Techniques for optimizing entropy computations

A system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method of data processing comprising:
• determining a data layout for a configuration of a plurality of counters stored in a plurality of registers, wherein each of the plurality of registers is configured to store at least two of the plurality of counters, wherein a first portion of data items allowable in a data set are mapped to the plurality of counters, wherein each of the plurality of counters is associated with a particular data item of the first portion of data items allowable in the data set and denotes a current frequency of the particular data item;
• receiving a plurality of data items of a data chunk of the data set;
• for each data item of the plurality of data items, performing processing including:
• determining a first of the plurality of counters corresponding to said each data item, wherein the first counter is stored in a first of the plurality of registers and denotes a current frequency of said each data item in the first plurality of data items;
• and
• incrementing the first counter stored in the first register by one;
• and
• determining, in accordance with the plurality of counters stored in the plurality of registers, an entropy value for the data chunk.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method of data processing comprising:

• determining a data layout for a configuration of a plurality of counters stored in a plurality of registers, wherein each of the plurality of registers is configured to store at least two of the plurality of counters, wherein a first portion of data items allowable in a data set are mapped to the plurality of counters, wherein each of the plurality of counters is associated with a particular data item of the first portion of data items allowable in the data set and denotes a current frequency of the particular data item;
• receiving a plurality of data items of a data chunk of the data set;
• for each data item of the plurality of data items, performing processing including:
• determining a first of the plurality of counters corresponding to said each data item, wherein the first counter is stored in a first of the plurality of registers and denotes a current frequency of said each data item in the first plurality of data items;
• and
• incrementing the first counter stored in the first register by one;
• and
• determining, in accordance with the plurality of counters stored in the plurality of registers, an entropy value for the data chunk.