Abstract:
A rate 8/9, constrained partial response class IV code having run length limitation parameters (0,3/5) is provided for any partial response (PR) signaling system employing maximum likelihood (ML) detection.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present invention is related to application Ser. No. 855,641 entitled &#34;Method and Apparatus for Implementing Optimum PRML Codes&#34; filed Apr. 24, 1986 by J. S. Eggengerger et al, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to techniques for encoding data. More particularly, it relates to a Partial Response Maximum Likelihood technique for encoding a preselectable number of bits of binary data into codewords having a preselectable number of bits on a class-IV channel using a run length limited (RLL) code. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Partial Response Maximum Likelihood techniques have long been associated with digital communication channels. ML detection is typically used in PR class-IV channels (hereinafter, the acronym PRML is used to denote the combination of PR class-IV channels with ML detection). 
     Further, encoding data for use with recording channels is also known. The (d,k) constraints, which specify the minimum and maximum run lengths of zeroes, respectively, in RLL codes used in peak-detection systems, reduce intersymbol interferences (hereinafter, ISI) while maintaining self-clocking characteristics of the data signal. See, for example, IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN, Vol. 28, No. 5, October 1985, pp. 1938-1940, entitled &#34;Improved Encoder and Decoder for a Byte-Oriented (0,3) 8/9 Code&#34;, IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN, Vol. 18, No. 1, June 1975, pp. 248-251, entitled &#34;Encoder and Decoder for a Byte-Oriented (0,3) 8/9 Code&#34;, and the above-identified related application Ser. No. 855,641 which discloses both a (0,3/6) and a (0,4/4) PRML method and apparatus. 
     In a PRML channel, a channel code can also be used to provide clocking and automatic gain control (AGC) information. Since the maximum run length of nominally zero samples must be limited, the k constraint is still appropriate when specifying the channel code requirements for PRML channels. However, RLL codes with d greater than zero are not necessary in PRML channels because compensation for ISI is inherent in the ML detector. Thus, there is no need to reduce interference by coding with a d constraint. 
     On the other hand, the k constraint is not the only constraint required for the PRML channel. The k 1  constraint is an additional constraint that is used to limit both detector delay and hardware complexity. If a data sequence of the input signal is demultiplexed into an even indexed sample subsequence and an odd indexed sample subsequence, and ML detection is applied to each subsequence independently, a constraint on the number of successive nominally zero samples in each subsequence adequately limits the detector delay and hardware. Thus, in terms of NRZI data representation, the required limitation is on the maximum number of sequential zeroes in both the even-indexed and the odd-indexed subsequences. The maximum number of sequential NRZI zeros in either subsequence is referred to as the k 1  constraint, and is analogous to the k constraint for the interleaved sequence of data. 
     Codes having run length constraints restrict the allowed code sequences to less than 2 to the power of n sequences possible, where n specifies the number of data symbols in a sequence. The rate of such a code is less than 1 data bit to 1 code bit, which can be expressed as a ratio of small integers. Thus, if an 8-bit data byte is mapped into a 9-bit codeword, the code rate is 8/9. 
     The (0,3/6) and (0,4/4) codes disclosed by Eggenberger differ in the following manner. The k parameter is desirable for accurate timing and gain control. Therefore, the (0,3/6) code disclosed by Eggenberger, which uses a smaller value of k (3) will provide more accurate timing and gain control than the (0,4/4) code. However, it has a disadvantage relative to the (0,4/4) code in that it requires more hardware in the Viterbi detector path memory. Alternatively, a small k 1  parameter will reduce the size of the path memory required in the ML detector. Therefore, the (0,4/4) code will require a smaller path memory than the (0,3/6) code. Likewise, the (0,4/4) code has a disadvantage relative to the (0,3/6) code in that it does not have timing and gain control equal to the (0,3/6) code. Since these codes cannot be simultaneously used, a design choice must be made depending on the relative importance of the advantages inherent in each code. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to implement a single class-IV PRML modulation code which has the timing and gain control advantages of the (0,3/6) PRML code, and the reduced Viterbi detector path memory hardware requirement advantages of the (0,4/4) PRML code. 
     This and other objects will become apparent when read in light of the accompanying specification and drawings. The above object is carried out by a (0,3/5) modulation code suitable for class-IV PR channels employing ML detection. The (0,3/5) code receives input data comprised of a preselectable number of bits of binary data which are encoded into sequences of codewords having a preselectable number of bits. The sequences of codewords are arranged into odd and even interleaved subsequences, each sequence having no more than three consecutive zero bits of binary data and each odd and even subsequence having no more than five consecutive zero bits of binary data. In like fashion, the codewords produced by the encoder can be used as input to a decoder. The decoder receives the codewords and produces sequences of binary data in response to the codewords. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1 and 1A are a schematic diagram of a PRML system modulation code encoder for a code having rate 8/9 and run length constraints (0,3/5), constructed according to the principles of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 2 and 2A are a schematic diagram of a PRML system modulation code decoder for a code having rate 8/9 and run length constraints (0,3/5), constructed according to the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus is disclosed for encoding and decoding a preselectable number of binary bits into codewords having a preselectable number of bits. The method and apparatus utilize a (0,3/5) PRML modulation code to encode 8 bit binary data into codewords comprised of 9 bit code sequences. The maximum number of consecutive zeroes allowed within a code sequence is 3, and the maximum number of consecutive zeroes in the all-even or all-odd subsequences is 5. 
     The (0,3/5) code is designed for a specific partial response (PR) channel, namely the so-called &#34;class-IV&#34; PR. Class-IV partial response refers to a channel response whose output waveform is described by taking the input waveform, and subtracting from it the same waveform delayed by 2 bit intervals. This is described digitally in terms of a channel polynomial, P(D). For class-IV partial response: 
     
