Abstract: A method of sending binary data over an image data channel. The binary data is encoded into an encoded linear matrix image, and the encoded linear matrix image is transmitted over the image data channel. The received linear matrix image is decoded to recover the binary data. The encoding uses encoding parameters which are adapted for encoding the binary data into an encoded matrix image. The encoding parameters are defined in such a manner that a transformed matrix image produced by transmitting the encoded linear matrix image over the image-transforming channel is reconstructable into the encoded linear matrix image. The binary data is encoded into the encoded linear matrix image according to the encoding parameters. In order to recover the binary data from the received matrix image, the decoding analyzes a header section of the received linear matrix image to determine image-distortion characteristics of the image data channel.

Abstract: A virtual filesystem for allowing a large number of data files to be created, deleted, and rearranged by a peripheral device incorporating the filesystem without requiring the host computer system to delete and rebuild its cache and other file system tables. Since the directory hierarchy of the virtual filesystem is predefined, data blocks in the directory and file allocation table regions of the filesystem's filespace do not need to be prestored in memory, but rather are calculable at the time a data block read request is processed by the virtual filesystem. Since the specific location in the filesystem of a file is determined only at the time that one of a set of lowest-level directories which contains the file is accessed, host caching problems can be avoided by predefining a large number of files in the filesystem and avoiding reuse of any previously-used file.

Abstract: A method of sending binary data over an image data channel. The binary data is encoded into an encoded linear matrix image, and the encoded linear matrix image is transmitted over the image data channel. The received linear matrix image is decoded to recover the binary data. The encoding uses encoding parameters which are adapted for encoding the binary data into an encoded matrix image. The encoding parameters are defined in such a manner that a transformed matrix image produced by transmitting the encoded linear matrix image over the image-transforming channel is reconstructable into the encoded linear matrix image. The binary data is encoded into the encoded linear matrix image according to the encoding parameters. In order to recover the binary data from the received matrix image, the decoding analyzes a header section of the received linear matrix image to determine image-distortion characteristics of the image data channel.

Abstract: A virtual filesystem for allowing a large number of data files to be created, deleted, and rearranged by a peripheral device incorporating the filesystem without requiring the host computer system to delete and rebuild its cache and other file system tables. Since the directory hierarchy of the virtual filesystem is predefined, data blocks in the directory and file allocation table regions of the filesystem's filespace do not need to be prestored in memory, but rather are calculable at the time a data block read request is processed by the virtual filesystem. Since the specific location in the filesystem of a file is determined only at the time that one of a set of lowest-level directories which contains the file is accessed, host caching problems can be avoided by predefining a large number of files in the filesystem and avoiding reuse of any previously-used file. The data blocks of a file can be dynamically generated upon request, or can be aliased to corresponding data blocks of an auxiliary file system.