Abstract: An integrated memory controller (IMC) which includes data compression and decompression engines for improved performance. The memory controller (IMC) of the present invention preferably sits on the main CPU bus or a high-speed system peripheral bus such as the PCI bus and couples to system memory. The IMC preferably uses a lossless data compression and decompression scheme. Data transfers to and from the integrated memory controller of the present invention can thus be in either of two formats, these being compressed or normal (non-compressed). The IMC also preferably includes microcode for specific decompression of particular data formats such as digital video and digital audio. Compressed data from system I/O peripherals such as the hard drive, floppy drive, or local area network (LAN) are decompressed in the IMC and stored into system memory or saved in the system memory in compressed format.

Abstract: Disclosed is a software distribution system using both differencing and compression techniques to distribute source files over a network while minimizing the network bandwidth needed to maintain and update a set of source files. In an embodiment, a sending computer maintains sets of source files in base and delta form. The delta source files contain difference information allowing a new version of a source file to be constructed, or reconstituted, from a previously reconstituted version. Prior to transmitting a source file in either base or delta form to a receiving computer, the sending computer compresses the source file using a dictionary-based compression scheme. The resulting tokenized source file is stored and then transmitted to the receiving computer along with versioning control information. The receiving computer stores the tokenized source file along with the versioning control information.

Abstract: A flash memory controller and/or embedded memory controller including MemoryF/X Technology that uses data compression and decompression for improved system cost and performance. The Compression Enhanced Flash Memory Controller (CEFMC) of the present invention preferably uses parallel lossless compression and decompression engines embedded into the flash memory controller unit for improved memory density and data bandwidth. In addition, the invention includes a Compression Enhanced Memory Controller (CEMC) where the parallel compression and decompression engines are introduced into the memory controller of the microprocessor unit. The Compression Enhanced Memory Controller (CEMC) invention improves system wide memory density and data bandwidth. The disclosure also indicates preferred methods for specific applications such as usage of the invention for solid-state disks, embedded memory and Systems on Chip (SOC) environments.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying defective cells in a memory array includes receiving a request for accessing an address and analyzing the address to determine when the address matches an address stored in a temporary memory array. When the address does not match any address stored in the temporary memory array, a wait instruction is sent to a processor and the address is analyzed to determine which portion of compressed data stored in a map memory array to decompress. The map memory array stores data containing compressed addresses of defective cells in a first memory array. The portion of compressed data is then decompressed to provide expanded data when the address does not match any address stored in the temporary memory array. The expanded data are then written to the temporary memory array, and the expanded data are compared to the address to determine when the address corresponds to an expanded datum of the expanded data.

Abstract: A bus card for connecting to a local bus of a computer system comprises a connector for connecting to the local bus, a peripheral interface controller for enabling communication between a peripheral device and the local bus, video processing circuitry having connectors to enable input and output of video signals, and a bridge circuit that enables the peripheral interface controller and the video processing circuitry to share the connection to the local bus of the computer system.

Abstract: In an optical data storage device for storing data on a removable optical disk in a continuous sequence of sectors or blocks, the input data buffer may be subject to under-run. An under-run detector is disclosed which is responsive to the buffered data comprising less than a sector of data for indicating an under-run, and a padding provider is disclosed which is responsive to the under-run indication for providing padding characters for formatting into sectors. The sectors may be provided with headers indicating the sectors as padding. A reading device for reading the data sectors and providing the data to a host detects padding and prevents the padding data from transmission to the host.

Abstract: In order to store plural compressed records into a cache memory of a disk storage system in an easy-to-read manner, data to be stored in the cache memory is divided into plural data blocks each having two cache blocks in association with track blocks to which the data belongs and are compressed. The respective data blocks after the compression are stored in one or plural cache blocks. Information for retrieving each cache block from an in-track address for the data block is stored as part of retrieval information for the cache memory. When the respective data blocks in a record is read, the cache block storing the compressed data block is determined based on the in-track address of the data block and the retrieval information.

