huffman_conv2bitstring converts a string into its bitstring
        representation. It returns a tuple: the bitstring and its bitlength.
        This function DOES NOT compress/decompress the string!

        @param str s: the bytestring to convert.
        @return (int, int): the bitstring of s, and its bitlength.
        @raise AssertionError

def huffman_conv2bitstring(cls, s):
        # type: (str) -> Tuple[int, int]
        """ huffman_conv2bitstring converts a string into its bitstring
        representation. It returns a tuple: the bitstring and its bitlength.
        This function DOES NOT compress/decompress the string!

        @param str s: the bytestring to convert.
        @return (int, int): the bitstring of s, and its bitlength.
        @raise AssertionError
        """
        i = 0
        ibl = len(s) * 8
        for c in s:
            i = (i << 8) + orb(c)

        ret = i, ibl
        assert(ret[0] >= 0)
        assert(ret[1] >= 0)
        return ret