Patent ID: 6271689
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: G06T,H03M

Abstract:
A machine for processing digital data into variable-length encoded data, comprising:(a) storage, storing a plurality of data, each of a predetermined fixed length and comprising:(1) a variable-length datum aligned at a predetermined edge,(2) punctuation, comprising at least one bit, appending said datum on the unaligned edge, and(3) padding bits, distinguishable from said punctuation, of a quantity that is the difference between said predetermined fixed length and the sum of the length of said punctuation and the length of said variable-length datum,(b) a translator which:(I) translates a fixed-length datum recalled from said storage by a predetermined number of bits per iteration, and(II) replaces evacuated bit positions with values distinguishable from said punctuation,(c) a pattern detector, which monitors said translator for the presence of padding bits over a predetermined range of bit positions,whereby said variable-length datum is extracted from said fixed-length datum without explicit storage of the length of variable-length datum thereof, andwhereby variable-length encoding is effected.