         P(D)=(1-D.sup.2)                                           (1) 
    
     The polynomial describes the effect of the channel on digital inputs. The D operator means &#34;delay one bit time&#34;, and D 2  means &#34;delay 2 bit times.&#34; Therefore, the class-IV channel produces output sampel U at time t which is equal to the input W at time t, minus the input W at time t-2. In other words: 
     
         U.sub.t =W.sub.t -W.sub.t-2                                (2) 
    
     The moduolation code is characterized by three parameters d, k, and k 1  written (d,k/k 1 ). The parameters d and k represent the minimum and maximum run lengths of zeros in the channel output code bit sequence, where a run length of zeroes may be regarded as a period of silence in the detection process. The parameter k 1  represents the maximum run length of zeros in the particular all-even or all-odd subsequences. In the present invention, d equals 0 since a minimum run length of zeroes is inapposite in the context of PRML channel. The value of k is set to three and the value of k 1  is set to 5. A small value of k is desirable for accurate timing and gain control, and a small value of k 1  reduces the size of the path memory required in the ML detector. 
     A rate 8/9 RLL block code having (0,3/5) constraints provides at most 251 9-bit codewords from 8-bit data bytes. Two hundred fifty six codewords can be derived by excluding the all-ones codeword and adding 6 state dependent codeword pairs for two states encoding. The states 1 and 2 are identified by the value of the last bit of the previous codeword concatenation. Thus, 256 codewords of 9 bits each can be defined where all catenations of such codewords comply with the d,k/k 1  constraint and two state encoding is used. The code provides for specific assignment of 8-bit data bytes to 9-bit codewords which creates partitions of bytes and codewords with similar structure. The partitions of bytes are uniquely identifiable and overall mapping of the codewords is produced by gating partition bits according to simple boolean functions. 
     If Y denotes a 9-bit codeword in the (0,3/5) code, then 
     
         Y=[Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2, Y.sub.3, Y.sub.4, Y.sub.5, Y.sub.6, Y.sub.7, Y.sub.8, Y.sub.9 ]                                                 (3) 
    
     The constraint k=3 in the overall coded sequence can be produced by eliminating 9-bit sequences with run lengths of 3 zeroes at the left end thereof, run lengths of 2 zeroes at the right end thereof, or run lengths of 4 zeroes within each 9-bit sequence. Such a constraint is given by the following boolean relation: 
     
         (Y.sub.1 +Y.sub.2 +Y.sub.3)(Y.sub.2 +Y.sub.3 +Y.sub.4 +Y.sub.5)(Y.sub.3 +Y.sub.4 +Y.sub.5 +Y.sub.6) 
    
     
          (Y.sub.4 +Y.sub.5 +Y.sub.6 +Y.sub.7)(Y.sub.5 +Y.sub.6 +Y.sub.7 +Y.sub.8)(Y.sub.8 +Y.sub.9)=1                             (4) 
    
     Similarly, the constraint k 1  =5 is described by the following two equations for the sequence of all odd-bit positions and the sequence of all even-bit positions, respectively, in Equations (5) and (6) given below. 
     
