Variable-length compression technique for encoding or decoding a sequence of integers

A method for decoding a sequence of integers, comprising:

• receiving a sequence of integers to be decoded, wherein the sequence of integers was encoded using the threshold value K;
• for a given integer in the sequence to be decoded,
• scanning through an initial string of zeros for the given integer until a first one is encountered and counting the number of zeros encountered to produce a number L;
• discarding the first one;
• and
• using N=K+L remaining bits to form a decoded integer.

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for compressing a sequence of integers, comprising:

• scanning through the sequence of integers and observing the sizes of the integers;
• determining a threshold value K from the observed sizes;
• and
• for a given integer which is N bits in length,
• if N−K is greater than or equal to zero,
• generating a tag for the encoded integer as a sequence of N−K zeros followed by a one, and
• generating a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer as a sequence of the Nbits which make up the integer.

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for decoding a sequence of integers, comprising:

• receiving a sequence of integers to be decoded, wherein the sequence of integers was encoded using the threshold value K;
• for a given integer in the sequence to be decoded,
• scanning through an initial string of zeros for the given integer until a first one is encountered and counting the number of zeros encountered to produce a number L;
• discarding the first one;
• and
• using N=K+L remaining bits to form a decoded integer.

An apparatus for encoding a sequence of integers, comprising:

• a scanning mechanism configured to:
• scan through the sequence of integers and observe the sizes of the integers, and
• determine a threshold value K from the observed sizes;
• and
• an encoding mechanism configured to encode a given integer which is N bits in length by:
• if N−K is greater than or equal to zero,
• generating a tag for the encoded integer as a sequence of N−K zeros followed by a one, and
• generating a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer as a sequence of the Nbits which make up the integer.

An apparatus for decoding a sequence of integers, comprising:

• a receiving mechanism configured to receive a sequence of integers to be decoded, wherein the sequence of integers was encoded using the threshold value K;
• and
• a decoding mechanism, configured to decode a given integer by:
• scanning through an initial string of zeros for the given integer until a first one is encountered and counting the number of zeros encountered to produce a number L;
• discarding the first one;
• and
• using N=K+L remaining bits to form a decoded integer.