Method and system for data compession with dictionary pre-load of a set of expected character strings

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention generally relates to data compression and more particularly to a method and system for data compression with dictionary pre-load of a set of character strings that can be expected to appear only once or a few times in an input data stream.

#2. Discussion of the Background

#The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

#FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating an exemplary system, which can employ data compression with dictionary pre-load of a set of expected character strings, according to the present invention;

#FIGS. 2a and 2b are a flow chart for illustrating data compression with dictionary pre-load of a set of expected character strings, according to the present invention; and

#A method and system for data compression with dictionary pre-load of a set of expected character strings are described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It is apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.

#Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated a system 100 for implementing data compression with dictionary pre-load of a set of expected character strings, according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the system 100 (e.g., as further described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,955,976; 5,973,630 and 6,292,115 to Heath, incorporated by reference herein) includes an encoder 104 (e.g., implemented via hardware and/or software) and encoder dictionary 104a (e.g., implemented via hardware and/or software) coupled via a communications channel 108 to a decoder 110 (e.g., implemented via hardware and/or software) and decoder dictionary 110a (e.g., implemented via hardware and/or software). The system 100 further includes pre-loaders 104b and 110b (e.g., implemented via hardware and/or software) for pre-loading the sets of the expected character strings into the encoder and decoder dictionaries 104a and 110a, respectively.

#The system 100 includes any suitable servers, workstations, personal computers (PCs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), Internet appliances, set top boxes, other devices, etc., capable of performing the processes of the present invention. The encoder 104 and the decoder 110 of the system 100 can communicate with each other using any suitable protocol, for example, via the communications channel 108 and the system 100 can be implemented using one or more of the computer system 301 of FIG. 3, for example. One or more interface mechanisms can be used in the system 100, for example, including Internet access, telecommunications in any form (e.g., voice, modem, etc.), wireless communications media, etc., via the communications channel 108. Accordingly, the communications channel 108 can include, for example, the Internet, an Intranet, a wireless communications channel, a satellite communications channel, a cellular communications channel, a hybrid communications channel, etc.