Patent ID: 7119723

Claim:
A method of decoding a plurality of code-words to generate a corresponding plurality of symbols, said code-words being of variable length, said method comprising: maintaining data representing a first stage and a second stage, receiving first input data and then said second input data, wherein said first stage providing a first entry in response to receiving said first input data containing a first number of bits, and said second stage providing a second entry in response to receiving said second input data containing a second number of bits, said first input data and said second input data respectively forming a first code-word and a second code-word, wherein said first number is not equal to said second number, and said first stage and said second stage are used to decode said plurality of code-words, wherein said first entry indicates a miss result representing that additional lookup operation is required in said second stage to generate a first symbol corresponding to said first code-word, and said first entry further indicating that said second stage operates with input data of said second number of bits as input data.