Invention:
This technology is an algorithm that provides real-time, high performance, “lossless” data compression.
Background:
Data compression algorithms, such as a zip file, reduce the number of bits needed to store or transmit digital information. The performance of the algorithms is often quantified in terms of a compression ratio. For example, 80% means that the compressed data would use 80% fewer bits than the original. The highest performance algorithms, such as those used to compress video for consumer applications (i.e. an mp4 video file) are “lossy,” which means that the information is discarded when it is judged to be not important to the presentation quality of the video. In many cases, in scientific applications such as astronomy, loss of information is unacceptable to the end product. Lossy algorithms typically do very well in both compression and decompression times, although they are optimized for decompression (i.e. playback). However, lossless algorithms, like the zip algorithm, are often very slow in both directions.
Applications:
- Useful in situations where large amounts of digital data are recorded or transmitted
- Especially when lossy compression is not acceptable
- Astronomy
- Film production
- Useful when raw, uncompressed data is needed for later processing
Advantages:
- Useful for large amounts of recorded digital data
- Reduces or eliminates lossy compression
- Useful in both the astronomy and film production fields
