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Abstract

A data compression system for encoding and decoding textual data, including an encoder for encoding the data and for a decoder for decoding the encoded data. Both encoder and decoder have dictionaries for storing frequently-appearing strings of characters. Each string is identified by a unique pointer. The input data stream is parsed and matched with strings in the encoder dictionary using a novel matching algorithm. The pointer associated with the matched string is then transmitted to a remote location for storage or decoding. Thereafter, using a novel update algorithm the encoder dictionary is updated to include new strings of data based on the matched string of data. If required, a novel deletion algorithm is employed to remove infrequently used strings of data to provide room for the newly generated strings of data. The strings of data may be arranged using a modified least recently used queue. The decoder matches each unique pointer in the stream of compressed input data with a corresponding pointer in the decoder dictionary. The decoder then transmits the string of character data associated with the matched pointer, thereby providing textual data in original, uncompressed form. Thereafter, using the novel update and deletion algorithms, new strings of data are added to, and old strings of data are deleted from, the decoder dictionary, so as to ensure both encoder and decoder dictionaries contain identical strings of data.

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First Claim