Abstract: When input data composed of a symbol string is compressed, bit maps are used. In each bit map, "1" is set to a bit that represents the position of a relevant symbol of the symbol string. In contrast, "0" is set to a bit that represents the position of another symbol of the symbol string. When compressed data is expanded, symbols are expanded in the order thereof. Thus, the positions of symbols that have been expanded are omitted from each bit map. Consequently, each bit map can be shortened and thereby the compression ratio can be improved. Since the length of each bit map is variable, a value of which (the number of symbols expanded by corresponding bit map-2) is added as information for expanding symbols from each variable bit map of the compressed data correctly. In addition, to distinguish data having a bit map from data having no bit map, a flag that represents the presence of a bit map is added to the compressed data.

Abstract: A system for compressing program files at a remote host computer and transmitting the compressed program files to one or more wireless interface devices using a wireless link. The received compressed files are stored in an electronically programmable storage device on the wireless interface device. The remote host includes a CPU, a storage device for running and storing one or more programs and a wireless link for communicating with the wireless interface device. The wireless interface device is able to control and access the one or more programs on the remote host using the wireless link.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a data padding apparatus capable of appropriate padding processing to input data and input insignificance information which are not synchronized. Receiving input data and input significance information which are not synchronized as inputs, the data padding apparatus performs synchronization by data storage means and significance information storage means included in a storage and padding means, generates original data and synchronized significance information with synchronism between them and outputs them to a padding information holding means where padding information consisting of padding data and padding address information is generated based on the data and information input.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording information on a record medium is provided with: a controller for generating a start address of each time-unit piece of main information divided by a predetermined time-unit based on time information corresponding to the main information; a processsing device for coding and compressing the main information by every predetermined compression unit to generate a plurality of compression-unit pieces of compressed data; and a recording device for recording the plurality of compression-unit pieces of compressed data and the generated start address as at least a portion of access information for the main information onto the record medium.

Abstract: A system and method is provided by which byte stream data files in industry-standard format can be retrieved from a compact disk and then re-created to provide an original set of native format files suitable for use by a first computer system. Additionally, an integrated network of a first computer platform which utilizes native file formats working in conjunction with a second computer platform which uses byte stream file formats can be utilized so that the second computer platform may transfer the byte stream data files to a commonly shared storage means, such as a disk, after which the first computer platform can then utilize a first interface program and a second interface program in order to convert the byte stream files into copies of the original native file suitable for the first computer platform.

Abstract: A compressed data storage apparatus is provided with a compressing circuit for generating compressed data by compressing digital data from a camera section, a buffer memory for storing the compressed data temporarily, a disk device for storing the compressed data stored in the buffer memory at a rate faster than a rate at which the buffer memory stores the compressed data, and a system controller for increasing a compression ratio of the compressing circuit when detecting that the disk device has become unable to record the data. According to the above arrangement, in the event that the disk device becomes unable to store the data due to vibrations or an impact, the data compression ratio is increased, whereby the rate at which the buffer memory stores the data is reduced. Consequently, the capacity of the buffer memory can be reduced, and therefore, it has become possible to provide an inexpensive compressed data storage apparatus with excellent resistance to vibrations.

Abstract: A programmable packer and unpacker with dither support is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a packer packs a plurality of bits of a first bus to a lesser plurality of bits of a second bus according to one of a plurality of different packing modes. In another embodiment, an unpacker unpacks a plurality of bits of a first bus from a lesser plurality of bits of a second bus according to one of the plurality of different packing modes. The packer comprises a plurality of multiplexers and a microstore in an exemplary embodiment. The microstore controls the select bits for the plurality of multiplexers, and is programmed in accordance with one of the different packing modes. The multiplexers determine which bits from the input bus will be transferred to the output bus. Because the microstore can be reprogrammed, the packer is programmable and thus universal.

