(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`12 July 2001 (12.07.2001)
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`
`
`PCT
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`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 01/50325 A2
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`(51) International Patent Classification7:
`
`G06F 17/00
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`(21) International Application Number:
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`PCT/US00/35672
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`(22) International Filing Date:
`29 December 2000 (29.12.2000)
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU,
`AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ,
`DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR,
`HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR,
`LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ,
`NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM,
`TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW.
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`(25) Filing Language:
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`(26) Publication Language:
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`English
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`English
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`(30) Priority Data:
`60/174,305
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`3 January 2000 (03.01.2000)
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`US
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`(71) Applicant: EFECKTA TECHNOLOGIES CORPO-
`RATION [US/US]; 1370 Bob Adams Drive, Steamboat
`Springs, CA 80487 (US).
`
`(72) Inventors: AVERY, Caleb; —. TOBELMANN, Ralph; —.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian
`patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE,
`IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF,
`CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
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`Published:
`
`Without international search report and to be republished
`upon receipt of that report.
`
`(74) Agents: SACHS, Robert et al.; Fenwick & West LLP, Two
`Palo Alto Square, Palo Alto, CA 94306 (US).
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid-
`ance Notes on Codes andAbbreviations ” appearing at the begin-
`ning ofeach regular issue ofthe PCT Gazette.
`
`(54) Title: EFFICIENT AND LOSSLESS CONVERSION FOR TRANSMISSION OR STORAGE OF DATA
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`102
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` Binary Data
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`Segment Data
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`Select Transform For
`Segment
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`104
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`106
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`WO01/50325A2
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`108
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`110
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`Package Each
`Transform
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`
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`Store/Transmit
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`(57) Abstract: A system and method for lossless data compression. A mathematical transform equivalent to the content value of
`the data, and taking fewer bits to represent, is found.
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`EFFICIENT AND LOSSLESS CONVERSION FOR TRANSMISSION OR
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`STORAGE OF DATA
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`This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)
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`from US. Patent
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`Application serial No. 60/174,305, filed January 3, 2000, which is incorporated by reference
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`in its entirety.
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`BACKGROUND
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`Field of the Invention
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`This invention relates to data transformation, more particularly, to lossless data
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`compression.
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`Background of the Invention
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`Existing compression technology focuses on finding and removing redundancy in
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`the input binary data. Early compression approaches focused on the format of the data.
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`These format approaches utilize run—length encoding (RLE) and variations of frequency
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`mapping methods. These pattern-coding approaches work well for ASCII character data,
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`but never reached the compression potential for other data formats.
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`Advances in compression technology evolved from information theory, particularly
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`Claude Shannon’s work on information entropy. The bulk of this work is statistical in
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`nature.
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`Shannon-Fano and Huffman encoding build probability trees of symbols in
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`descending order of their occurrence in the source data, allowing the generation of “good”
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`variable—size codes.
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`This is often referred to as entropy coding.
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`Compression is
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`accomplished because more frequently occurring binary patterns are assigned shorter codes,
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`allowing for a reduction in the overall average of bits required for a message.
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`Shannon-Fano and Huffman encoding are optimal only when the probability of a
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`pattern’s occurrence is a negative power of 2. These methods engendered a number of
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`adaptive versions that optimize the probability trees as the data varies.
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`Arithmetic Coding overcame the negative power of 2 probabilities problem by
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`assigning one (normally long) code to the entire data. This method reads the data, symbol by
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`symbol, and appends bits to the output code each time more patterns are recognized.
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`The need for more efficiency in text encoding led to the development and evolution of
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`dictionary encoding, typified by LZ family of algorithms developed by J. Ziv and A. Lempel.
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`These methods spawned numerous variations.
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`In these methods, strings of symbols (a
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`dictionary) are built up as they are encountered, and then coded as tokens. Output is then a
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`mix of an index and raw data.
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`As with entropy coding, dictionary methods can be static, or adaptive. Variants of the
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`LZ family make use of different techniques to optimize the dictionary and its index. These
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`techniques include:' search buffers, look-ahead buffers, history buffers, sliding windows, hash
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`tables, pointers, and circular queues. These techniques serve to reduce the bloat of seldom-
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`used dictionary entries. The popularity of these methods is due to their simplicity, speed,
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`reasonable compression rates, and low memory requirements.
