Patent ID: 7099514

Claim:
A method for compressing each file of a set of files, so that a total size of the files when thus compressed, does not exceed a predefined limit, comprising the steps of: (a) determining a first compressed size of each file when compressed at a predetermined nominal compression level; (b) determining a second compressed size of each file when compressed at a predetermined maximum acceptable compression; (c) identifying files that should be compressed at the predetermined maximum acceptable compression as a function of the second compressed size for each file in the set; (d) determining a specific desired compression level to apply to remaining files that are not to be compressed at the predetermined maximum acceptable compression, to enable all of the files in the set, when compressed, to have a total size no greater than the predefined limit; and (e) compressing the files identified in step (c) at the predetermined maximum acceptable compression and the remaining files of the set at the specific desired compression level that was determined in step (d), producing compressed files having a total size no greater than the predefined limit.