Patent ID: 7394408

Claim:
A transparent compression system for at least one user terminal in a system in which digital data files are transferred between one or more applications programs and at least one storage facility, comprising: at least one compressor; a redirector for any of receiving digital data files from the compressor and sending digital data files to the compressor; and an interception module comprising means for receiving a digital data file from an associated user terminal, and means for selectively forwarding the digital data file to the redirector; wherein the compressor receives digital data files selectively forwarded from the interceptor through the redirector, and provides compression without the need to modify the existing application programs with user settings; wherein the one or more application programs can continue to view the digital data files with their original names and sizes, even though the digital data files are compressed and may have different names; and wherein when the digital data files are accessed, they are decompressed in the background.