def METHOD_NAME(x):
    # Input:  'x' is a hex number represented as a str, up to 'bits' bits
    # Output: binary rep. of the number represented as a numpy array of ints
    n_digits = len(x) - 2
    n_pairs = n_digits // 2
    if len(x) % 2 == 0:
        # Even number of hex n_digits
        tok = [x[2 * i : 2 * i + 2] for i in range(1, n_pairs + 1)]
    else:
        # Odd number of hex n_digits, erase the 'x' in the 1st digit
        tok = [x[2 * i + 1 : 2 * i + 3] for i in range(0, n_pairs + 1)]
        tok[0] = tok[0][1]
        n_pairs = n_pairs + 1
    # Convert each token into a bit array
    tok = [np.uint8(int(t, 16)) for t in tok]
    bits = [np.METHOD_NAME(t) for t in tok]
    # Concat all bit arrays, extend len to 49
    zeros = [np.zeros(49 - (2 * n_pairs) * 4)]
    bits = np.concatenate(zeros + bits, 0)
    assert bits.shape[0] == 49
    return bits