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`Different types of information tend to create specific binary patterns. Redundancy or
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`entropy compression methods are directly dependent upon symbolic data, and the inherent
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`patterns that can be recognized, mapped, and reduced. As a result, different methods must be
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`optimized for different types of information. The compression is as efficient as the method of
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`modeling the underlying data. However, there are limits to the structures that can be mapped
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`and reduced.
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`The redundancy-based methodologies are limited in application and/or performance.
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`In general, entropy coding either compromises speed or compression when addressing the
`limited redundancy that can be efficiently removed. Typically, these methods have very 1c; (
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`compression gain. The primary advantage is that entropy coding can be implemented to
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`remain lossless.
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`Lossy compression can often be applied to diffuse data such as data representing
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`speech, audio,
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`image, and video. Lossy compression implies that the data cannot be
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`reconstructed exactly. Certain applications can afford to lose data during compression and
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`reconstitution because of the limitations of human auditory and visual systems in interpreting
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`the information. Perceptual coding techniques are used to exploit these limitations of the
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`human eyes and ears. A perceptual coding model followed by entropy encoding, which uses
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`one of the previously discussed techniques, produces effective compression. However, a
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`unique model (and entropy coder) is needed for each type of data because the requirements
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`are so different. Further, the lossy nature of such compression techniques mean the results
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`lose some fidelity, at times noticable, from the original, and make them unsuitable for many
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`purposes.
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`Thus, a method for compression that is both lossless and capable of high compression
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`gain is needed.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`The present invention compresses binary data. The data is split into segments. Each
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`of these segments has a numerical value. A transform, along with state information for that
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`transform, is selected for each segment. The numerical value of the transform with its state
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`information is equal to the numerical value of the segment. The transform, state information
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`and packet overhead are packaged into a transform packet. The bit—length of the transform
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`packet is compared to the bit-length of a segment packet that includes the raw segment and
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`any necessary packet overhead. The packet with the smaller bit-length is chosen and stored
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`or transmitted. After reception of the packets, or retrieval of the packets from storage, the
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`numerical value of each segment is recalculated from the transform and state information, if
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`necessary. The segments are recombined to reconstitute the original binary data.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing an overview of the compression process.
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`Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing an overview of the recovery process.
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`Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the compression system and illustrates the general flow of
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`data through the compression system.
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`Fig. 4 is a flow chart of the pre-processor.
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`Fig. 5 is a flow chart of the transform engine.
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`Fig. 6 is a flow chart of a transform process.
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`Fig. 7 illustrates finding a set of favorable state information without testing every
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`possible set of state information.
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`Fig. 8 illustrates partial solutions Within a segment.
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`Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
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`Fig. 1 is a flow chart showmg an overview of the compression process 100. The
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`initial input 102 is binary data. Any piece of binary data is simply a number expressed in
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`binary form. Thus, any piece of binary data has a numerical value. This numerical value is
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`the data’s “content value.”
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`The input binary data 102 is split 104 into segments, if necessary. The input binary
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`data may be short enough that it is not further split. Each segment has a content value. The
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`content value of each segment is identified and a transform along with appropriate state
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`information is selected and tested 106 for each segment. A general transform is capable of
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`representing many values. The state information provides the information necessary to
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`specify an exact value for the transform. The term “state information” includes any variables,
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`coefficients, remainders, or any other information necessary to set the specific numerical
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`value for the transform. In some embodiments, “packet overhea ,” is added to the transform
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`and state information. The packet overhead includes any information beyond the transform
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`and state information needed to allow later recalculation of the original segment and
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`reconstitution of the original input binary data.
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`The transform With its state information has the identical numerical value as the
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`corresponding segment. The following equation represents the transform concept:
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`M=T(State Information),
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`where M is the content value of the segment, and T is the transform. The transform is an
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`arithmetic transform, a logical transform, or another mathematical transform.
