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Abstract

A method and apparatus for encoding a plurality of bytes of digital data into a further plurality of bits suitable for storage in a storage medium, and for recovery therefrom, and for decoding the stored bits retrieved from the storage medium, for the recovery of the encoded bytes. The digital data bytes are arranged into a plurality of code blocks, each having a first predetermined number of columns and a second predetermined number of rows of bytes. A parity block of bytes of data is generated having a number of columns and a number of rows of bytes corresponding to the first predetermined number of columns and to the second predetermined number of rows of bytes, respectively, of the code blocks, the bits of data in the parity block corresponding to the computed parity of the combined corresponding bits in each of the code blocks. Secondly, a parity row of bytes of data are generated for each of the data blocks such that each bit in each byte in the parity row corresponds to the computed parity of the combined corresponding bits in each byte in the column of the associated data block of that parity row. Each such row of parity bytes is added to its associated block. Thirdly, a correction control word is generated for each 8 bit byte of data blocks, parity rows and parity blocks, and is added to its associated byte to form a composite word. The bits of data of all such composite words for all of the blocks are interleaved according to a matrix having a third predetermined number of rows and a fourth predetermined number of columns, and the interleaved data is provided in serial arrangement for storage.

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First Claim