System , method and computer program product for mitigating burst noise in a communications system

• US 20030031198A1
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bunn, Fred, Seshadri, Nambi, Kolze, Thomas J., Currivan, Bruce J., Howard, Daniel H., Johnson, Thomas L., Harrell, Jay, Quigley, Tom, Cummings, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/09 Error detection only, e.g. using cyclic redundancy check [CRC] codes or single parity bit
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/098 using single parity bit
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/1515 Reed-Solomon codes
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/19 Single error correction without using particular properties of the cyclic codes, e.g. Hamming codes, extended or generalised Hamming codes
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/2707 Simple row-column interleaver, i.e. pure block interleaving
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/2915 with an error detection code in one dimension
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0065 Serial concatenated codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1877 for semi-reliable protocols, e.g. for less sensitive applications like streaming video buffer level management for video bitstream control arrangements H04N21/44004

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product is provided for mitigating the effects of burst noise on packets transmitted in a communications system. A transmitting device applies an outer code, which may include, for example, a block code, an exclusive OR (XOR) code, or a repetition code, to one or more packets prior to adaptation of the packets for transmission over the physical (PHY) layer of the communications system, wherein the PHY layer adaptation may include FEC encoding of individual packets. The outer coded packets are then separately transmitted over a channel of the communications system. A receiving device receives the outer coded packets, performs PHY level demodulation and optional FEC decoding of the packets, and then applies outer code decoding to the outer coded packets in order to restore packets that were erased during transmission due to burst noise or other impairments on the channel.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting packets of electronic information, comprising:

organizing one or more packets into a plurality of information segments;

encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment;

adapting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, wherein said adapting includes forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment; and

separately transmitting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment over said channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adapting further includes adapting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a cable modem system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code comprises encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a Hamming code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code comprises encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with an exclusive OR (XOR) code.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment to indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said adapting further includes interleaving each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment.

8. A method for receiving packets of electronic information, comprising:

receiving a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a communications system;

forward error correction decoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment;

identifying one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased information segment includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding;

restoring said erased information segment by decoding non-erased information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code; and

organizing said plurality of information segments into one or more packets.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a communications system comprises receiving a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a cable modem system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said decoding non-erased information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code comprises decoding the remaining information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a Hamming code.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said decoding non-erased information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code comprises decoding the remaining information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with an exclusive OR (XOR) code.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising reading identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising reading identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising de-interleaving each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment.

15. A method for transferring packets of electronic information, comprising:

organizing one or more packets into a plurality of information segments;

encoding said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment;

adapting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment;

separately transmitting each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment over said channel;

receiving and forward error correction decoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment;

identifying one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased information segment includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding;

restoring said erased information segment by decoding non-erased information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with said block code; and

reorganizing said plurality of information segments into said one or more packets.

16. A device for transmitting packets of electronic information, comprising:

a media access control configured to receive one or more packets, organize said one or more packets into a plurality of information segments, and encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment;

physical layer logic coupled to said media access control, said physical layer logic configured to adapt each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment; and

a transmitter coupled to said physical layer logic, said transmitter configured to separately transmit each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment over said channel.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said physical layer logic is configured to adapt each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a cable modem system.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is configured to encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with a Hamming code.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is configured to encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with an exclusive OR (XOR) code.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is further configured to add identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment to indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein said media access control is further configured to add identification bits to each of said plurality of information segments and to said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein said physical layer logic is further configured to interleave each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment.

23. A device for receiving packets of electronic information, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over a channel of a communications system;

physical layer logic coupled to said receiver, said physical layer logic configured to forward error correction decode each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment and to identify one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased information segment includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding; and

a media access control coupled to said physical layer logic, said media access control configured to restore said erased information segment by decoding non-erased information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a block code and to organize said plurality of information segments into one or more packets.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said receiver is configured to receive said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment over a channel of a cable modem system.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is configured to decode non-erased information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with a Hamming code.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is configured to decode the remaining information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with an exclusive OR (XOR) code

27. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is further configured to read identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate that each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment belong to a unique group of encoded segments.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein said media access control is further configured to read identification bits in each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, wherein said identification bits indicate an encoding order of said information segments and said at least one parity segment.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein said physical layer logic is further configured to de-interleave each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment.

