International Business Machines Corporation

John Scott Eggenberger

Arvind M Patel

Paul Hodges

Otto Voegeli

A method for correcting error bursts in data which are uncorrectable by an ECC in a communications channel in which no pointer is available or if available is not generated. The data is recorded in blocks preferably comprising subblocks. Parity cell syndromes are generated for each block during writing; and during reading these syndromes are analyzed to identify possible starting points of error burst locations. A trial correction is applied to the data in the uncorrectable block (or subblock), then verified whether successful using CRC. The correction is accepted as valid if and only if only one trial correction is verified as successful. The maximum number B of consecutive bytes in error correctable in a block is less than, the number N of bytes in each parity cell, and N-B is selected to limit the probability of miscorrection.

Abbreviated trial-and-error technique for correcting long bursts of

A method is disclosed for correcting multibyte errors in a magnetic medium on which data is recorded in variable length blocks that comprise subblocks of data bytes and corresponding check bytes and include error correction code (ECC) for which ECC syndromes are generated during reading. A sequence of N sequential parity check bytes is written at the end of each block. After ECC syndromes are generated during reading, parity syndromes are generated by comparing parity check bytes computed from data bytes and check bytes as read with the parity check bytes as written. When a long-burst error occurs, a pointer points to the first of the N consecutive bytes in a block that could have been influenced by the error burst. After correcting correctable errors in all subblocks not affected by the N bytes identified by the pointer, and adjusting the parity syndromes for errors thus corrected, the adjusted parity syndromes are used to correct the errors in the N bytes indicated by the pointer. Unused ECC syndromes are then adjusted for errors corrected by the adjusted parity syndromes and used to correct all correctable errors then remaining.

Method and system for correcting long bursts of consecutive errors

Rate 8/9, constrained codes having run length limitation parameters (0, 4/4) and (0, 3/6) are provided for any partial response (PR) signalling system employing maximum likelihood (ML) detection.

Method and apparatus for implementing optimum PRML codes

Apparatus for converting binary digital data from one form to another according to a variable word length code of fixed rate comprises word position indicating circuitry for indicating predetermined word position states of data in a data storage unit and conversion circuitry for sequentially converting a constant number of input bits at a time into the corresponding number of bits in said other form in dependence upon the contents of the data storage unit and the word position indication. The constant number of bits is less than the number of bits in the longest variable length word in the input data code form. The word position indicating circuitry either generates an updated function representing the current position of the word boundary in the data storage unit or recognizes the boundary from distinctive word ending patterns in the data storage unit.

Sequential encoding and decoding of variable word length, fixed rate

Systematic and noise-induced errors, as detected in words extracted from corresponding locations in a m .times. n word organized memory array, are distinguished as to their source and are corrected by using the conjunction of a nonzero error checking syndrome and the a'priori location defects status as indexed by the location address of the extracted words from an external table memory.

Method and means for discriminating between systematic and noise-induced

A rotating field access pattern for use in the propagation of a bubble lattice is disclosed. The pattern contains a set of diamond shaped magnetic elements arranged in a regular array. The elements have two sides which are parallel to one bubble lattice axis and two sides which are parallel to another bubble lattice axis. The bubbles are propagated in the direction of a third bubble lattice axis.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

John Scott Eggenberger