4. The method of claim 1 , wherein: updating in the lookback table comprises storing a table index for the input word in the lookback table, the table index representing a position of the input word in the input stream; and generating an output stream comprises generating an output index associated with each codeword generated for an input word of the first data type, the output index representing a position of a fully matching input word in the input stream.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output index is represented in the compressed output by a number of bits determined in response to a base-2 logarithm of a position of the input word in the input stream.