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`The transform with its state information and packet overhead has a representation
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`efficiency gain (“REG”). The REG is a measurement of the efficiency of the transform, state
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`information, and any packet overhead. The REG is defined as the ratio of LogzM/ LogZT,
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`where LogzM is the number of binary bits required to represent M, and Long is the number of
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`binary bits required to decodably represent the transform, state information, and packet
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`overhead. Thus, if the REG value is greater than one, the transform plus state information
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`and packet overhead takes up fewer bits than the segment.
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`For example, a 9-bit size message is capable of representing the transform ab: , where
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`each of a, b, and c is a 3-bit message. In this case, abc is the transform, and a, b, and c are
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`each a variable of the transform. The values of a, b, and c make up the state information.
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`Both the transform and the state information are necessary to make an expression whose
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`numerical value is equal to the content value of the segment.
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`With the a”c example above, nine bits are capable of representing an integer over
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`700,000 decimal digits long, equivalent to more than 2.3 million binary bits. As an example,
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`this transform can represent the content value of 150,094,635,296,999,121, or 362 using only
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`nine bits. This number would occupy fifty—eight bits if conventionally represented in binary
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`form. Thus, by using this transform, the 9-bit message transmits 58 bits of content value.
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`The 58-bit data segment has been greatly compressed.
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`Each transform and accompanying state information are next packaged 108 into a
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`packet. The packet includes additional packet overhead that provides any other information
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`necessary to allow later unpackaging and recovery of the content value of the packet. This
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`packet overhead can include information that identifies the segment, identifies the transform,
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`or any other necessary information. The packet typically takes fewer bits to express than the
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`original segment. Thus, the segment has been compressed.
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`Each packet is then stored or transmitted 110. Because the packet is typically smaller
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`than the segment, storing the packet takes up less space than the segment, and transmitting
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`the packet takes less time than transmitting the segment.
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`Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing an overview of the recovery process 200, in which the
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`original data is recovered from packets. The packet is received 202 if it has been transmitted,
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`or retrieved fi‘om storage if it has been stored. Next, the packet coding is decoded 204 to
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`determine the identity of the transform and how to use the state information to recover the
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`original segment. Using the decoded information, the original segment’s content value is
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`recalculated 206. Finally, all recomputed segments are put together again in their original
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`order to reconstitute 208 the original input binary data. Thus, the output 210 of the recovery
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`process 200 is identical to the input 102 of the compression process.
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`System Overview
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`Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the compression system 300 and illustrates the general
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`’ flow of data through the compression system 300. The compression system 300 performs the
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`processes of Figs. 1 and 2. The flow through the compression system 300 starts with the
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`input of a binary string 302 that is to be compressed.
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`The control program 306 serves as the process controller for all compression system
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`300 functions. The control program 306 monitors other compression system 300 components
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`and tracks all information related to the input binary string throughout processing. The
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`control program 306 also interacts with and terminates any process according to time, trial, or
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`other parameters.
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`The pre-processor 304 takes the input binary string 302 and splits the binary string
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`302 into segments. The length of each segment is appropriate to a given data type, transforms
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`likely to be used, processor capacity, and application parameters. In some situations, the pre—
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`processor 304 also mutates the segments in order to give more favorable variations of a
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`segment to the transform engine 308.
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`The transform engine 308 receives the segments from the pre-processor 304 and
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`computes permutations of transforms and state information, each permutation equivalent to
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`the content value of the segment. The size of each permutation, including associated packet
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`overhead, is analyzed, and the most efficient combination of transform, state information, and
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`packet overhead is selected. If the permutations show no data compression, the segment is
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`sent unmodified to the packager 310 as raw data.
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`The packager 310 receives the output of the transform engine 308. For each segment,
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`the packager receives from the control program 306 all relevant information, including state
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`information, as to how the segment was transformed. From the transform, state information,
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`and other associated information, the packager 310 creates a packet. Thus, the packet
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`includes the transform, state information, and packet overhead information that together
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`allows later decoding of the packet.
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`At this point, the input binary string 302 has been segmented, transformed, and
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`packaged into packets. Together, the packets are smaller than the original input binary string
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`302. These packets can be either stored or transmitted through established storage and
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`transmission protocols 312. Because the packets are smaller than the original input binary
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`string, they have the advantage of taking less storage space and being transmitted more
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`quickly than the original binary data.
