Abstract: An interleaver has an input multiplexer that receives a data sequence at an interleaver input and that separates the data sequence into multiple data sub-blocks. The interleaver has a linear feedback shift register that generates an input address sequence. The interleaver has adder circuits that generate output address sequences associated with each data sub-block. The interleaver has memory that stores the data sub-blocks at addresses controlled by the input address sequence. The memory reproduces each data sub-block in an interleaved sequence controlled by the associated output address sequence. The interleaver has an output multiplexer that assembles the interleaved sequences to provide an interleaver output.

Abstract: A communications channel is provided, which includes a receive path having an iterative decoder and an ECC decoder. The iterative decoder has a soft channel detector with a soft output. The ECC decoder is coupled to decode bits produced from soft information received from the soft output and operates on the bits in a bit order that is the same as that on the soft output.

Abstract: A sequence generator is configured to be re-initialized to a value selected derived from a candidate group that is derived from a predetermined value. If and when the re-initializing is performed, it is fully performed within about one clock cycle of setting the sequence generator to the predetermined value. The sequence generator is optionally initialized by a local processor to which it is operatively coupled, after which the processor receives one sequence value each cycle.

Abstract: A method or apparatus that can form and test a data block variant by flipping a selected potentially bad bit that is consecutive with 1 or 2 sequences of several potentially good bits of a received block. The variant correctability test is optionally repeated several times before receiving another data block, in the event of ECC failures, each repetition using a different block variant.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of aligning data bits serially received at a channel input. A number of data bits including a first data bit are stored in a buffer that has a first buffer bit and a buffer size greater than the number of data bits. The data bits in the buffer are shifted to improve alignment of the first data bit and the first buffer bit. The shifted data bits are tested for alignment. If the testing of the data bits indicates correct alignment, then the aligned data bits are transmitted from the buffer to a host for use. If the testing of the data bits indicates misalignment, then the data bits are passed to an error handling process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating data is provided. The data is encoded in accordance with a run length limited (RLL) code. A seed is appended to the RLL encoded data. The seed can be used to alter the error correction code (ECC) parity to meet an RLL constraint.

Abstract: A method of encoding data includes representing the data as number(s) in a first base. The method further includes converting the number(s) into a number(s) in a second base. The resultant number in the second base can be viewed as data suitable for encoding using an ECC algorithm. After being ECC encoded, the data may be further modulation encoded. Modulation encoding may include transforming each symbol to a value that constrains run lengths of a binary value (e.g., zero). A decoding method and system checks a received data block for erroneous symbols, maps each received, encoded symbol to an associated ECC-encoded transform pair. The ECC encoded data may be decoded and corrected using the ECC and the locations of identified erroneous symbols. Finally, the corrected data sequence is converted from the second base back to the first base, from which the original data is retrieved.