Optical Transmitter Coding and Interleaving for Burst Error Tolerance

The patent divides the error correction function into multiple independent codes (BCH code for burst errors, Reed-Solomon code for residual errors, and Viacode for phase noise). Each code handles specific types of errors separately, allowing the system to achieve high data rates with targeted error correction rather than requiring a single complex error correction mechanism for all error types.

The patent implements nested error correction by applying multiple layers of coding: outer BCH encoding, inner Reed-Solomon encoding, and additional Viacode encoding for phase noise. Each layer is embedded within the previous one, creating a hierarchical error correction structure that systematically addresses different error sources at multiple levels of the data transmission process.

The patent applies different error correction codes with specialized properties to handle different error types: BCH code with strong burst error correction capability for burst errors, Reed-Solomon code for residual errors, and Viacode specifically designed for phase noise. Each code is optimized for its specific error type, providing localized quality enhancement for different impairment sources while maintaining high data rates.

The patent introduces intermediate error correction stages between the transmitter and receiver, where BCH code acts as the first line of defense against burst errors, followed by Reed-Solomon code for residual errors, and Viacode as an intermediary specifically for phase noise correction. These intermediary codes systematically process and correct errors before the data reaches the final decoding stage.

The patent applies preliminary error correction using BCH code before the data undergoes further processing and transmission. By correcting burst errors in advance at the transmitter side, the system reduces the burden on receiver-side processing, allowing subsequent Reed-Solomon and Viacode decoding to focus on residual errors and phase noise without needing to reprocess the entire data block for burst error correction.

The patent implements a multi-stage error correction approach where BCH code provides partial correction for burst errors, followed by Reed-Solomon code for residual errors, and Viacode for phase noise. Rather than attempting to correct all errors in a single exhaustive process, the system applies partial correction at each stage, efficiently handling different error types with appropriately sized code blocks and processing requirements.