Prior art — US Patent 8717203

Here is an analysis of the most relevant prior art for US patent 8717203, based on the provided patent text and the Google Patents page for US8717203B2.

US Patent 8717203 Information

Title: Data compression systems and methods
Publication Number: US8717203B2
Filing Date: 2013-09-24
Publication Date: 2014-05-06
Priority Date: 1998-12-11

The analysis focuses on patent citations explicitly referenced by US8717203 and those identified as prior art with a publication/filing date preceding the priority date of US8717203 (December 11, 1998).

Identified Prior Art

Based on the "BACKGROUND" section and "Patent citations" from the Google Patents page for US8717203B2, the most relevant prior art that predates the priority date of US8717203 is U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,087 to Chu.

1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,087 (Chu)

Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,087 to Chu, entitled “High Speed Lossless Data Compression System” (US5467087A)
Publication/Filing Date: Published 1995-11-14 (filing date 1994-03-24)
Brief Description: This patent describes a data compression and decompression technique that involves a data pre-compression phase and a data compression phase. During compression, a data pre-compressor identifies the data type of an input stream and generates a data type identification signal. A data compressor then selects a data compression method from a preselected set of methods to compress the input data stream, aiming to produce the best available compression ratio for that particular data type.
Potential Anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102:
- Claim 1b: The step of "analyzing the data block to identify a data type of the data block" is potentially anticipated. Chu's system includes a "data pre-compressor" that "identifies the data type of the input stream".
- Claim 1ci: The step of "selecting one or more content dependent encoders associated with the identified data type" is potentially anticipated. Chu's "data compressor" "selects a data compression method from a preselected set of methods to compress the input data stream" based on the identified data type.
- Claim 1cii: The general step of "compressing the data block with the selected content dependent encoders" is potentially anticipated as it describes the fundamental action of Chu's data compressor.
- Claim 1ciii: The step of "determining a compression ratio obtained for each of the content dependent encoded data blocks" is implied by Chu's objective of "producing the best available compression ratio".
- Claim 1cv (in part): The concept of "selecting for output the content dependent encoded data block having the highest compression ratio" is implied by Chu's goal of achieving the "best available compression ratio".
- Claim 4 (in part): The step of "analyzing the data block to recognize one of a data type" is potentially anticipated, aligning with Chu's data type identification.
- Claim 5 (in part): The concept of "maintaining an association between content dependent encoder types and data types" is implied by Chu's selection of methods from a "preselected set" based on data type.
- Claim 9 (in part): Similar to Claim 4, the analysis to recognize data type is potentially anticipated.
- Claim 10 (in part): Similar to Claim 5, maintaining associations is potentially anticipated.
- Claim 14b: The "content dependent data recognition module configured to analyze the data block to identify a data type" is potentially anticipated by Chu's data pre-compressor.
- Claim 14c: The "content dependent encoder module ... configured to compress the data block with one or more selected content dependent encoders" is potentially anticipated by Chu's data compressor.
- Claim 19 (in part): The functionality of the content dependent data recognition module to recognize a data type is potentially anticipated.
- Claim 20 (in part): The functionality of the content dependent data recognition module to maintain associations is potentially anticipated.
Claims or aspects not anticipated by Chu's description (as characterized by US8717203):
Chu's patent, as described in US8717203, primarily focuses on content-dependent compression when the data type is successfully identified. It does not describe:
- Claim 1d: Performing content independent data compression "if the data type of the data block is not identified." This is a key distinguishing feature of US8717203.
- Claim 1civ and 1diii: Explicitly comparing compression ratios with a "compression threshold." While aiming for the "best," Chu doesn't specify a threshold.
- Claim 2 & 3: Outputting the input data block with a null compression descriptor if thresholds are not met, particularly for content-independent paths.
- Claims 6 & 7: The fallback mechanism of performing content independent data compression if content-dependent compression does not meet a threshold.
- Claims 11, 12, 13: Estimating a "desirability" of using encoder types based on data block characteristics, both for content-dependent and content-independent scenarios.
- Claim 14d: The "content independent encoder module" and its operation when data type is not identified.
- Claim 14e (in part): The comparison of compression ratios with a content independent compression threshold.

Related Patent (Not Prior Art for Anticipation)

While listed as a priority claim and not prior art for anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 due to sharing the same priority date, U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,024 is the earliest direct parent in the patent family and provides foundational context.

2. U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,024 (Fallon)

Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,024 to Fallon, entitled “Data Compression Systems and Methods” (US6195024B1)
Publication/Filing Date: Filed 1998-12-11; Published 2001-02-27
Brief Description: This patent is the direct ancestor from which US8717203 claims priority. It covers systems and methods for data compression and decompression.
Potential Anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102: None. US8717203 claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/210,491, filed Dec. 11, 1998, which matured into U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,024. Therefore, US6195024B1 shares the same priority date as US8717203 and does not serve as anticipatory prior art against US8717203.