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`The unpackager 314 receives the packet if the packet has been transmitted, or retrieves
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`the packet from storage if the packet has been stored. The unpackager 314 interprets the
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`packet overhead instructions, unpacks the packet components and associated information for
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`use by the decoder 316, and unpacks any unmodified data as raw data segments.
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`The decoder 316 receives the unpackaged information from the unpackager 314 and
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`recalculates the content value of the original segment. The decoder 316 applies the state
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`information to the appropriate transform(s) to recalculate the content value of the segment. If
`the data was mutated, the process is reversed for that given segment to recover the original
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`format of the segment.
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`The reconstitutor 318 receives the segments from the decoder 316 and concatenates
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`the segments in sequence to reconstitute the original binary string. Based on application
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`parameters, this can be done to an entire file or streamed as needed by the application. The
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`reconstitutor 318 then outputs the binary string 320. The binary string 320 output by the
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`reconstitutor 318 is identical to the input binary string. Thus, the compression system 300
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`provides lossless compression.
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`Control Program
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`The control program 306 tracks data related to each data segment and transformation
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`of the segment, as well as information regarding the pre—processor 304, the transform engine
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`308, and all other compression system 300 functions. This information can include, but is not
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`limited to:
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`l. The identification of each segment, including information providing the
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`location (of the segment within the original input binary string
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`2. The size of each segment
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`3. The data type of each segment
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`4. Computational power of the transform engine 308
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`Computational power of the decoder 316
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`Application requirements, such as time constraints for real-time streaming
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`applications
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`Data type requirements
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`Whether the segment has been mutated, and the technique used to mutate the
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`segment
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`Time spent on the segment by the pre-processor 304
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`Computational cycles spent on the segment by the pre-processor 304
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`Time spent on the segment by the transform engine 308
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`Computational cycles spent on the segment by the transform engine 308
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`The identity of the transform or transforms used for the segment
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`Any Combinatorial Optimization Heuristics used to select state information
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`variables
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`Tracking information related to any heuristic used
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`Successful transform(s)
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`State information of successful transform(s)
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`Bit—length of transform reference(s) and associated state information for
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`successful transform(s)
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`Bit—length of associated packet overhead for successful transform(s)
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`Partial solution transform(s)
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`State information of partial solutions (including offsets)
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`Bit—length of transform references and associated state information for partial
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`solutions
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`Bit-length ofpacket overhead for transforms used by partial solutions
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`Finite State Machine(s) used
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`Finite State Machine information, such as reference data and Finite State
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`Machine tree data
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`de Bruijn Sequence starting point and log of index
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`3-D Graph Tree tracking information
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`N—space curve data
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`9.
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`10.
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`ll.
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`12.
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`13.
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`14.
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`15.
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`17.
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`20.
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`23.
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`24.
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`25.
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`26.
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`27.
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`28.
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`29.
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`“BOTS” used
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`30. BOTS information, such as content value locations of BOTS and deltas from
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`BOTS to segment content value
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`The process monitor (not shown) is a major subpart of the control program 306. The
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`process monitor monitors the pre—processor 304 and the transform engine 308. The process
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`monitor has parameters that constrain the operations of the pre—processor 304 and transform
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`engine 308. These constraint parameters can include a target REG, the time spent processing,
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`the number of computational cycles spent processing, or other parameters. A target REG is a
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`REG value that is sufficiently high so that the compression system 300 stops searching for
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`higher REG transforms when a combination of transform, state information, and packet
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`overhead with the target REG is found. The constraint parameters for time spent processing
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`and computational cycles spent processing ensure that the compression system 300 does not
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`spend an indefinite amount of time and resources searching for the best combination of
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`transform and state information. The parameters are preset or changed by the control
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`program 306. The parameters are changed if the data type changes, if the computational
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`resources change, if the application changes, or by human or other external intervention.
