Abstract: A Reed-Solomon (RS) decoder and a decoding method therefor are provided. The RS decoder includes a polynomial calculator for calculating syndrome values from received data and constructing a syndrome polynomial, a generator for generating a root for an initial error locator polynomial from erasure information of the received data and a control signal showing a new root for the initial error locator polynomial whenever new erasure information is input, a first polynomial expander having a serial expansion architecture, for expanding the initial error locator polynomial using the root and control signal for the initial error locator polynomial and providing the result to the processor, and a second polynomial expander having a serial expansion architecture, for expanding a modified syndrome polynomial using the syndrome value, and the root and control signal for the initial error locator polynomial and providing the result to the processor.

Abstract: A Reed-Solomon (RS) decoder and a decoding method therefor are provided. The RS decoder includes a calculator for iteratively calculating four polynomials R(x), Q(x), &lgr;(x), and &mgr;(x) for the modified Euclidean algorithm using input initial error locator polynomial and modified syndrome polynomial, an arranger for arranging the coefficients of the respective polynomials from the left, a generator for generating control signals for showing the effective sections of the respective polynomials using an iterative control signal for announcing the beginning of every iterative calculation, and an extractor for extracting the polynomial R(x) supplied from the calculator as an error estimator polynomial and the polynomial &lgr;(x) as an error locator polynomial on the basis of the control signals. The RS decoder is simplified since an additional degree comparing circuit and degree buffering is not necessary.