Patent ID: 6166665
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: G06T,H03M,H04N

Abstract:
A data compression method for compressing an input stream of data characters into an output stream of codes, said input stream including adjacent data characters forming a run of the same data character, comprisingdetecting when a run exists in said input stream by detecting when a predetermined number of said adjacent data characters are the same,generating a sequence of numerically increasing consecutive codes,assigning consecutive codes of said sequence to respective contiguous segments of said detected run, each said segment having one data character less than the next following adjacent segment of said detected run,determining when a run is not occurring in said input stream by determining when one of said predetermined number of adjacent data characters differs from the others, said predetermined number of adjacent data characters having a first data character,outputting said assigned consecutive codes and outputting a representation of each said first data character so as to provide said output stream of codes, andincrementing said sequence to a next following code thereof for each said representation of each said first data character that is output.