An apparatus run-length encodes data to obtain a sequence of records. The data are associate to grid points of a grid and the records are defined such that they allow embedding data associated to a same grid point and representing pieces of information of at least two different types in a same record. The encoded data may be stored or transmitted. When receiving or retrieving such run-length encoded data in a sequence of records, the data may be run-length decoded to obtain decoded data and an association of the decoded data to the grid points of the grid.