Compression and storage of computer aided design data

Abstract

Systems and methods for access to compressed data. A method includes initiating access to a lightweight data file for selected data and identifying data segments of the lightweight data file that correspond to the selected data. The method includes identifying a compression method corresponding to each of the identified data segments. The method includes accessing the identified data segments of the lightweight data file according to the identified compression methods.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for storage of computer aided design data, comprising:
 a data storage in which a lightweight data file is stored; and   a controller coupled to the data storage, the controller configured to
 initiate access to a lightweight data file for selected data; 
 identify data segments of the lightweight data file that correspond to the selected data; 
 identify a compression method corresponding to each of the identified data segments; and 
 access the identified data segments of the lightweight data file according to the identified compression methods. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the data segments has an associated unique identifier. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the access is initiated by a streaming retrieval process. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the compression methods are identified according to the data type of each the data segments. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , of  claim 1 , wherein the compression methods are identified according to a table of contents of the lightweight data file. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lightweight data file includes a table associating a globally unique identifier with each of the data segments. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each data segment has a header containing a globally unique identifier corresponding to that data segment. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lightweight data file includes a table of contents having information regarding the length of each data segment. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lightweight data file includes a table of contents having information identifying the data segments and the data type of data in each data segment, the compression method employed each data segment, or both. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each identified compression method is one of lossy compression and lossless compression. 
     
     
         11 . A method performed by a controller, comprising:
 initiating access to a lightweight data file for selected data;   identifying data segments of the lightweight data file that correspond to the selected data;   identifying a compression method corresponding to each of the identified data segments; and   accessing the identified data segments of the lightweight data file according to the identified compression methods.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the data segments has an associated unique identifier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the access is initiated by a streaming retrieval process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the compression methods are identified according to the data type of each the data segments. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the compression methods are identified according to a table of contents of the lightweight data file. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the lightweight data file includes a table associating a globally unique identifier with each of the data segments. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each data segment has a header containing a globally unique identifier corresponding to that data segment. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the lightweight data file includes a table of contents having information regarding the length of each data segment. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the lightweight data file includes a table of contents having information identifying the data segments and the data type of data in each data segment, the compression method employed each data segment, or both. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory machine-useable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a controller to:
 initiate access to a lightweight data file for selected data;   identify data segments of the lightweight data file that correspond to the selected data;   identify a compression method corresponding to each of the identified data segments; and   access the identified data segments of the lightweight data file according to the identified compression methods.