Multi-word variable length encoding and decoding

摘要

Decoding and encoding of variable length data words and data strings is accelerated by testing for and processing more than one word or string per encoding or decoding cycle. In an encoding scheme wherein fixed length data words are encoded into variable length data strings, decoding is carried out by first receiving a data stream having a plurality of encoded data strings contained therein, and then testing at least a portion of the data stream to determine whether the portion contains one of a number of selected sets of multiple data strings. If the portion of the data stream contains one of the selected sets of multiple data strings, the multiple data strings are decoded into a corresponding set of multiple data words. This decoding procedure allows a plurality of encoded data strings to be decoded in a single decoding cycle. The procedure may be implemented using either a single lookup table or a set of split-level lookup tables. The above procedure may also be applied to an encoding scheme wherein variable length data words are transformed into fixed length encoded data strings to encode the variable length data words. Furthermore, the above procedure may be applied to an encoding scheme wherein variable length data words are transformed into variable length data strings to both encode and decode the variable length data words and data strings.