Patent Document ID: 5509088
Application ID: 08161492

Base Claim:
1. In an image processing system, including a processor and a device memory, a method of maximizing a rate at which image data in an input data stream is decompressed, comprising: a) storing a look-up table in the device memory, the look-up table including a plurality of values, each value including a token and corresponding with one of a plurality of index words, the index words being derived from a balanced tree having a plurality of paths with each path being represented by a bit set, each path having the same length and each bit set being made up of an equal number of bits, each index word corresponding with one of the bit sets; b) sampling the input data stream to develop a sample word having a length equal to each index word; c) matching the sample word with one of the index words of the look-up table to access a corresponding value in the look-up table; and d) using the processor of the image processing system, decompressing a portion of the input stream, sampled with said b), by processing the token set of the corresponding value accessed with said c).

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Claim 2:
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: e) providing a tree portion with both a set of subpaths and a current set of nodes, each subpath being represented by one or more bits; f) adding a copy of the tree portion to each current node to form extended subpath sets and a revised current node set; g) if the number of bits in any extended subpath set is less than the number of bits in the bit set, adding a copy of the tree portion to each extended subpath set having a number of bits less than the bit set; and h) repeating said g) until the number of bits in all of the extended subpath sets is equal to or greater than the number of bits in the bit set, wherein each extended subpath set includes at least a set of bits corresponding with one of the plurality of paths.