METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING RUN-LENGTH COMPRESSION

A method and apparatus of run-length compression is disclosed where a contiguous stream of bits is input to a compression circuit. The contiguous stream of bits is analyzed in sets of a fixed number of bits, the sets of bits analyzed successively using one or more comma codes each having a respective bit code and a variable length compression operator. Select ones of the one or more comma codes are applied to each set of bits based upon the length of the run of similar bits of the contiguous stream of bits. An encoded stream of bits is output in a single pass with the compression circuit using the one or more comma codes, the encoded stream having fewer bits than the contiguous stream of bits and comprising one or more of the bit codes and respective variable length operators.