Patent ID: 8537171

Claim:
A circuit-implemented data compression method that converts a first set of relatively-wide multi-bit signals representing a corresponding first set of used high precision number points into a second set of relatively-narrower multi-bit signals representing substantially the same first set of used high precision number points but with a fewer number of bits per represented number point, and where the first set of used high precision number points are interspersed along a hypothetical high precision number line and adjacent to same precision but unused number points, the circuit-implemented data compression method comprising: (a) determining whether a received one of the relatively-wide multi-bit signals belongs to a range among a predefined group of high precision number ranges and if yes, identifying the range, wherein one or more of the ranges of the predefined group of high precision number ranges has a predefined linear transformation function pre-associated with it; and (b) identifying the predefined linear transformation function pre-associated with the identified range and using the identified linear transformation function to responsively generate a corresponding relatively-narrow multi-bit signal that is representative of the high precision number point of the received relatively-wide multi-bit signal; wherein the respective predefined linear transformation functions each have coefficients identifying a respective and tunable linear transformation slope and begin or end-of-range points and the coefficients are set so as to avoid or minimize lumping together during compression, of two or more of the used high precision number points into a same low precision number point defined by a relatively-narrow multi-bit signal that is responsively generated by said data compression method.