         (Y.sub.1 +Y.sub.3 +Y.sub.5)(Y.sub.5 +Y.sub.7 +Y.sub.9)=1   (5) 
    
     
         (Y.sub.2 +Y.sub.4 +Y.sub.6 +Y.sub.8)=1                     (6) 
    
     Two hundred fifty one valid 9-bit binary sequences satisfy Equations (4), (5), and (6), the decimal equivalents for which are given in Table III. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 1A, an 8-bit binary data byte, denoted X, and its assigned 9-bit codeword, Y, are given by: 
     
         X=[X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, X.sub.4, X.sub.5, X.sub.6, X.sub.7, X.sub.8 ](7) 
    
     Y=[Y 1 , Y 2 , Y 3 , Y 4 , Y 5 , Y 6 , Y 7 , Y 8 , Y 9  ]                                                 (8) 
     The first partition of codeword assignments, denoted M, comprises the set of data bytes in which the first and last four bits of the 8-bit binary data bytes can be mapperd without change into the first and last four bits, respectively, of the 9-bit codeword, Y. The middle bit, i.e. the fifth bit position, of the 9-bit codeword in this partition is always 1. Thus, partition M comprises 162 codewords which can be identified by the relation: 
     
         M.sub.1 =(X.sub.1 +X.sub.2 +X.sub.3)                       (9) 
    
     
         M.sub.2 =(X.sub.7 +X.sub.8)                                (10) 
    
     
         M.sub.3 =(X.sub.2 +X.sub.4 +X.sub.5 +X.sub.7)              (11) 
    
     
         M=M.sub.1 M.sub.2 M.sub.3                                  (12) 
    
     The remaining codeword assignments are divided into partitions N 1 , R 1 , S 1 , N 2 , R 2  and S 2 , which identify 24, 25, 9, 10, 20 and 6 codeword assignments, respectively. These assignments are given by the following structures of the bits in X: 
     
         N.sub.1 =M.sub.2 (X.sub.1 +X.sub.3)X.sub.4                 (13) 
    
     
         R.sub.1 =M.sub.2 (X.sub.2 +X.sub.5 X.sub.6)(X.sub.1 +X.sub.3)X.sub.4 (14) 
    
     
         S.sub.1 =M.sub.2 (X.sub.2 +X.sub.5 X.sub.6)(X.sub.1 +X.sub.3)X.sub.4 (15) 
    
     
         N.sub.2 =M.sub.1 (X.sub.8 +X.sub.6)X.sub.5                 (16) 
    
     
         R.sub.2 =M.sub.1 (X.sub.8 +X.sub.6)X.sub.5                 (17) 
    
     
         S.sub.2 =M.sub.3 (X.sub.1 +X.sub.3)X.sub.8                 (18) 
    
     The six state-dependent codewords, together with decimal equivalents of the possible values, are given in Table IV. 
     To avoid an all ones coded sequence, the middle bit, Y 5 , is changed to zero which, in turn, creates another valid codeword. The partition E defines the all-ones codeword as follows: 
     
         E=X.sub.1 X.sub.2 X.sub.3 X.sub.4 X.sub.5 X.sub.6 X.sub.7 X.sub.8 (19) 
    
     The logic equations for encoder 100 of FIGS. 1 and A1 are given in Table I. 
     The decoder function of FIGS. 2 and 2A identifies the same partitions as those in the encoder, using the exclusive structures of bit patterns in the 9-bit sequence Y to obtain logic equations for the components of X. Decoder equations for the decoder 300 of FIGS. 2 and 2A are provided in Table III. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 1A, encoded variables, X 1  -X 8  enter encoder 100 at receiver lines X 1  to X 8  of encoder 100. The receiver lines X 1  and X 8  are coupled to encoder gates 102-274. In respone to such varibles, codewords are produced by encoder gates 102-274 in the following manner. Encoder gates 102-146 produce codeword partitions M, N 1 , R 1 , S 1 , N 2 , R 2 , S 2 , and E respectively. Finally, encoded variables Y 1  -Y 9  are produced by encoder gates 148-164, 166-182, 184-194, 196-204, 206-210, 212-220, 222-234, 236-254 and 256-274, respectively. 
     Coded variables, Y 1  -Y 9 , enter decoder 300 at receiver lines Y 1  to Y 9  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A. The receiver lines Y 1  to Y 9  are coupled to decoder gates 302-426. Backward reading, codeword partitions E, M, N 1 , R 1 , and S 1 , for recreating uncoded variables, i.e. the data, are produced by decoder gates 302-322, respectively, in response to coded variables Y 1  -Y 9 . Similarly, partitions N 2 , R 2  and S 2  are produced by decoder gates 324-328, respectively. Finally, the data, X 1  -X 8 , is provided by decoder gates 330-340, 342-348, 350-364, 366-374, 376-390, 392-410, 412-418 and 420-426, respectively. 
     The code described in this specification is an optimum code in that k cannot be decreased without decreased without increasing k, decreasing the rate, increasing the codeword length, or increasing the number of encoder states. This modulation code provides a reduced k parameter (k=3) relative to the (0,4/4) code (k=4) for improved timing and gain control information, and it achieves this without increasing the k 1  parameter as much as the (0,3/6) code (k 1  =5 versus k 1  =6). The k 1  parameter directly influences the hardware requirements in the Viterbi detector path memory, as well as the size of the most probable error bursts. The maximum error propagation of the (0,3/5) code is the same as that of the (0,3/6) code. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit, scope and teaching of the invention. For example, a software implementation of the encoder and decoder circuit functions is possible. Accordingly, the apparatus and method herein disclosed are to be considered merely as illustrative, and the invention is to be limited only as specified in the claims. 
     
