Reed-Solomon Decoder Overlap Scheduling for Full Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed data communications face inefficiencies in Reed-Solomon forward error correction (FEC) decoding due to unused bandwidth and increased clock frequencies, which complicate design and increase power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A Reed-Solomon decoder architecture that overlaps processing of codewords during a clock cycle, utilizing a syndrome calculator, error locator and evaluator polynomial calculator, error location and value calculator, error counter and evaluator, and error corrector circuit to maintain full bandwidth and throughput, allowing operation at the same clock rate as other system components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If codewords are processed sequentially without overlap in traditional Reed-Solomon decoders, then design complexity and power consumption increase due to higher clock frequencies, but bandwidth utilization becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing syndrome values for the first codeword and storing them in buffers before the second codeword arrives. The syndrome calculator begins processing the second codeword while the first codeword's syndrome computation is still in progress, allowing overlapping operations. This pipelining approach enables the decoder to maintain continuous operation without waiting for complete processing of one codeword before starting the next, thereby improving bandwidth utilization while managing design complexity through structured buffer management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a time-dimension overlap by allowing syndrome calculation for multiple codewords to occur simultaneously in different time stages. The first codeword's syndrome computation and the second codeword's syndrome computation proceed in parallel across different clock cycles, effectively utilizing the time dimension to improve throughput. This dimensional approach to processing transforms the traditional sequential single-dimension processing into a multi-dimensional operation that improves bandwidth efficiency.
2Productivity
If traditional Reed-Solomon decoders wait for complete codeword processing before starting the next, then design is simpler, but throughput and bandwidth efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by ensuring the syndrome calculator operates continuously without idle cycles. While the first codeword is being fully processed through all decoding stages, the syndrome calculator has already started and completed syndrome computation for the second codeword. This continuous operation eliminates waiting periods and keeps the hardware consistently utilized, thereby improving throughput while the buffer architecture manages the timing coordination to prevent data conflicts.
3Speed
If higher clock frequencies are used to improve decoding speed, then processing is faster, but power consumption increases and design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing a flexible clocking scheme where different parts of the decoder operate at different speeds. The syndrome calculator can process multiple codewords in parallel at a moderate clock frequency, while the output interface is synchronized to deliver complete codeword results at the required throughput rate. This dynamic clocking allows the system to achieve high decoding speed through parallel processing rather than relying on high-frequency sequential operation, thereby reducing power consumption and simplifying the clock distribution network.
Data Source
AI summary
A Reed-Solomon decoder circuit includes: a syndrome calculator circuit to compute syndrome values for a first codeword and a second codeword sequentially supplied to the syndrome calculator circuit, where last symbols of the first codeword overlap with first symbols of the second codeword during an overlap clock cycle between: a first plurality of non-overlap clock cycles during which the first codeword is supplied to the syndrome calculator circuit; and a second plurality of non-overlap clock cycles during which the second codeword is supplied to the syndrome calculator circuit; an error locator and error evaluator polynomial calculator circuit; an error location and error value calculator circuit; an error counter; and an error corrector circuit to correct the errors in the first codeword and the second codeword based on error counts and the error magnitudes computed by an error evaluator circuit.