Compressed storage of data items
First Claim
1. A method of storing data items in a memory (3), the method comprising the steps of:
- dividing each data item into successive data pieces of decreasing significance;
storing the data pieces in respective parts of the memory (31); and
when applying a data piece to the memory (31) in case all candidate memory parts are assigned to other data pieces;
if the significance of the applied data piece is lower than a lowest significance of the other data pieces, discarding the applied data piece;
or if the significance of the applied data piece is higher than the lowest significance of the other data pieces, storing the applied data piece in one of the candidate memory parts at expense of a given other data piece which has a lower significance than the significance of the applied data piece.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Storing of data items in a memory (31) is provided wherein the data items are divided into successive data pieces of decreasing significance, and the data pieces are stored in respective parts of the memory (31), and when applying a data piece to the memory (31) in case all candidate memory parts are assigned to other data pieces: if the significance of the applied data piece is lower than a lowest significance of the other data pieces, discarding the applied data piece; if the significance of the applied data piece is higher than the lowest significance, storing the applied data piece in one of the candidate memory parts at expense of a given other data piece which has a lower significance than the significance of the applied data piece. Advantageous use of the invention is made in applications using a device of fixed storage capacity for storing compressible data, such as video, images, audio, speech.
8 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of storing data items in a memory (3), the method comprising the steps of:
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dividing each data item into successive data pieces of decreasing significance;
storing the data pieces in respective parts of the memory (31); and
when applying a data piece to the memory (31) in case all candidate memory parts are assigned to other data pieces;
if the significance of the applied data piece is lower than a lowest significance of the other data pieces, discarding the applied data piece;
orif the significance of the applied data piece is higher than the lowest significance of the other data pieces, storing the applied data piece in one of the candidate memory parts at expense of a given other data piece which has a lower significance than the significance of the applied data piece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of reading data items from a memory (3), which data items have been divided into successive data pieces of decreasing significance, which data pieces have been stored in respective memory parts (31 ), wherein an indication of the significance of each data piece is available in the memory, the method comprising the steps of:
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reading for each data item the successive data pieces from the memory (31 ), which data pieces belong to said data item; and
constructing (4) the data item from the successive data pieces.
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7. An arrangement for storing data items in a memory (3), the arrangement comprising:
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means for dividing each data item into successive data pieces of decreasing significance;
means for storing the data pieces in respective parts of the memory (31); and
means for applying a data piece to the memory (31), which means are arranged for, in case all candidate memory parts are assigned to other data pieces, discarding the applied data piece if the significance of the applied data piece is lower than a lowest significance of the other data pieces;
orstoring the applied data piece in one of the candidate memory parts at expense of a given other data piece that has a lower significance than the significance of the applied data piece if the significance of the applied data piece is higher than the lowest significance of the other data pieces.
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8. An arrangement for reading data items from a memory, which data items have been divided into successive data pieces of decreasing significance, which data pieces have been stored in respective memory parts (31), wherein an indication of the significance of each data piece is available in the memory, the arrangement comprising:
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means for reading for each data item the successive data pieces from the memory (31), which data pieces belong to said data item; and
means for constructing (4) the data item from the successive data pieces.
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9. A storage medium (3) having stored thereon data items, which data items have been divided into successive data pieces of decreasing significance, which data pieces have been stored in respective memory parts (31), wherein an indication of the significance of each data piece is available on the storage medium.
Specification