                       TABLE I______________________________________(0,3/5) Encoder______________________________________Partitions:M.sub.1 = (X.sub.1 + X.sub.2 + X.sub.3)          N.sub.1 = M.sub.2 (X.sub.1 + X.sub.3)X.sub.4M.sub.2 = (X.sub.7 + X.sub.8)          N.sub.2 = M.sub.1 (X.sub.8 + X.sub.6)X.sub.5M.sub.3 = (X.sub.2 + X.sub.4 + X.sub.5 +          R.sub.1 = M.sub.2 (X.sub.2 + X.sub.5 X.sub.6)(X.sub.1 +          X.sub.3)X.sub.4X.sub.7)M = M.sub.1 M.sub.2 M.sub.3          R.sub.2 = M.sub.1 (X.sub.8 + X.sub.6)X.sub.5E = X.sub.1 X.sub.2 X.sub.3 X.sub.4 X.sub.5 X.sub.6 X.sub.7 X.sub.8          S.sub.1 = M.sub.2 (X.sub.2 + X.sub.5 X.sub.6)(X.sub.1 +          X.sub.3)X.sub.4          S.sub.2 = M.sub.3 (X.sub.1 + X.sub.3)X.sub.8Encoding Functions:Y.sub.1 = (EM + N.sub.1)X.sub.1 + R.sub.1 X.sub.4 + R.sub.2 (X.sub.4 +X.sub.7) + S.sub.1 X.sub.3 (X.sub.1 + X.sub.6)Y.sub.2 = (EM + N.sub.1)X.sub.2 + R.sub.1 X.sub.3 + R.sub.2 (X.sub.4 +X.sub.7) + S.sub.1 X.sub.1 +S.sub.2 (PAST)Y.sub.3 = (M + N.sub.1)X.sub.3 + N.sub.2 + R.sub.1 X.sub.1 + R.sub.2(X.sub.4 + X.sub.7) + S.sub.1Y.sub.4 = (EM + N.sub.1)X.sub.4 + N.sub.2 X.sub.4 + R.sub.1 + S.sub.2Y.sub.5 = EM + S.sub.2 (PAST)Y.sub.6 = (EM + N.sub.2)X.sub.5 + R.sub.1  + R.sub.2 + S.sub.2 X.sub.6Y.sub.7 = (M + N.sub.2)X.sub.6 + N.sub.1 (X.sub.5 + X.sub.6) + R.sub.1X.sub.6 + R.sub.2 X.sub.8 + S.sub.1 + S.sub.2Y.sub.8 = (M + N.sub.2)X.sub.7 + N.sub.1 (X.sub.5 + X.sub.6) + R.sub.1X.sub.5 + R.sub.2 X.sub.6 + S.sub.1 (X.sub.1 +X.sub.6) + S.sub.2 X.sub.1Y.sub.9 = (EM + N.sub.2)X.sub.8 + N.sub.1 (X.sub.5 + X.sub.6) + R.sub.1X.sub.2 + R.sub.2 X.sub.5 + S.sub.1 X.sub.5 +S.sub.2 X.sub.3Past = Last digit in previous codeword (set PAST = 0 for(0,3/6) code).______________________________________ 
    