Abstract: An electronic system provides direct access between a first device and a decoder/encoder and a memory. The electronic system can be included in a computer in which case the memory is a main memory. Direct access is accomplished through one or more memory interfaces. Direct access is also accomplished in some embodiments by direct coupling of the memory to a bus, and in other embodiments, by direct coupling of the first device and decoder/encoder to a bus. The electronic system includes an arbiter for determining access for the first device and/or the decoder/encoder to the memory for each access request. The arbiter may be monolithically integrated into a memory interface of the decoder/encoder or the first device. The decoder may be a video decoder configured to decode a bit stream formatted to comply with the MPEG-2 standard. The memory may store predicted images which are obtained from a single preceding image and may also store intra images.

Abstract: A method comprises decoding a single instruction having a first operand identifying a plurality of bytes of packed data and a second operand identifying a corresponding plurality of byte masks. Each of the plurality of byte masks identified by the second operand of the single decoded instruction are analyzed, wherein select bytes of the plurality of bytes identified by the first operand are moved to an implicitly defined location based, at least in part, on the analysis of the individual byte masks identified by the second operand of the single decoded instruction.

Abstract: Potable multimedia terminal which is small and consumes low power, can process a large quantity of multimedia data such as video and audio data. Portable multimedia data input/output processor can be made smaller by using a pen as an input device and can also process a large quantity of multimedia data at a high speed by adopting a PCI bus as a local bus of a system. To retrieve, compress, and decompress multimedia data, main components of this portable multimedia data input/output processor are comprised of audio codec for compressing and decompressing audio data, video codec controller for compressing and decompressing video data, and multimedia processor for transmitting audio data to wireless communication controller and video data to video codec controller and to graphic processor. The method for retrieving multimedia data includes steps of receiving data, de-interleaving received data into audio, video, and graphic data, decompressing the data, and outputting the data to output device.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system for efficiently using non-volatile memory in an embedded system. The system of the present invention includes an embedded system having a processor, a volatile memory, and a non-volatile memory. A decompression algorithm is stored in the non-volatile memory along with a main program. When the embedded system is powered up, the decompression algorithm is executed by the processor. The decompression algorithm operates on compressed software stored in the non-volatile memory. The compressed software includes data needed to initialize the main program. After the operation of the algorithm, the decompressed software is loaded into the volatile memory, thereby initializing the main program. Since the software for initializing the main program is stored in non-volatile memory in a compressed state, and since the decompression algorithm is compact, the present invention efficiently utilizes non-volatile memory space.

Abstract: A method of sending a plurality of commands to a remote device which executes the plurality of commands, the method including the steps of encapsulating the plurality of commands within a single command; and sending the single command to the remote device.

Abstract: A bit collation method is disclosed which requires a substantially fewer number of clock cycles than the prior art method in separating the bits in a source of bytes and collating them by bit position. A static look-up table is used to spread out the bits in a byte being collated. The look-up table enables simultaneous collation of all bits in a byte using only five clock cycles.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for switching between lossless data compression modes, and the switching indicated by at least one multibit mode switch character. The binary format input data is received and a FIFO determination of the compression efficiency of the input data under each mode is made on an ongoing basis. The ongoing basis may be for each compressed code word or more. A FIFO comparison of the compression efficiencies under each mode are made, and the modes for compressing the input data are switched only upon the comparison, or accumulated comparisons, indicating the compression efficiency of the present mode is less than the compression efficiency of the other mode by a threshold value, the threshold value directly related to the number of bits in the multibit mode switch character.

Abstract: A device capable of externally setting and modifying internal functions and a data processing apparatus using such a device are provided, outside the data processing apparatus, with a function data setting unit for reading and writing data for use in setting, modifying, and storing the internal functions; and an execution state stack unit for storing data indicating the state of the internal functions being executed. The data processing apparatus includes an internal resource management unit for setting and modifying the internal functions, and saving and restoring, through the execution state stack unit, the data indicating the state of the functions being executed. This system allows the processes to be freely performed by the device and the data processing apparatus at a high speed.

