Patent ID: 7072812

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of adjusting a series of N subset data points into best fit data points for a series of sample data points that form a data source such that a linear interpolation of the N subset data points closely approximates the series of sample data points, wherein the N subset data points require less storage in computer-readable memory and less computer processing bandwidth than the series of sample data points, the method comprising: identifying M segments having endpoints defined by adjacent subset data points, wherein M equals N−1; and performing an iterative process, including: determining a linear interpolation error for each of the M segments; identifying a segment from the M segments with a largest interpolation error and selecting the segment with the largest interpolation error as a target segment (S TARGET ); and reducing the interpolation error for S TARGET by moving one endpoint of S TARGET by an increment corresponding to at least one sample data point in the series of sample data points to shorten S TARGET .