Automatic data compression

The “information explosion” noted in recent years makes it essential that storage requirements for all information be kept to a minimum. A fully automatic and rapid three-part compressor which can be used with “any” body of information to greatly reduce slow external storage requirements and to increase the rate of information transmission through a computer is described in this paper. The system will also automatically decode the compressed information on an item-by-item basis when it is required. The three component compressors, which can be used separately to accomplish their specific tasks, are discussed: NUPAK for the automatic compression of numerical data, ANPAK for the automatic compression of “any” information, and IOPAK for further compression of information to be stored on tape or cards.

View this article in the ACM Digital Library.