Phased burst error-correcting array codes

Various aspects of single-phased burst-error-correcting array codes are explored. These codes are composed of two-dimensional arrays with row and column parities with a diagonally cyclic readout order; they are capable of correcting a single burst error along one diagonal. Optimal codeword sizes are found to have dimensions n1×n2 such that n2 is the smallest prime number larger than n1. These codes are capable of reaching the Singleton bound. A new type of error, approximate errors, is defined; in q-ary applications, these errors cause data to be slightly corrupted and therefore still close to the true data level. Phased burst array codes can be tailored to correct these codes with even higher rates than befor

X-code: MDS array codes with optimal encoding

We present a new class of MDS (maximum distance separable) array codes of size n×n (n a prime number) called X-code. The X-codes are of minimum column distance 3, namely, they can correct either one column error or two column erasures. The key novelty in X-code is that it has a simple geometrical construction which achieves encoding/update optimal complexity, i.e., a change of any single information bit affects exactly two parity bits. The key idea in our constructions is that all parity symbols are placed in rows rather than columns

MDS array codes with independent parity symbols

A new family of maximum distance separable (MDS) array codes is presented. The code arrays contain p information columns and r independent parity columns, each column consisting of p-1 bits, where p is a prime. We extend a previously known construction for the case r=2 to three and more parity columns. It is shown that when r=3 such extension is possible for any prime p. For larger values of r, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for our codes to be MDS, and then prove that if p belongs to a certain class of primes these conditions are satisfied up to r ≤ 8. One of the advantages of the new codes is that encoding and decoding may be accomplished using simple cyclic shifts and XOR operations on the columns of the code array. We develop efficient decoding procedures for the case of two- and three-column errors. This again extends the previously known results for the case of a single-column error. Another primary advantage of our codes is related to the problem of efficient information updates. We present upper and lower bounds on the average number of parity bits which have to be updated in an MDS code over GF (2^m), following an update in a single information bit. This average number is of importance in many storage applications which require frequent updates of information. We show that the upper bound obtained from our codes is close to the lower bound and, most importantly, does not depend on the size of the code symbols

Low-Complexity Codes for Random and Clustered High-Order Failures in Storage Arrays

RC (Random/Clustered) codes are a new efficient array-code family for recovering from 4-erasures. RC codes correct most 4-erasures, and essentially all 4-erasures that are clustered. Clustered erasures are introduced as a new erasure model for storage arrays. This model draws its motivation from correlated device failures, that are caused by physical proximity of devices, or by age proximity of endurance-limited solid-state drives. The reliability of storage arrays that employ RC codes is analyzed and compared to known codes. The new RC code is significantly more efficient, in all practical implementation factors, than the best known 4-erasure correcting MDS code. These factors include: small-write update-complexity, full-device update-complexity, decoding complexity and number of supported devices in the array

Low-density MDS codes and factors of complete graphs

We present a class of array code of size n×l, where l=2n or 2n+1, called B-Code. The distances of the B-Code and its dual are 3 and l-1, respectively. The B-Code and its dual are optimal in the sense that i) they are maximum-distance separable (MDS), ii) they have an optimal encoding property, i.e., the number of the parity bits that are affected by change of a single information bit is minimal, and iii) they have optimal length. Using a new graph description of the codes, we prove an equivalence relation between the construction of the B-Code (or its dual) and a combinatorial problem known as perfect one-factorization of complete graphs, thus obtaining constructions of two families of the B-Code and its dual, one of which is new. Efficient decoding algorithms are also given, both for erasure correcting and for error correcting. The existence of perfect one-factorizations for every complete graph with an even number of nodes is a 35 years long conjecture in graph theory. The construction of B-Codes of arbitrary odd length will provide an affirmative answer to the conjecture

A B-ISDN-compatible modem/codec

Coded modulation techniques for development of a broadband integrated services digital network (B-ISDN)-compatible modem/codec are investigated. The selected baseband processor system must support transmission of 155.52 Mbit/s of data over an INTELSAT 72-MHz transponder. Performance objectives and fundamental system parameters, including channel symbol rate, code rate, and the modulation scheme are determined. From several candidate codes, a concatenated coding system consisting of a coded octal phase shift keying modulation as the inner code and a high rate Reed-Solomon as the outer code is selected and its bit error rate performance is analyzed by computer simulation. The hardware implementation of the decoder for the selected code is also described