Patent ID: 7047477

Claim:
Method of encoding address words (a) comprising address symbols (a 0 , a 1 , . . . , a k−1 ) into codewords (c) of a code (C) for providing an enhanced error correction capability if at least one information symbol (m 1 ) of information words (m) is known a priori to a decoder decoding received, possibly mutilated codewords (r), said method comprising the steps of: encoding the address words (a) into information words (m) such that address words comprising addresses being close to each other share a plurality of information symbols, encoding said information words (m) into codewords (c) using a generator matrix (G) selected such that the minimum Hamming distance of at least one subcode (C′) of said code (C) is larger than the minimum Hamming distance of said code (C) and that a subcode generator matrix (G′) of said subcode (C′) derives from said generator matrix (G) of said code (C) by omitting the at least one row from said generator matrix (G) corresponding to said at least one a priori known information symbol (m 1 ).