Patent ID: 6988233

Claim:
A decoding apparatus comprising: an iteration decoder that iteratively performs error correcting decoding on a received coded sequence to produce a plurality of error detecting codes in each iteration, the coded sequence generated by error detecting coding and error correcting coding information bits; a checker that checks for an error in each of the error detecting codes produced in each iteration of error correcting decoding the received coded sequence and produces a check result for each of the error detecting codes produced in each iteration of error correcting decoding the received coded sequence; a holder that (i) stores the error check result for each of the error detecting codes produced in each iteration of error correcting decoding the received coded sequence and (ii) associates each error check result produced in the latest iteration with error check results for the corresponding error detecting code produced in every prior iteration to provide groups respectively comprising corresponding error check results; and a controller that induces the iteration decoder to perform another iteration of error correcting decoding when, for at least one of said groups of error check results, the stored error check results indicate that an error was detected for each of the error check results within said any one or more of said groups.