Video compression system

1. A method of compressing pixel color values of a serial video stream into corresponding payloads of a fixed-bit payload length p, the pixel color values defined by red, green and blue components that in combination define an available number of different pixel color options, comprising:

reducing the available number of different pixel color options by:

grouping predetermined intensities of the red, green and blue components into n number of intensity zones such that a number y of possible unique red, green and blue component combinations are available including n number of gray values naturally created when said red, green and blue components are all in the same said intensity zones as each other, and;

adding an extra number of gray values g other than said n number of gray values naturally created, so a total number of available different gray values is greater than the n number of gray values that are naturally created when said red, green and blue components are all in the same said intensity zones as each other and such that a sum of y and g is sufficiently small such that the number y of possible unique red, green and blue component combinations and the extra number of gray values g can each be uniquely encoded in one fixed-bit payload length p; and

encoding in an encoder information associated with the pixel color values of the serial video steam using the reduced number of different pixel color options and the extra number of gray values.

2. A method of encoding pixel colors from video information by:

providing color payloads with x number of bits yielding 2 x words for color identification;

predetermining y number of red values, y number of blue values and y number of green values for a total of 3 y possible color combinations, where 3 y <2 x ;

correlating the 2 x words with the 3 y possible color combinations yielding 2 x −3 y remaining words;

predetermining 2 x −3 y extra gray values;

correlating the remaining 2 x −3 y words with the 2 x −3 y extra gray values and

encoding in an encoder information associated with the pixel colors into corresponding ones of the color payloads using the correlated words and the correlated remaining words.

3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

providing other color payloads with greater than x bits; and

dynamically selecting the color payloads with x number of bits for lower color resolutions and The other color payloads with greater than x bits for higher color resolutions.

4. A method of compressing according to claim 1 , further including:

determining the n number of intensity zones based in part on a popularity of use of the available number of different pixel color options.

5. A method of compressing according to claim 1 , wherein:

n is 5,

p is 7,

y is 125, and

g is 3.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:

each packet has a fixed length l, at least one of the corresponding packet payloads spans multiple consecutive packets, and the fixed-bit payload length p is greater than l.

7. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the video information is from a color palette of available component intensities and the step of predetermining y number of red, blue and green values includes the step of reducing the available component intensities to y number of intensifies.

8. A method according to claim 7 , further including the step of selecting the y number of intensities by surveying a popularity of said available component intensities.

9. A method according to claim 8 , further including the step of surveying the popularity of said available component intensities by measuring usage statistics for said available component intensities.

10. Apparatus, comprising:

an input to receive video pixel color values identified by combinations of x number of unique color component intensity values, the video pixel color values defined by red, green and blue components that in combination define an available number of different pixel color options;

a video encoder packeting information into corresponding payloads representing each received video pixel color value, where each corresponding payload has a fixed length of p number of bits, the encoder:

having a stored color definition including (1) a predetermined n number of reduced color component intensities, where n is less than x, and (2) an added number g of extra gray values other than gray values naturally created by said red, green and blue components being at a common one of the n number of reduced color component intensities, wherein:

2 p is greater than or equal to (n 3 +g); and

for each current video pixel color value:

loading an extra gray value code uniquely identifying one of the g extra gray values into a corresponding payload if said current video pixel color value most closely corresponds to said one of the g extra gray values; and

loading a color value code identifying thee color component intensity values for respective ones of the red, green and blue components into a corresponding payload if said current video pixel color value most closely corresponds to a color defined by a combination of said red, green and blue components located in respective ones of the color component intensity zones; and

an output to deliver the loaded corresponding payloads to a communication medium.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the encoder is integrated with a video controller chip.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the encoder is integrated with video creation apparatus including video creation software.

13. Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the encoder is integrated with a Keyboard/Video/Mouse server appliance.