The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 1988
Filed:
Oct. 21, 1987
Ronald D Lichty, San Francisco, CA (US);
Wright Technologies, , US;
Abstract
A data compaction method, for writing data in highly compact binary form in a data storage medium using a microprocessor, compresses serially occurring transaction values in a limited memory space by substituting prefix codes for previously occurring values and for commonly occurring previous values. The previous values are listed and updated on tables by the microprocessor so that they are indexed to the prefix codes adaptively to changing local values and changing common values over time. The data compaction method is particularly suitable for an account card having a limited, non-erasable memory used in an automated transaction terminal for maintaining an account record of transactions in frequently recurring amounts. A postage metering terminal is operated by the account card, in which an initial balance has been written and each purchase of postage is recorded. A current balance is recomputed by parsing the previously recorded data. If the current balance is sufficient, the requested value is recorded in compressed form in the card memory, and the terminal is operated to print or dispense the requested postage.