Patent ID: 7546510

Claim:
A method for encoding and protecting data bits against at least one bit error therein, the method comprising: (a) arranging the data bits logically into a data array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; (b) computing an individual row parity vector for each of said rows; (c) computing, and retaining with the data bits, a computed global row parity vector, said computed global row parity vector being a predetermined function of said individual row parity vectors; (d) computing an overall row parity bit for each of said rows; (e) computing, and retaining with the data bits, a computed global column parity vector, said computed global column parity vector being a predetermined function of said overall row parity bits; and (f) subsequent to said computing of said computed global column parity vector, discarding at least one of said overall row parity bits; wherein, if any of said individual row parity vectors are retained with the data bits, fewer than all of said individual row parity vectors are retained with the data bits; and wherein, if any individual column parity vectors are computed, a number of said individual column parity vectors returned with the data bits is less than a number of said columns.