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`If the pre—processor 304 or the transform engine 308 exceeds a constraint parameter,
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`the process monitor signals the control program 306 to terminate pre—processor 304 or
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`transform engine 308 operations. When pre—processor 304 operations are terminated, the
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`binary string is split into segments. The length of the segments are the best approximation of
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`optimum length thus far determined by the pre-processor 304. When transform engine 308
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`operations are terminated, the transform engine 308 will output the current best transform and
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`state information, or, if no transforms compress the data, send the segment as raw data.
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`Pre—Processor
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`Fig. 4 is a flow chart of the pre~processor 304. First, the pre—processor 304 analyzes
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`400 the data type of the binary string 302.
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`In analyzing the data type, the pre—processor 304
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`attempts to identify or characterize the data type of the binary string 302. The data type is
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`used to help determine which segment size, which transform, and which state information for
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`the transform, which will be used to test and transform the binary data. The pre—processor
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`304 characterizes the binary string 302 by either knowing which application generated the
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`binary string 302 or by analyzing the data itself. One method for analyzing the data to
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`determine the data type is comparing the binary string 302 to an existing database of data
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`types. One method for generating such a database is by sampling information generated by
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`known digital applications.
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`If the pre-processor 304 characterizes the binary string 302, the control program 306
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`stores the data type associated with that string. If the pro-processor 304 cannot characterize
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`the binary string 302, the control program 306 keeps a record that the binary string’s 302 data
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`type is unknown.
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`The pre-processor 304 next determines 402 whether the size of the input binary string
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`302 is greater than a minimum optimum processing block size. The minimum optimum
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`processing size is different for different data types. The control program 306 stores each
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`known minimum optimum processing size associated with the corresponding data type.
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`If
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`the pre—processor 304 has characterized the data type and the minimum optimum processing
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`size for that data type is known, the pro-processor 304 simply compares the input binary
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`string 302 to the stored minimum optimum processing size.
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`If the data type is unknown, or an optimum size for a data type is unknown, the binary
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`string 302 is split 404 into segments of a size that has worked well previously with many
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`types of data. Alternatively, the binary string 302 is initially split 404 into segments of
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`differing bit—lengths. As these segments of differing bit-lengths are processed by the
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`compression system 300, the control program 306 keeps a record of which segment sizes are
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`most easily processed. By trying different sizes, and tracking which sizes work best, the
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`control program 306 builds a record of an optimum processing size for each data type, so that
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`the optimum processing size for that type of data becomes known. If the control program 306
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`develops a record of an optimum processing size for a data type, that segment size can be
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`incorporated for future use.
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`If the input binary string 302 is larger than the minimum optimum processing block
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`size, the binary string 302 is split 404 into segments. The bit-length of the segments is
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`determined by several factors.
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`The computational power of the transform engine 308 affects the bit-length of the
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`segments. If the transform engine 308 has little computational power available, the segments
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`must be shorter than if the transform engine 308 has a great deal of computational power.
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`Similarly, if the computational power of the decoder 316 is lmown, it will influence the bit-
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`length of the segments. The more computational power the decoder 316 has, the greater the
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`bit-length of the segment can be.
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`a“
`i/The application using the coinpression system 300 also affects the bit-lengths of the
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`segments. For instance, applications such as video conferencing, which require human-
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`perceptible real-time encoding, require shorter segments than those of off—line archiving
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`where larger segments can be transformed and encoded over longer timeframes and more
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`processing cycles.
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`The data type also affects the bit-lengths of the segments. For instance, audio data
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`may lend itself to different segment sizes than ASCII data. Another factor related to data type
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`is what transforms will likely be used with the data type. The transforms used with a
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`particular data type may perform better with a specific segment length. The control program
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`306 monitors the transform engine 308 and stores which transforms work well with specific
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`data types, which segments sizes work well with those transforms, and which segment sizes
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`can be incorporated for future use.
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`Thus, when the pre-processor 304 successfully
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`characterizes a data type, the control program 306 is capable of retrieving information as to
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`the optimum bit-length of the segment.
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`If the input binary string 302 is equal to or smaller than the minimum optimum
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`processing block size, the binary string 302 is treated as a single segment. Each segment,
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`whether it is a portion of the split binary string 302, or the entire binary string, is treated the
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`same throughout the rest of the compression system 300.
