Patent ID: 7095341

Claim:
A method of decoding a variable-length code data stream, comprising steps of: (a) setting a base memory address equal to a start address; (b) retrieving the next n bits in the data stream; (c) accessing a memory location having an address equal to the sum of the base address plus the value of the n retrieved bits, which memory location includes status data indicating whether a codeword is found, wherein, if a codeword is found, the memory location includes corresponding information, and wherein if a codeword is not found, the memory location includes an offset value; (d) if a codeword has been identified: (d)(i) outputting the decoded information corresponding to the codeword; (d)(ii) setting the base address equal to the start address; and (d)(iii) shifting the data in the data stream by a number of the retrieved bits that correspond to the decoded information; and (e) if a codeword has not been identified: (e)(i) setting the base address according to the offset value; and (e)(ii) shifting the data in the data stream n bits.