The Back-and-Forth Sequence

Matlab (score=230,n=inf)

function w(s,f),b=[];e=0;for i=s:f,a=dec2bin(i);c=find(a=='1');g=numel(a)+1;if numel(c)>=g/2;if mod(g,2)==1,fprintf('%d ',g);else,d=c(g/2);fprintf('%d ',2*d);end,else,fprintf('%d ',g);end,e=e+1;if(e==100),e=0;fprintf('\n');end;end

• The function takes s as starting index and f as ending (type inf if you want to keep on to infinite).
• The function can go forever without any remarkable time-lag between any two outputs type h=1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000;w(h,h+1) to make sure.

• The algorithm follows a mathematical approach that i will explain later, and it does confirm Martin's referenced list, basing on this program:

  stored=[2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 10, 6, 10, 8, 8, 6, 10, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 14, 8, 8, 8, 14, 8, 14, 12, 12, 8, 8, 8, 14, 8, 14, 12, 12, 8, 14, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 14, 8, 14, 12, 12, 8, 14, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10, 8, 14, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10, 18, 10, 18, 16, 16, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 10, 18, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 22, 12, 22, 20, 20, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18, 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13];
  b=[];for i=1:numel(stored)
  a=dec2bin(i);
  c=find(a=='1');
  if numel(c)>=(numel(a)+1)/2
  if mod(numel(a)+1,2)==1
  b=[b numel(a)+1];
  else
  d=c((numel(a)+1)/2);
  b=[b 2*d];
  end
  else
  b=[b numel(a)+1];
  end
  end
  for i=1:numel(stored)
  if (b(i))
  if b(i)~=stored(i)
  'error',
  end
  end
  end
  

• Since the algorithm verifies 2048 first testcases, I will blindly assume it would for any test case, so my algorithm works regarding few properties i discovered in this process without the pain of shifting and moving pointer:

  1- if the twice the number of 1's in binary translation doesnt exceed the length of the sequnce L so the output isL+1

  2- if the sequence length is even and the previous condition isnt set so the output is same L+1

  3- otherwise, the output is twice the L/2th index of 1.

Python, 122 119 113 110 108 107 103 bytes

def l(b):
 p=e=w=len(b);d=i=1
 while e:p+=1-2*b[w-e];d*=2*(1!=d-p>~w)-1;p-=d;e=(e-d)%-~w;i+=1
 return i

Takes input as a list of binary digits. Helper function to test:

b = lambda n: [int(d) for d in bin(n)[2:]]

_{Credit to Lynn for saving 7 bytes.}

Jelly, 10 bytes

ð+\ḤiḤoµL‘

This function accepts a single integer in form of the list of its binary digits as input.

The algorithm is equivalent to the one from @Agawa001's answer.

Try it online! or generate the first 2048 numbers.

Background

Enumerate the positions underneath the path from 0 to L, giving a total of L + 1 positions. L coincides the number of binary digits of the number N that encodes the path. With this notation, the walker starts at position 0, the goal at position L.

With each step the walker takes, he gets one step closer to the goal (in the direction he's currently walking). Also, with each shift-step, depending on whether he walks with or against the shifting direction, he either increments or decrements his position by 2 modulo L + 1, or he stays in the current position.

To change direction, he has to land on position L - 1 (facing L) or position 1 (facing 0), then get shifted in his direction. The next step he takes will bring him back to his previous position, facing the opposite direction.

• If L is even, L - 1 is odd, so he cannot advance from his initial position to L - 1 directly. The only way to reach it is to pass through L, getting carried to 0 and taking the next step to land on 1, then advancing to the right. This requires advancing 2L positions, which can be done in no less than L steps.

  However, after taking L steps without changing direction, he will have reached the goal. Adding one for the starting cell, we get a total of L + 1 visited cells in this case.

• If L is odd, L - 1 is even, so he can reach that position by getting shifted (L - 1) / 2 times to the right. If position L - 1 is underneath a 1 at that time, he will get shifted to position L, turn around, and step on position L - 1 (facing leftwards).

  This may or may not happen before he reaches his goal, so there are two cases to analyze:

  • If there are less than (L + 1) / 2 occurrences of 1 in the binary expansion of N, taking L steps will not suffice to turn direction. Since these L steps bring the walker to his goal, adding one for the starting cell, we get a total of L + 1 visited cells in this case.

  • If there are at least (L + 1) / 2 occurrences of 1 in the binary expansion of N, advancing to the ((L + 1) / 2)^th occurrence will require I steps, where I is the initial position of that occurrence of 1.

    Thus, after taking I steps, the walker is in position L - 1, facing leftwards. To turn directions again, he would have to walk advance leftwards to position 1. However, as in the even case, since (L - 1) - 1 is odd, this will require going through 0 and taking no less tha L steps.

    Since the initial distance to the goal in the left direction is 1, after taking I steps, the walker finds himself at distance of I + 1 from the goal after changing directions. Since I < L, we have that I + 1 ≤ L, so the next I + 1 steps will bring him to the goal.

    This gives a total of I + I + 1 = 2I + 1 taken steps. Adding one for the starting cell, we get a total of 2I + 1 + 1 = 2(I + 1) visited cells in this case.

How it works

ð+\ḤiḤoµL‘  Main link. Argument: x (list of binary digits of N)

       µ    Monadic chain. Argument: x
        L   Compute L, the length of x.
         ‘  Increment to yield L + 1.

ð           Dyadic chain. Left argument: x. Right argument: L + 1
 +\         Compute the cumulative sum of x.
            This replaces the k-th one (and all zeroes to its right) with k.
   Ḥ        Unhalve; multiply all partial sums by 2.
    i       Find the first index of L + 1.
            This either gives I + 1, the 1-based index of the ((L + 1) / 2)-th one
            or 0 if the list doesn't contain L + 1.
            The result will be 0 if x contains less than (L + 1) / 2 ones
            or if L + 1 is an odd integer.
     Ḥ      Unhalve; yield either 2(I + 1) or 0.
      o     Logical OR with L + 1; if the previous operation returned a falsy
            value (i.e., if it yielded 0), replace that value with L + 1.