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`The segment size is output 406 to the control program 306. The control program 306
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`stores the segment size and uses it to compare to the size of possible combinations of
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`transform, state information and packet overhead.
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`The control program 306 assigns to each segment specific identification information
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`so that the original binary data may be reconstituted later, and tracks each of the segments,
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`along with the identification information, associated data type, settings for the process
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`monitor, and any other associated data.
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`Each of the segments may next be mutated 408. The segment is mutated 408 if the
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`control program 306 has stored information indicating that previously, mutated segments of
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`that data type and segment size resulted in successful transforms, or that unmutated segments
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`of that data type and segment size did not result in successful transforms.
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`If the control
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`program 306 has no information stored that indicate that a mutated segment would result in
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`successfiil transforms, the segment is not mutated. However, the segment may subsequently
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`be returned 412 from the transform engine 308 to be mutated if a successfill transform for the
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`unmutated segment is not found.
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`The pre—processor 304 mutates 408 segments by creating different versions of the
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`segment to provide the transform engine 308 With more permutations of the same segment.
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`By providing more permutations of the segment,
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`the likelihood of finding an efficient
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`transform is increased. Some segments for which the transform engine 308 failed to generate
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`an efficient transform 412 are also returned to the pre-processor 304 and mutated 408.
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`By monitoring and storing information on which data type and segment sizes are
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`returned to the pre-processor 304 to be mutated 408,
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`the control program 306 gains
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`information on which data types and segment sizes should be initially mutated. Further, by
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`monitoring mutated segments through the compression system 300, the control program 306
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`gains information on which mutations result in successful transforms. This information can
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`be re—incorporated into the control program.
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`There are several ways to mutate the segment. If the control program 306 has a record
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`stored of which mutating technique has resulted in successful transforms, that mutating
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`technique is used.
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`If the control program 306 does not have such a record, the mutating
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`technique is chosen by stepping through a stored library ofpossible mutations.
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`In a first mutating technique, the bit—length of the segment is adjusted. This involves
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`splitting a group of segments differently. By doing so, the pre—processor 306 sends different
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`content values to the transform engine 308 to process. Another technique is “cutting and
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`shuffling” the data. A predefined shuffle library is used. The index of the shuffle is included
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`as part of the packet overhead. Yet another technique is finding the complement of the
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`segment and sending the complement to the transform engine 308. In another technique, the
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`bits within the segment are shifted or rotated. When the bits are shifted or rotated, the
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`direction and number of bits to rotate or shift is sent as part of the packet overhead. The
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`segment can be modified by an arithmetic (scaling) or logical (XORing) operation.
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`In an
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`alternate technique, other traditional compressions are used to change the content value of the
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`segment.
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`The control program 306 tracks mutated segments, and how the'mutated segments
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`were mutated. This information is provided to the packager 310 so that the packager 310 can
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`add the associated appropriate packet overhead codes. These codes identify the data as
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`mutated data, as well as how the data has been mutated.
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`The segments, mutated or not, are next output 410 to the transform engine 308.
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`Transform Engine
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`Fig. 5 is a flow chart of the transform engine 308. The segment output by the pre-
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`processor 304 is input 410 to the transform engine 308. The segment is sent to as many
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`transform processes 502 as are available and as computational resources allow. The segment
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`is processed by the transform processes 502 either serially or in parallel.
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`Each transform process 502 provides another transform (or transforms) available to
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`represent the content value of the segment. The transform engine 308 has multiple transform
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`processes 502 available to it since a single transform may not be appropriate to the content
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`value of every input segment. This is seen from studying the example, discussed previously,
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`of the 9-bit size transform abc , where each of a, b, and c is a 3-bit message. Using this
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`transform, the content value of an integer over 700,000 decimal digits long can be transmitted
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`using only nine bits. Such a number would occupy over 2.3 million bits if conventionally
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`represented. While this transform provides the capability for nine bits to transmit a 2.3
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`million-bit number, the nine bits still are only capable of conveying less than 512 different
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`messages, corresponding to 512 different content values. Therefore, there exist a significant
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`number of values between 0 and 777 that the transform ab” cannot represent.
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`Normally, arithmetic transforms include a remainder R, so that t