Decoding of linear codes for single error bursts correction based on the determination of certain events

Introduction: In modern systems for communication, data storage and processing the error-correction capability of codes are estimated for memoryless channels. In real channels the noise is correlated, which leads to grouping error in bursts. A traditional method to fight this phenomenon is channel decorrelation, which does not allow developing of coding schemes, mostly utilizing the channel capacity. Thus the development of bursts decoding algorithms for arbitrary linear codes is the actual task. Purpose: To develop a single error burst decoding algorithm for linear codes, to estimate the decoding error probability and computational complexity. Results: Two approaches are proposed to burst error correction. The first one is based on combining the window sliding modification of well-known bit-flipping algorithm with preliminary analysis of the structure of parity check matrix. The second one is based on the recursive procedure of constructing the sequence of certain events which, in the worst case, performs the exhaustive search of error bursts, but in many cases the search may be significantly decreased by using the proposed heuristics. The proposed recursive decoding algorithm allows a guaranteed correction of any single error bursts within burst-correction capability of the code, and in many cases beyond the burst-correction capability. The complexity of this algorithm is significantly lower than that of a bit flipping algorithm if the parity-check matrix of the code is sparse enough. An alternative hybrid decoding algorithm is proposed utilizing the bit-flipping approach and showing the error probability and completion time comparable to the recursive algorithm, however, in this case the possibility of a guaranteed burst correction hardly can be proved. Practical relevance: The proposed decoding methods may be used in modern and perspective communication systems, allowing energy saving and increasing reliability of data transmission by better error performance and computational complexity.