A new algorithm for compression of two-level facsimile picture is prop
osed. Two-dimensional run-length block coding with the code words of f
ixed length are used, A half of the available code words is assigned t
o the description of the original picture element pattern in runs, whi
le the remaining half is used for compression purposes. The efficiency
of the compression has been verified for 8 CCITT standard pictures re
sulting in satisfactory compression ratios as compared to those known
from the literature.