is checked to see whether it is
unallocated or not. If the block is unallocated then the
block is removed from the segregated list and merged
with the current block. The same operation is carried
out with the next physical block. Once the block has
been merged with its free neighbor blocks, the new big
block is inserted in the tail of the segregated list
marked as Z (First in First out); otherwise, this block
is inserted into the head of the list (Last in Fist out)
[8].
3. Smart Memory Allocator Algorithm: This algorithm
has been proposed by Ramakrishna M, Jisung Kim,
Woohyong Lee and Youngki Chung in 2008 [9]. This
is a custom type of dynamic memory algorithm having
best response time and less memory fragmentation.
This algorithm divides memory blocks into two
categories. One is short-lived and another is long-lived
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 International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security (IJCSIS),
Vol. 14, No. 5, May 2016
memory blocks. The short-lived memory blocks are
allocated in the direction of lowest level to highest
level from heap while long-lived memory blocks are
allocated from highest level to lowest level [9][10].
The used space of heap grows from highest level to
lowest level as well as lowest level to highest level.
Initially entire heap memory is unallocated and there
is only one unallocated memory block for each short
as well as long-lived memory. The heap space is
divided equally into two blocks. When the heap grows
from both sides, the virtual border between these two
can easily modified according to dynamic memory
request.
As this algorithm predicting memory object
life scope, it can easily allocate memory block from
either short-lived or long-lived memory pool [9]. So it
can have best response time with lower fragmentation.
It is implemented with lookup table and hierarchical
bitmaps which are improved version of multilevel
segregated mechanism.
Figure 3. Structure of unallocated blocks [9][10]
IV. COMAPRISION BETWEEN ALGORITHMS
In this section we have done the comparison between
different dynamic memory allocation algorithm with respect to
parameters of memory usage, response time and fragmentation
[10].
1. Fragmentation: Sequential Fit, Buddy Allocator,
Indexed Fit and Bitmapped Fit cause large amount of
fragmentation. While TLSF causes small amount of
fragmentation, where TLSF-I and Smart memory
allocator cause lesser fragmentation than TLSF.
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2. Memory Usage: Maximum memory usage has been
done by Sequential Fit, Buddy Allocator and
Bitmapped Fit, while minimum memory usage done
by TLSF, TLSF-I and Smart memory Allocator.
3. Response Time: Sequential Fit having very slow
response time, while Buddy Allocator, Indexed Fit
and Bitmapped Fit having Fast response time. With
compare to all previous algorithms TLSF having faster
response time but TLSF-I and smart memory allocator
having excellent compare to all.
V. CONCLUSION
Memory management is the one of most important
aspect of Real time operating system. So in this paper, we have
analyzed and surveyed various memory allocation algorithms.
Also compared them on the basis of three different parameters
like fragmentation, memory usage and response time.
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[8] XiaoHui Sun, JinLin Wang, xiao chan, “An Improvement of TLSF
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Vol. 14, No. 5, May 2016

[11] Jane W. S. Liu, “Real-time System”, (published by Person

Education, Page no. 20-40).

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