Merging compressed data arrays

A method comprising:

• determining that a first compressed data array has a larger uncompressed size than a second compressed data array, wherein a third compressed data array is to be generated as a merger of the first compressed data array and the second compressed data array;
• for each of the vectors of the first compressed data array that do not correspond to an overlap point between the first and second compressed data arrays, generating a new vector for the third compressed data array that comprises a concatenation of the vector and no data vectors that represent lack of data to be contributed from the second compressed data array, and compression information for the vectors;
• for the vector of the first compressed data array that encompasses the overlap point,
• generating new vectors for the third compressed data array that separates the vector into two new vectors of the third compressed data array, wherein a first of the two new vectors comprises a concatenation of values that represent absence of data and the vector and a second of the two new vectors comprises a concatenation of the vector and a vector of the second compressed data array,
• accounting for compression of the vector across the two new vectors;
• for each of the corresponding vectors of the first and the second compressed data arrays in the overlap of the first and the second compressed data arrays,
• generating a new vector comprising a concatenation of the corresponding vectors for the third compressed data array and accounting for differences in compression information between the corresponding vectors.

A computer program product for merging compressed two-dimensional data sets, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising a computer usable program code configured to:
• represent concatenations of vectors of a first compressed data set that extend beyond a second compressed data set with no data vectors that represent lack of data to be contributed from the second compressed data set in a third compressed data set that represents a merger of the first and the second compressed data sets;
• determine counterpart vectors of the first and second compressed data sets using compression information for the vectors;
• and
• represent concatenations of the counterpart vectors in the third compressed data set and compression information that accounts for the determined counterpart vectors.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a compressed data array merger unit operable to,
• represent concatenations of vectors of a first compressed data set that extend beyond a second compressed data set with no data vectors that represent lack of data to be contributed from the second compressed data set in a third compressed data set that represents a merger of the first and the second compressed data sets;
• determine counterpart vectors of the first and second compressed data sets using compression information for the vectors;
• and
• represent concatenations of the counterpart vectors in the third compressed data set and compression information that accounts for the determined counterpart vectors.