Block code encoding and decoding methods, and apparatus therefor

A method for channel communication using a block code with a code length of n and an information bit length of k, the method comprising using at least one hardware processor for:

• using component codes C0[n0, k0] and C1[n1, k1] to indicate two block codes with code lengths n0 and n1 respectively, and information bit lengths k0 and k1 respectively such that n0+n1=n, k0+k1=k;
• and
• encoding, via an encoder, an information sequence u=(u(0), u(1)) of length k into a codeword sequence c of length n, wherein u(0) and u(1) are sub-sequences of u of length k0 and k1 respectively, and correspond to an upper layer and a lower layer of encoding respectively;
• said encoding comprising:
• using the component code C0[n0, k0] to encode the upper layer u(0) into an upper layer component codeword v(0) of length n0, and using the component code C1[n1, k1] to encode the lower layer u(1) into a lower component codeword v(1) of length n1;
• coupling the upper layer u(0) into the lower layer component codeword v(1) by superposition to obtain a sequence c(1) of length n1:
• c(1)=S(u(0))+v(1)
• wherein S is a coupling function;
• obtaining a sequence w with a length of n0 by passing said sequence c(1) through a partial sampler Π:
• w=c(1)Π
• wherein Π is a n1×n0 binary matrix, in which each column has weight of no more than 1;
• superimposing by XOR to obtain a sequence c(0) of length n0:
• c(0)=v(0)+w;
• and
• outputting a codeword sequence c=(c(0), c(1)) of length n, by transmitting said codeword sequence through a channel to a decoder.