Abstract: A system and method allocates disk memory space for storage of compressed records and enables the compressed records to be stored in sequential physical positions on the disk memory space. The method and apparatus further assures a substantial likelihood that compressed, updated records will fit in the originally allocated physical positions during subsequent processing. The method comprises: compressing a record; determining a compression ratio (CR) value and a maximum run length (RL) of contiguous identical data segments in the uncompressed record; determining a corrected compression ratio (CCR) by repeating compression of the record without the RL of contiguous identical data segments included in the record; and if the CCR value is less than a historically experienced record compression ratio, employing the CCR value to allocate memory space for the compressed record. If CCR value equals or exceeds the ECR value, the ECR value is utilized to allocate memory space for the record.

Abstract: A data compression device includes a data compression circuit for compressing data being transferred between a TV game player and a memory card, and for decompressing data sent from the memory card to the game player. The device is arranged to be inserted into the card receptacle of the TV game player, and includes an opening for receiving the memory card, thereby serving as an adapter between the game player and the memory card.

Abstract: Strings, such as Web pages or other documents, are fingerprinted in order to detect substantially similar strings, so as to avoid processing duplicate strings. At the same time determine a computerized method estimates the probability that a collision among fingerprints of dissimilar strings. As fingerprints are generated for strings presented for processing, when the fingerprint of a string is determined not to be identical to any fingerprint in a set of stored fingerprints, the new fingerprint is masked and the unmasked portion of the fingerprint is compared with a corresponding portion of the fingerprints in the stored set. Information is recorded regarding the number of matching masked fingerprints.

Abstract: An input/output (I/O) data compression system operates two data compression modules in tandem. A "master" module has an uncompressed data I/O, a data compressor/decompressor, a data flow manager, and a compressed data I/O. An identical "dual" data compression module is also provided. Either module is capable of operating singly to provide compression/decompression between the data I/Os. A "tandem" control causes the master data flow manager to control the compressed data I/O, and causes the dual data flow manager to relinquish control. A dual port "active/slave" control responds to receipt of an input at one of the uncompressed data I/O's, idling the uncompressed data I/O of the module (slave) not receiving the input, and causing the module (active) receiving the input to conduct the input and output of uncompressed data.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for pre-compressing data to be sent to a peripheral device in a computer system, sending the data to the peripheral device as a compressed data stream, and decompressing the data for use in the peripheral device in a real-time format. In a preferred embodiment, a unique peripheral device controller is provided having a data handling and decompression pipeline for receiving and decompressing an incoming compressed data stream in concert with a state machine for sensing the states of elements of the peripheral device, and for providing the decompressed data stream to data-using elements of the peripheral device. The peripheral device can be any device for which large amounts of data are typically needed, including, but not limited to printers, video displays, robotic driving devices, and data recording and media writing devices. Alternative methods are disclosed for compressing and decompressing data in systems according to the invention.

Abstract: Apparatus for an improved ISDN terminal adapter (5) and accompanying methods for use therein. The adapter provides automatic ISDN switch detection, automatic SPID configuration, baud rate unblocking and automatic data compression. Specifically, the adapter automatically provides B-channel data compression in the event the DTE is unwilling or unable to do so. Here, the adapter monitors negotiation, over an ISDN line, of a compression control protocol (CCP) between the DTE and its PPP peer (380). If the negotiations reveal that the DTE will not undertake compression, then the adapter will then automatically negotiate the protocol and thereafter, for the duration of a call, perform compression and decompression in lieu of the DTE.

Abstract: A virtual storage system for use in conjunction with a host computer is disclosed. The system features a memory control processor external to the host computer which divides user-defined data sets into blocks of a size convenient for storage on, e.g., magnetic media and individually assigns these blocks to locations determined external to the host. In this way, the extent of a particular data file is not specified by the user; nor is empty space allocated in anticipation of future use. The virtual memory system may additionally comprise a high speed cache memory for receiving data written to the memory system at high speed from the host. Data anticipated to be the subject of future requests can be staged to the cache, so that it can be supplied to the host at high speed, thus improving system performance. Data compression and decompression may be incorporated in the storage system.