30. A system for transferring packets of electronic information, comprising:

a transmitting device, including;

a first media access control configured to receive one or more packets, organize said one or more packets into a plurality of information segments, and encode said plurality of information segments in accordance with a block code to generate at least one parity segment,

first physical layer logic coupled to said first media access control, said first physical layer logic configured to adapt each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment, and

a transmitter coupled to said first physical layer logic, said transmitter configured to separately transmit each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment over said channel; and

a receiving device, including;

a receiver configured to receive said plurality of information segments and at least one parity segment over said channel,

second physical layer logic coupled to said receiver, said second physical layer logic configured to forward error correction decode each of said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment and to identify one of said plurality of information segments as erased, wherein said erased information segment includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding; and

a second media access control coupled to said second physical layer logic, said second media access control configured to restore said erased information segment by decoding non-erased information segments from said plurality of information segments and said at least one parity segment in accordance with said block code and to reorganize said plurality of information segments into said one or more packets.

31. A method for transmitting packets of electronic information, comprising:

copying a first packet to generate a plurality of packets, said plurality of packets including said first packet and one or more repeated packets;

adapting each of said plurality of packets for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of packets; and

separately transmitting each of said plurality of packets over said channel.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said adapting further includes adapting each of said plurality of packets for transmission over a channel of a cable modem system.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said adapting further includes interleaving each of said plurality of packets.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising compressing said first packet in accordance with a packet header suppression technique prior to said copying of said first packet.

35. A method for receiving packets of electronic information, comprising:

receiving a plurality of packets over a channel of a communications system, said plurality of packets comprising a first packet and one or more repeated packets, wherein each of said one or more repeated packets comprises a copy of said first packet;

forward error correction decoding each of said plurality of packets;

identifying one of said plurality of packets as erased, wherein said erased packet includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding; and

selecting one of said plurality of packets that has not been erased to represent said first packet.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said receiving a plurality of packets over a channel of a communications system comprises receiving a plurality of packets over a channel of a cable modem system.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising de-interleaving each of said plurality of packets.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising decompressing said selected packet from said plurality of packets in accordance with a packet header suppression technique.

39. A method for transferring packets of electronic information, comprising:

copying a first packet to generate a plurality of packets, said plurality of packets including said first packet and one or more repeated packets;

adapting each of said plurality of packets for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of packets;

separately transmitting each of said plurality of packets over said channel;

receiving and forward error correction decoding each of said plurality of packets;

identifying one of said plurality of packets as erased, wherein said erased packet includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding; and

selecting one of said plurality of packets that has not been erased to represent said first packet.

40. A device for transmitting packets of electronic information, comprising:

a media access control configured to receive a first packet and to copy said first packet to generate a plurality of packets, said plurality of packets including said first packet and one or more repeated packets;

physical layer logic coupled to said media access control, said physical layer logic configured to adapt each of said plurality of packets for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of packets; and

a transmitter coupled to said physical layer logic, said transmitter configured to separately transmit each of said plurality of packets over said channel.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein said physical layer logic is configured to adapt each of said plurality of packets for transmission over a channel of a cable modem system.

42. The device of claim 40, wherein said physical layer logic is further configured to interleave each of said plurality of packets.

43. The device of claim 40, wherein said media access control is further configured to compress said first packet in accordance with a packet header suppression technique prior to said copying of said first packet.

44. A device for receiving packets of electronic information comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a plurality of packets over a channel of a communications system, said plurality of packets comprising a first packet and one or more repeated packets, wherein each of said one or more repeated packets comprises a copy of said first packet;

physical layer logic coupled to said receiver, said physical layer logic configured to forward error correction decode each of said plurality of packets and to identify one of said plurality of packets as erased, wherein said erased packet includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding; and

a media access control coupled to said physical layer logic, said media access control configured to select one of said plurality of packets that has not been erased to represent said first packet.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein said receiver is configured to receive a plurality of packets over a channel of a cable modem system.

46. The device of claim 44, wherein said physical layer logic is further configured to de-interleave each of said plurality of packets.

47. The device of claim 44, wherein said media access control is further configured to decompress said selected packet from said plurality of packets in accordance with a packet header suppression technique.

48. A system for transferring packets of electronic information, comprising:

a transmitting device, including;

a first media access control configured to receive a first packet and to copy said first packet to generate a plurality of packets, said plurality of packets including said first packet and one or more repeated packets,

first physical layer logic coupled to said first media access control, said physical layer logic configured to adapt each of said plurality of packets for transmission over a channel of a communications system, said adapting including forward error correction encoding each of said plurality of packets, and

a transmitter coupled to said first physical layer logic, said transmitter configured to separately transmit each of said plurality of packets over said channel; and

a receiving device, including;

a receiver configured to receive said plurality of packets over said channel,

second physical layer logic coupled to said receiver, said second physical layer logic configured to forward error correction decode each of said plurality of packets and to identify one of said plurality of packets as erased, wherein said erased packet includes more errors than can be corrected by said forward error correction decoding, and

a second media access control coupled to said second physical layer logic, said second media access control configured to select one of said plurality of packets that has not been erased to represent said first packet.