def collapse_equal_values(values, counts):
    """
    Take a tuple (values, counts), remove consecutive values and increment their count instead.
    """
    assert len(values) == len(counts)
    previousValue = values[0]
    previousCount = 0
    for value, count in zip(values, counts):
        if value != previousValue:
            yield previousValue, previousCount
            previousCount = 0
            previousValue = value
        previousCount += count
    yield previousValue, previousCount
