Optex Corporation

At+t Corp.

John M Gerpheide

Steven W McLaughlin

Arthur Robert Calderbank

Rajiv Laroia

Allen M Earman

A system for encoding digital data with an M-ary (d,k) code to provide multi-level coded data where M&gt;2 comprises an M-ary (d,k) encoder for accepting digital input data. The M-ary (d,k) coder encodes the digital input data to produce a plurality of code symbols, where each code symbol is at one of M levels and each pair of non-zero code symbols is separated by at least d but no more than k zeros. A waveform encoder converts the code symbols into waveform signal amplitudes compatible with a multi-level channel. Each waveform signal amplitude is generated by modulo M addition of a current code symbol with a previous waveform signal amplitude. A specific M-ary (d,k) code provides high density recording to a multi-level storage medium. The M-ary (d,k) encoder is implemented using a M-state encoder and a modulo M waveform encoder.

M-ary (d,k) runlength limited coding for multi-level data

A system and method for recording multi-level data to a multi-amplitude recording channel encodes binary data to form multi-level data. The multi-level data are recorded to the storage media for later recall. The system utilizes linear, multi-amplitude recording media which allows data to be stored as multi-level data--requiring fewer `bits` to represent the same number of symbols. To obtain greater data density in the storage media, a diffraction limited write laser is utilized, resulting in a smaller write-spot size. Because the read laser is of a longer wavelength, its diffraction limited spot size is larger. As a result, more than one mark is read at a given read time resulting in a inter-symbol interference. Trellis coded modultation techniques are adopted to convert the binary input data into M-ary data having M levels. Further coding is then performed to compensate for the effects of the inter-symbol interference. This is accomplished by precoding the data using a Tomlinson-Harashima precoder. The precoding results in multi-level data (of m levels, where m.ltoreq..infin.).

Growing community of inventors

Silver Spring, MD, United States of America

John M Gerpheide