Error-correcting tandem encoding system

Abstract

An error-correcting tandem encoding system includes a transmitter section and a receiver section. The transmitter section comprises a multiplexer for multiplexing data and voice signals supplied thereto, a Reed-Solomon encoder for Reed-Solomon-encoding an output signal from the multiplexer while interleaving the output signal without causing a delay, a convolutional encoder for convolutionally encoding a Reed-Solomon encoded signal from the Reed-Solomon encoder, and a PSK modulator having a fixed bit rate for phase-shift-keying an output signal from the convolutional encoder. The receiver section comprises a PSK demodulator having a fixed bit rate for demodulating a phase-shift-keyed signal supplied thereto, a Viterbi decoder for decoding a demodulated output signal from the PSK demodulator based on a Viterbi algorithm, a deinterleaver for deinterleaving a decoded output signal from the Viterbi decoder, a Reed-Solomon decoder for decoding a deinterleaved output signal from the deinterleaver, a first separator for separating voice and data signals from a decoded output signal from the Reed-Solomon decoder, a second separator for extracting a voice signal from the decoded output signal from the Viterbi decoder, and a selector for selecting the voice signal separated by the first separator or the voice signal extracted by the second separator.