     
                       TABLE II______________________________________(0,3/5) Decoder______________________________________Partitions:E = Y.sub.1 Y.sub.2 Y.sub.4 Y.sub.5 Y.sub.6 Y.sub.9             R.sub.1 = M(Y.sub.1 + Y.sub.2 Y.sub.3)Y.sub.4 Y.sub.6M = Y.sub.5 (Y.sub.1 + Y.sub.2 + Y.sub.3) + E             R.sub.2 = M(Y.sub.1 + Y.sub.2)Y.sub.4 Y.sub.6N.sub.1 = M(Y.sub.1 + Y.sub.3)Y.sub.4 Y.sub.6             S.sub.1 = MY.sub.4 Y.sub.6N.sub.2 = MY.sub.1 Y.sub.2 Y.sub.3 Y.sub.6             S.sub.2 = M(Y.sub.1 + Y.sub.3)Encoding Functions:X.sub.1 = E + (M + N.sub.1)Y.sub.1 + R.sub.1 Y.sub.3 + S.sub.1 Y.sub.2 +S.sub.2 Y.sub.8X.sub.2 = E + (M + N.sub.1)Y.sub.2 + R.sub.1 Y.sub.9X.sub.3 =  (M + N.sub.1)Y.sub.3 + R.sub.1 Y.sub.2 + S.sub.1 (Y.sub.1 +Y.sub.2) + S.sub.2 Y.sub.9X.sub.4 = E + (M + N.sub.1)Y.sub.4 + N.sub.2 Y.sub.4 + R.sub.1 Y.sub.1 +R.sub.2 Y.sub.1 Y.sub.2X.sub.5 = E + (M + N.sub.2)Y.sub.6 + N.sub.1 Y.sub.8 Y.sub.9 + R.sub.1Y.sub.8 + R.sub.2 Y.sub.9 + S.sub.1 Y.sub.9X.sub.6 = (M + N.sub.2)Y.sub.7 + N.sub.1 Y.sub.7 Y.sub.8 + R.sub.1Y.sub.7 + R.sub.2 Y.sub.8 + S.sub.1 (Y.sub.1 Y.sub.2 + Y.sub.8) +S.sub.2 Y.sub.6X.sub.7 = (M + N.sub.2)Y.sub.8 + R.sub.2 Y.sub.2 Y.sub.3X.sub.8 = E +  (M + N.sub.2)Y.sub.9 + R.sub.2 Y.sub.7 + S.sub.2______________________________________ 
    
     
                                           TABLE III__________________________________________________________________________List of 251 9-bit words (converted to decimal) which can be freelyconcatenated to form strings satisfying the 0,3/5) constraint:__________________________________________________________________________70 71 73 75 77 78 79 82 83 86 87 89 90  91 93 94 9599 101 102    103       105          107             109                110                   111                      113                         114                            115                               117 118                                      119                                         121                                            122123   125 126    127       145          146             147                149                   150                      151                         153                            154                               155 157                                      158                                         159                                            177178   179 181    182       183          185             186                187                   189                      190                         191                            197                               198 199                                      201                                         203                                            205206   207 209    210       211          213             214                215                   217                      218                         219                            221                               222 223                                      227                                         229                                            230231   233 235    237       238          239             241                242                   243                      245                         246                            247                               249 250                                      251                                         253                                            254255   274 275    278       279          281             282                283                   285                      286                         287                            291                               293 294                                      295                                         297                                            299301   302 303    305       306          307             309                310                   311                      313                         314                            315                               317 318                                      319                                         326                                            327329   331 333    334       335          338             339                342                   343                      345                         346                            347                               349 350                                      351                                         355                                            357358   359 361    363       365          366             367                369                   370                      371                         373                            374                               375 377                                      378                                         379                                            381382   383 393    395       397          398             399                401                   402                      403                         405                            406                               407 409                                      410                                         411                                            413414   415 419    421       422          423             425                427                   429                      430                         431                            433                               434 435                                      437                                         438                                            439441   442 443    445       446          447             453                454                   455                      457                         459                            461                               462 463                                      465                                         466                                            467469   470 471    473       474          475             477                478                   479                      483                         485                            486                               487 489                                      491                                         493                                            494495   497 498    499       501          502             503                505                   506                      507                         509                            510                               511__________________________________________________________________________ 
    
     
                       TABLE IV______________________________________List of the six state-dependent codewords:______________________________________0 A 0 1 B 0 1 0 10 A 0 1 B 0 1 1 00 A 0 1 B 0 1 1 10 A 0 1 B 1 1 0 10 A 0 1 B 1 1 1 00 A 0 1 B 1 1 1 1______________________________________where A =     (PAST)B =     (PAST)PAST being a binary variable that defines the state and is given bythe last digit of the preceding codeword. The possible values ofcodewords which may result are:         State 1     State 2DATA          (PAST = 1)  (PAST = 0)______________________________________00100001 (33) 000110101 (53)                     010100101 (165)00100101 (37) 000111101 (61)                     010101101 (173)10000001 (129)         000110110 (54)                     010100110 (166)10000101 (133)         000111110 (62)                     010101110 (174)10100001 (161)         000110111 (55)                     010100111 (167)10100101 (165)         000111111 (63)                     010101111 (175)______________________________________