Patent ID: 7743309

Claim:
A computer-implemented process for distributed source coding of a set of to-be coded symbols with the aide of a set of reference symbols and context comprised of a set of prior coded symbols, comprising the following actions: establishing a virtual channel between the set of to-be coded symbols and a set of reference symbols, wherein the set of to-be coded symbols will be distorted by the virtual channel into the set of reference symbols, and the virtual channel reflects the difference between the set of to-be coded symbols and the set of reference symbols; establishing a prescribed number of context categories for the virtual channel using the set of prior coded symbols; dividing the virtual channel into multiple sub-channels each dedicated to one of the context categories; calculating a channel error characteristic of each sub-channel; calculating a combined channel error rate of the virtual channel as a whole; and channel encoding the set of to-be coded symbols into syndrome or parity bits using a channel encoder which are capable of protecting against the combined channel error rate.