Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Smith Micro Scores Compression Patent

Aliso Viejo-based Smith Micro has received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, for compression technology in its StuffIt software line. According to the USPTO, the patent was actually issued in July, and names Serge Volkoff, Michael Paul Halpin, and Darryl Lovato as inventors. Smith Micro said the technology covered by the patent -- titled "Detection and recompression of embedded compressed data inside existing data streams " -- helps detect and compress previously compressed data embedded in files. According to the USPTO, Smith Micro filed for the patent in February of 2007, using Craig M. Stainbrook & Stainbrook, LLP. Smith Micro's StuffIt software is used to compress files on Macintosh, PC, and Linux computers. Smith Micro purchased Allume, the maker of StuffIt, in 2005; the software was originally developed by then-high school student Raymond Lau in 1987 for the Mac.

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