Real-time lossless data compression techniques for long-pulse operation

Data logging and data distribution will be two main tasks connected with data handling in ITER. Data logging refers to the recovery and ultimate storage of all data, independent of the data source. Data distribution is related, on the one hand, to the on-line data broadcasting for immediate data availability and, on the other hand, to the off-line data access. Due to the large data volume expected, data compression is a useful candidate to prevent the waste of resources in communication and storage systems. On-line data distribution in a long-pulse environment requires the use of a deterministic approach to be able to ensure a proper response time for data availability. However, an essential feature for all the above purposes is to apply lossless compression techniques. This article reviews different lossless data compression techniques based on delta compression. In addition, the concept of cyclic delta transformation is introduced. Furthermore, comparative results concerning compression rates on different databases (TJ-II and JET) and computation times for compression/decompression are shown. Finally, the validity and implementation of these techniques for long-pulse operation and real-time requirements is also discussed.