Methods and apparatus for determining a coding rate to transmit a set of symbols

An apparatus for generating an output signal representing an initial coding rate for use in compressing digital signals, said apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving a digital signal, said received digital signal including a plurality of digital sets representing symbols to be coded wherein ones of said digital sets are non-unique;
• storage means for storing said digital sets;
• and
• processing means for processing said received digital signal to generate said output signal, said processing means operable to:
• store ones of said digital sets in said storage means;
• associate with each one of said stored digital sets an indicator representing the probability of occurrence of said associated digital set within said received digital signal;
• combine selectively pairs of said associated indicators, and accumulate each of said pairs of said selectively combined associated indicators to determine said initial coding rate;
• and
• generate said output signal representing the initial coding rate for use in compressing the received digital signal without needing to code said received digital signal.

A method for processing a received digital signal to generate an output signal representing an initial coding rate, said digital signal including a plurality of digital sets representing symbols to be coded wherein ones of said plurality of digital sets are non-unique, said output signal for use in compressing said digital signal, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing ones of said plurality of digital sets;
• (b) associating an indicator with each one of said stored digital sets, each said indicator representing the probability of occurrence of said associated digital set in said digital signal;
• (c) initializing an accumulator representing said initial coding rate;
• (d) determining whether more than one associated indicator remains stored;
• (e) ordering, upon a determination that more than one associated indicator remains stored, said associated indicators, combining selectively two of said ordered associated indicators, adding said selectively combined associated indicators to said accumulator, and returning to step (d);
• and
• (f) generating said output signal representing the initial coding rate for use in compressing the received digital signal utilizing said accumulator without needing to code said received digital signal.

A method for controlling a memory storage device to generate an output signal representing an initial coding rate for use in compressing a received digital signal, said digital signal including a plurality of symbols to be coded, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of digital sets representing the symbols to be coded, each said digital set comprising a codeword and an indicator, said digital set representing a probability of occurrence of the symbol corresponding to said digital set within said digital signal;
• associating with each one of said digital sets an indicator representing the probability of occurrence of said associated digital set within said digital signal;
• combining selectively pairs of said plurality of said associated indicators;
• accumulating each of said selectively combined pairs of said associated indicators to determine said initial coding rate;
• and
• generating said output signal representing said initial coding rate for use in compressing the received digital signal without needing to code said received digital signal.

An apparatus for generating an output signal representing an initial coding rate for use in compressing digital signals, said apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving a digital signal, said received digital signal including a plurality of symbols to be coded;
• generating means for generating a plurality of digital sets representing the symbols to be coded;
• storage means for storing said digital sets;
• and
• processing means for processing said received digital signal to generate said output signal, said processing means operable to:
• store ones of said digital sets in said storage means;
• associate with each one of said stored digital sets an indicator representing the probability of occurrence of said associated digital set within said received digital signal;
• combine selectively pairs of said associated indicators;
• accumulate each of said pairs of said selectively combined associated indicators to determine said initial coding rate;
• and
• generate said output signal representing the initial coding rate for use in compressing the received digital signal without needing to code said received digital signal.

A method for processing a received digital signal to generate an output signal representing an initial coding rate, said digital signal including a plurality of symbols to be coded, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) generating a plurality of digital sets representing the symbols to be coded;
• b) associating an indicator with each one of said digital sets, each said indicator representing the probability of occurrence of said associated digital set in said digital signal;
• c) initializing an accumulator representing said initial coding rate;
• d) determining whether more than one indicator remains stored;
• e) ordering, upon a determination that more than one associated indicator remains stored, said associated indicators, combining selectively two of said ordered associated indicators, adding said selectively combined associated indicators to said accumulator, and returning to step (d) until only one indicator remains stored;
• and
• (f) generating said output signal representing the initial coding rate for use in compressing the received digital signal utilizing said accumulator without needing to code said received digital signal.