Patent ID: 11387995

Abstract:
An apparatus and method are described for aligning corresponding elements in multiple streams of elements. An apparatus is provided comprising both first generation circuitry to generate a first stream comprising first elements and second generation circuitry to generate a second stream comprising second elements. The first generation circuitry is arranged to insert a first element in the first stream to identify each occurrence of a corresponding second element in the second stream. Key generation circuitry is used to generate, for each instance of the first element to be included within the first stream, an associated key value determined from a set of key values, the set of key values being insufficient to allow unique key values to be generated for each instance of the first element. The first generation circuitry is then arranged to indicate within the first stream the associated key value for each instance of the first element. By such an approach, subsequent analysis of a sequence of key values associated with a corresponding sequence of instances of the first element within the first stream enables alignment between a first element in the first stream and its corresponding second element in the second stream. This provides a very efficient mechanism for allowing alignment between individual elements in the first stream and corresponding individual elements in the second stream to be achieved, in a manner that alleviates bandwidth constraints in relation to the first stream.