Encoder apparatus, decoder apparatus and method

1. An encoder for encoding data provided thereto to generate corresponding encoded data, wherein the encoder comprises a data processing arrangement for applying one or more encoding processes to the data to generate the encoded data, wherein:

(a) the data processing arrangement is operable to represent the data at least partially in a set of numerical value symbols, if the data is not already expressed in numerical value symbols;

(b) the data processing arrangement is operable to generate intermediate data in which the numerical value symbols are represented by original values and at least one symbol by a modified value with one or more continuum symbols generated by a continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify preceding symbol values to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

(c) the data processing is operable to process the intermediate data to generate the encoded data.

2. The encoder as claimed claim 1 , wherein the data processing arrangement is operable to split the data into a plurality of portions or sections, based upon computed probabilities of occurrence of the symbols in the plurality of portions or sections and an efficiency to which they can be compressed.

3. The encoder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein generation of the intermediate data by the continuum operator is used for the symbols in the data being transformed via one or more transformations and/or via one or more translation tables.

4. The encoder as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the encoded data is provided via a plurality of data streams, and wherein at least one of the streams conveys information indicative of the one or more translation tables and/or one or more transformation methods.

5. The encoder as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the information indicative of the one or more translation tables refers to one or more translation tables which are delivered prior to delivering the encoded data and/or are available from an alternative source to the encoder.

6. The encoder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the encoder is operable to process the data including at least one of: captured audio signals, captured video signals, captured images, text data, seismographic data, sensor signals, analog-to-digital (ADC) converted data, biomedical signal data, calendar data, economic data, mathematical data, binary data.

7. The encoder as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the data processing arrangement is operable to encode the intermediate data to generate the encoded data by employing at least one of entropy modification, for entropy modification (EM) coding, ODelta coding, RLE, SRLE, Arithmetic Coding, Range Coding, VLC.

8. A method in an encoder of encoding data provided thereto to generate corresponding encoded data, wherein the encoder comprises a data processing arrangement for applying one or more encoding processes to the data to generate the encoded data, the method comprising:

(a) using the data processing arrangement to represent the data at least partially in a set of numerical value symbols, if the data is not already expressed in numerical value symbols;

(b) using the data processing arrangement to generate intermediate data in which the numerical value symbols are represented by original values and at least one symbol by a modified value with one or more continuum symbols generated by a continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify preceding symbol values to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

(c) using the data processing is operable to process the intermediate data to generate the encoded data.

9. The method as claimed claim 8 , the method further comprising using the data processing arrangement to split the data into a plurality of portions or sections, based upon computed probabilities of occurrence of the symbols in the plurality of portions or sections and an efficiency to which they can be compressed.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8 , the method further comprising generating of the intermediate data by using the continuum operator for the symbols in the data to transform them via one or more transformations and/or via one or more translation tables.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 , the method further comprising providing the encoded data via a plurality of data streams, wherein at least one of the streams conveys information indicative of the one or more translation tables and/or one or more transformation methods.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the information indicative of the one or more translations tables refers to one or more translation tables which are delivered prior to delivering the encoded data and/or are available from an alternative source to the encoder.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8 , the method further comprising using the encoder to process the data including at least one of: captured audio signals, captured video signals, captured images, text data, seismographic data, sensor signals, analog-to-digital (ADC) converted data, biomedical signal data, calendar data, economic data, mathematical data, binary data.

14. The method as claimed in claim 8 , the method further comprising using the data processing arrangement to encode the intermediate data to generate the encoded data by employing at least one of: entropy modification, for entropy modification (EM) coding, ODelta coding, RLE, SRLE, Arithmetic Coding, Range Coding, VLC.

15. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the method is implemented using one or more software products recorded on non-transitory machine-readable data storage media, wherein the one or more software products are executable upon the data processing arrangement of the encoder for implementing the method of encoding the data to generate the encoded data.

16. A decoder for decoding encoded data provided thereto to generate corresponding decoded data, the decoder comprising a data processing arrangement for applying one or more decoding processes to the encoded data to generate the decoded data, wherein:

(a) the data processing arrangement is operable to process the encoded data to generate intermediate data;

(b) the data processing arrangement is operable to process the intermediate data to decode the intermediate data, wherein in the intermediate data numerical value symbols are represented by output symbols and at least by one modified output symbol with one or more continuum symbols that are then decoded by an inverse continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify the modified output symbol value to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

(c) the data processing arrangement is operable to translate and/or transform the processed intermediate data to represent the decoded data in a set of symbols.

17. The decoder as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the data processing arrangement is operable to process the encoded data as a plurality of portions or sections, based upon computed probabilities of occurrence of the symbols in the plurality of portions or sections and an efficiency to which they can be compressed.

18. The decoder as claimed in claim 16 , wherein generation of the set of symbols by the continuum operator is implemented by transforming and/or translating values from the decoded data via one or more transformations defined by one or more translation tables and/or one or more transformation methods.

19. The decoder as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the encoded data is provided via a plurality of data streams, wherein at least one of the streams conveys information indicative of the one or more translation tables and/or one or more transformation methods.

20. The decoder as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the information indicative of the one or more translations tables refers to one or more translation tables which are delivered prior to delivering the encoded data and/or are available from an alternative source to the decoder.

