초록 ▼

A system, method and computer program product is provided for mitigating the effects of burst noise on packets transmitted in a communications system. A transmitting device applies an outer code, which may include, for example, a block code, an exclusive OR (XOR) code, or a repetition code, to one o

A system, method and computer program product is provided for mitigating the effects of burst noise on packets transmitted in a communications system. A transmitting device applies an outer code, which may include, for example, a block code, an exclusive OR (XOR) code, or a repetition code, to one or more packets prior to adaptation of the packets for transmission over the physical (PHY) layer of the communications system, wherein the PHY layer adaptation may include FEC encoding of individual packets. The outer coded packets are then separately transmitted over a channel of the communications system. A receiving device receives the outer coded packets, performs PHY level demodulation and optional FEC decoding of the packets, and then applies outer code decoding to the out6r coded packets in order to restore packets that were erased during transmission due to burst noise or other impairments on the channel.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for transmitting packets of electronic information, comprising: organizing one or more packets into a plurality of information segments; encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment; adapting

What is claimed is: 1. A method for transmitting packets of electronic information, comprising: organizing one or more packets into a plurality of information segments; encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment; adapting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, wherein said adapting includes forward error correction (FEC) encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, thereby dividing each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment into a corresponding plurality of FEC blocks; and separately transmitting each of said plurality of FEC blocks over said channel. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adapting further includes adapting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a cable modem system. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code comprises encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a Hamming code. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code comprises encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with an exclusive or (XOR) code. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment to indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said adapting further includes interleaving each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment. 8. A method for receiving packets of electronic information, comprising: separately receiving a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a communications system, wherein each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment comprises a plurality of FEC codewords; forward error correction (FEC) decoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said FEC decoding comprises FEC decoding each of a plurality of FEC blocks within each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment; identifying one of said plurality of FEC blocks within one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased FEC block includes more errors than can be corrected by said FEC decoding; restoring said erased FEC block by decoding non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code; and organizing said plurality of information segments into one or more packets. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a communications system comprises receiving a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a cable modem system. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said decoding non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code comprises decoding non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a Hamming code. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said decoding non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code comprises decoding non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with an exclusive or (XOR) code. 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising reading identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments. 13. The method of claim 8, further comprising reading identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment. 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising de-interleaving each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment. 15. A method for transferring packets of electronic information, comprising: organizing one or more packets into a plurality of information segments; encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment; adapting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction (FEC) encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, thereby dividing each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment into a corresponding plurality of FEC blocks; separately transmitting each of said plurality of FEC blocks over said channel; receiving and FEC decoding each of said plurality of FEC blocks associated with each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment; identifying one of said plurality of FEC blocks associated with one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased FEC block includes more errors than can be corrected by said FEC decoding; restoring said erased FEC block by decoding non-erased FEC blocks associated with said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with said block code; and reorganizing said plurality of information segments into said one or more packets. 16. A device for transmitting packets of electronic information, comprising: a media access control configured to receive one or more packets, organize said one or more packets into a plurality of information segments, and encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment; physical layer logic coupled to said media access control, said physical layer logic configured to adapt each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction (FEC) encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, thereby dividing each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment into a corresponding plurality of FEC blocks; and a transmitter coupled to said physical layer logic, said transmitter configured to separately transmit each of said plurality of FEC blocks over said channel. 17. The device of claim 16, wherein said physical layer logic is configured to adapt each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a cable modem system. 18. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is configured to encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with a Hamming code. 19. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is configured to encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with an exclusive or (XOR) code. 20. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is further configured to add identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment to indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments. 21. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is further configured to add identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment. 22. The device of claim 16, wherein said physical layer logic is further configured to interleave each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment. 23. A device for receiving packets of electronic information, comprising: a receiver configured to separately receive a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a communications system wherein each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment comprises a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) codewords; physical layer logic coupled to said receiver, said physical layer logic configured to FEC decode each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said FEC decoding comprises FEC decoding each of a plurality of FEC blocks within each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, and to identify one of said plurality of FEC blocks within one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased FEC block includes more errors than can be corrected by said FEC decoding; and a media access control coupled to said physical layer logic, said media access control configured to restore said erased FEC block by decoding non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code and to organize said plurality of information segments into one or more packets. 24. The device of claim 23, wherein said receiver is configured to receive said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment over a channel of a cable modem system. 25. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is configured to decode non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a Hamming code. 26. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is configured to decode non-erased FEC blocks in said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with an exclusive or (XOR) code. 27. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is further configured to read identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments. 28. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is further configured to read identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment. 29. The device of claim 23, wherein said physical layer logic is further configured to de-interleave each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment. 30. A system for transferring packets of electronic information, comprising: a transmitting device, including: a first media access control configured to receive one or more packets, organize said one or more packets into a plurality of information segments, and encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment, first physical layer logic coupled to said first media access control, said first physical layer logic configured to adapt each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction (FEC) encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, thereby dividing each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment into a corresponding plurality of FEC blocks, and a transmitter coupled to said physical layer logic, said transmitter configured to separately transmit each of said plurality of FEC blocks over said channel; and a receiving device, including: a receiver configured to receive said plurality of FEC blocks over said channel, second physical layer logic coupled to said receiver, said second physical layer logic configured to FEC decode each of said plurality FEC blocks associated with each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, and to identify one of said plurality of FEC blocks associated with one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased FEC block includes more errors than can be corrected by said FEC decoding, and a second media access control coupled to said second physical layer logic, said second media access control configured to restore said erased FEC block by decoding non-erased FEC blocks associated with said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code and to organize said plurality of information segments into said one or more packets.