Soft-Information Error Correction Circuit for Symbol Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current error correction circuits in memory systems face limitations in effectively correcting errors in data transmission and storage, particularly in determining the reliability of symbols during decoding processes.
Innovation Solution
The proposed error correction circuit employs a dual encoding and decoding approach, utilizing first and second error correction encoders and decoders to generate and decode row-codewords and column-codewords, with soft information analysis to determine symbol reliability and perform targeted decoding, enhancing error correction capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single error correction encoding scheme is used, then the device complexity is low, but the error correction capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The error correction encoding is divided into two separate schemes: first error correction encoding applied to messages to generate row-codewords, and second error correction encoding applied to symbol groups from column layers to generate column-codewords. This segmentation allows each encoding scheme to be optimized for specific error patterns while maintaining manageable complexity in each individual encoder.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines two different error correction encoding schemes into a composite structure where row-codewords and column-codewords work together. The composite encoding provides enhanced error correction capability by leveraging the strengths of both encoding schemes, similar to how composite materials combine different materials to achieve superior properties.
2Reliability
If comprehensive error correction decoding is performed on all data, then the error correction capability is maximized, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs partial error correction decoding by first attempting to decode row-codewords, then selectively decoding only those column-codewords where errors are detected. This partial action approach avoids the time cost of decoding all column-codewords when many may not contain errors, while still achieving comprehensive error correction when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The decoding process uses feedback from soft information analysis to determine which column-codewords require second error correction decoding. The reliability determination based on soft information provides feedback that guides the selective application of decoding resources, reducing overall processing time while maintaining error correction effectiveness.
3Measurement precision
If soft information analysis is performed on all symbols, then the reliability determination is comprehensive, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies soft information analysis and reliability determination locally to specific symbols and positions where errors are suspected or where the first error correction decoding failed. Rather than uniformly analyzing all symbols, the system focuses computational resources on local regions needing correction, reducing overall complexity while maintaining precision where it matters most.
Data Source
AI summary
An error correction circuit includes: a first error correction encoder for generating a plurality of row-codewords by performing first error correction encoding on each of a plurality of messages; a second error correction encoder for generating a plurality of column-codewords; a first error correction decoder for performing first error correction decoding on each of read row-vectors corresponding to the plurality of row-codewords, and outputting a soft information of the first error correction decoding; and a second error correction decoder for determining whether each of m-bit symbols in read column-vectors corresponding to the column-codewords is reliable, based on the soft information corresponding to each of the p-bit symbols, and performing second error correction decoding on the read column-vectors, based on the determination of whether each of the m-bit symbols is reliable.