Patent ID: 7840867

Claim:
A decoder, which performs an iterative n-dimensional decoding of a data structure comprising a data bit frame, the data structure being coded by a n-dimensional code, in which each dimension is protected by an algebraic code having a maximum error correction capability ≦4 bits/symbols, the decoder comprising: a syndrome calculating means, a syndrome processing means and a data processing means; the syndrome calculating means: for computing syndromes in all the n dimensions including a first dimension and a second dimension different from the first dimension in a single step, for calculating all the syndromes in all dimensions once during a first decoding step before any further decoding steps are performed by said decoder, and for outputting the syndromes to syndrome processing means; the syndrome processing means: for processing the syndromes output from the syndrome calculating means in the first dimension during a first iteration, comprising: calculating error positions and error values of the syndromes in the first iteration; and updating the syndromes in the first dimension and the second dimension when the syndromes are changed based on the error positions and error values calculated in the first iteration; for processing the syndromes output from the syndrome calculating means in the second dimension during the second iteration, comprising: calculating error positions and error values of the syndromes in the second iteration; and updating the syndromes in the first dimension and the second dimension when the syndromes are changed based on the error positions and error values calculated in the second iteration; for processing only syndromes with a value different from zero or syndromes that have been updated during a previous decoding step for a second iteration up through a last iteration, for updating all syndromes affected by a correction of a bit of data during subsequent decoding steps by said decoder; and for outputting information based on the processed syndromes, wherein said syndrome processing means comprises syndrome storage means for storing the syndromes; and data processing means for storing data received by the decoder, for correcting the data received by the decoder according to the information output by the syndrome processing means and for outputting corrected data.