21. The decoder as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the decoder is operable to process the encoded data including encoded versions of at least one of: captured audio signals, captured video signals, captured images, text data, seismographic data, sensor signals, analog-to-digital (ADC) converted data, biomedical signal data calendar data, economic data, mathematical data, binary data.

22. The decoder as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the data processing arrangement is operable to decode the encoded data to generate the intermediate data by employing an inverse of at least one of: entropy modification, for entropy modification (EM) coding, ODelta coding, RLE, SRLE, Arithmetic Coding, Range Coding, VLC.

23. A method of using a decoder for decoding encoded data provided thereto to generate corresponding decoded data, the decoder further comprising a data processing arrangement for applying one or more decoding processes to the encoded data to generate the decoded data, the method comprising:

(a) using the data processing arrangement to process the encoded data to generate intermediate data;

(b) using the data processing arrangement to process the intermediate data to decode the intermediate data, wherein in the intermediate data numerical value symbols are represented by output symbols and at least by one modified output symbol with one or more continuum symbols that are then decoded by an inverse continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify the modified output symbol value to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

(c) using the data processing arrangement to translate and/or transform the processed intermediate data to represent the decoded data in a set of symbols.

24. The method as claimed decoder as claimed in claim 23 , the method further comprising using the data processing arrangement to process the encoded data as a plurality of portions or sections, based upon computed probabilities of occurrence of the symbols in the plurality of portions or sections and an efficiency to which they can be compressed.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23 , the method further comprising generating the set of symbols by using the continuum operator to transform and/or to translate values from the decoded data via one or more transformations defined by one or more translation tables and/or one or more transformation methods.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 , the method further comprising providing the encoded data via a plurality of data streams, wherein at least one of the streams conveys information indicative of the one or more translation tables and/or one or more transformation methods.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the information indicative of the one or more translations tables refers to one or more translation tables which are delivered prior to delivering the encoded data and/or are available from an alternative source to the decoder.

28. The method as claimed in claim 23 , the method further comprising using the decoder to process the encoded data including encoded versions of at least one of: captured audio signals, captured video signals, captured images, text data, seismographic data, sensor signals, analog-to-digital (ADC) converted data, biomedical signal data, calendar data, economic data, mathematical data, binary data.

29. The method as claimed in claim 23 , the method further comprising using the data processing arrangement to decode the encoded data to generate the intermediate data by employing an inverse of at least one of: entropy modification, for entropy modification (EM) coding, ODelta coding, RLE, SRLE, Arithmetic Coding, Range Coding, VLC.

30. The method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the method is implemented using one or more software products recorded on non-transitory machine-readable data storage media, wherein the one or more software products are executable upon the data processing arrangement of the encoder for implementing the method of decoding the encoded data to generate the decoded data.

31. A codec including a combination of at least one encoder and at least one decoder, wherein the at least one decoder is operable to decode data which is encoded by the encoder

the at least one encoder comprising:

a data processing arrangement for applying one or more encoding processes to the data to generate the encoded data, wherein:

the data processing arrangement is operable to represent the data at least partially in a set of numerical value symbols, if the data is not already expressed in numerical value symbols;

the data processing arrangement is operable to generate intermediate data in which the numerical value symbols are represented by original values and at least one symbol by a modified value with one or more continuum symbols generated by a continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify preceding symbol values to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

the data processing is operable to process the intermediate data to generate the encoded data;

the at least one decoder comprising:

a data processing arrangement for applying one or more decoding processes to the encoded data to generate the decoded data, wherein:

the data processing arrangement is operable to process be encoded data to generate intermediate data;

the data processing arrangement is operable to process the intermediate data to decode the intermediate data, wherein in the intermediate data numerical value symbols are represented by output symbols and at least by one modified output symbol with one or more continuum symbols that are then decoded by an inverse continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify the modified output symbol value to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

the data processing arrangement is operable to translate and/or transform the processed intermediate data to represent the decoded data in a set of symbols.

32. An electronic apparatus including at least one encoder and/or at least one decoder, wherein the electronic apparatus is implemented as a part of at least one of: a personal computer, an audio/visual apparatus, a television, a wireless-enabled computing device, a smart phone, a mobile telephone, an interactive games console, an automobile electronic information system,

the at least one encoder comprising:

a data processing arrangement for applying one or more encoding processes to the data to generate the encoded data, wherein:

the data processing arrangement is operable to represent the data at least partially in a set of numerical value symbols, if the data is not already expressed in numerical value symbols;

the data processing arrangement is operable to generate intermediate data in which the numerical value symbols are represented by original values and at least one symbol by a modified value with one or more continuum symbols generated by a continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify preceding symbol values to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

the data processing is operable to process the intermediate data to generate the encoded data;

the at least one decoder comprising:

a data processing arrangement for applying one or more decoding processes to the encoded data to generate the decoded data, wherein:

the data processing arrangement is operable to process the encoded data to generate intermediate data;

the data processing arrangement is operable to process the intermediate data to decode the intermediate data, wherein in the intermediate data numerical value symbols are represented by output symbols and at least by one modified output symbol with one or more continuum symbols that are then decoded by an inverse continuum operator, wherein the one or more continuum symbols modify the modified output symbol value to accommodate an extended range of symbols; and

the data processing arrangement is operable to translate and/or transform the processed intermediate data to represent the decoded data in a set of symbols.