Information encoding apparatus, information encoding method, information re-encoding apparatus and information re-encoding method

An information encoding method for encoding N pieces of information, the information encoding method comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating M scrambling patterns (N>M≧1;
• where M and N are each an integer);
• (b) applying, to each of the N pieces of information, one corresponding scrambling pattern among the M scrambling patterns, thereby generating N pieces of scrambled information;
• and
• (c) supplying the N pieces of scrambled information with N parities, respectively, thereby generating encoded information;
• wherein each of at least one of the M scrambling patterns is applied to two or more of the N pieces of information.

An information re-encoding apparatus for re-encoding a plurality of pieces of first encoded information into a plurality of pieces of second encoded information, wherein:

• the plurality of pieces of first encoded information include a plurality of first scrambled information scrambled by performing an arithmetic operation on a plurality of first scrambling patterns with respect to a plurality of pieces of information by a first method;
• the plurality of pieces of second encoded information include a plurality of pieces of second scrambled information scrambled by performing an arithmetic operation on a plurality of second scrambling patterns with respect to the plurality of pieces of information by the first method, and a plurality of second parities,
• the information re-encoding apparatus comprising:
• a third scrambling pattern generation section for performing an arithmetic operation on the plurality of first scrambling patterns with respect to the plurality of second scrambling patterns by a second method, so as to generate a plurality of third scrambling patterns;
• a scrambled information generation section for performing an arithmetic operation on the plurality of third scrambling patterns with respect to the plurality of pieces of first scrambled information by the first method, so as to generate the plurality of pieces of second scrambled information;
• and
• an encoded information generation section for supplying the plurality of pieces of second scrambled information with the plurality of second parities, so as to generate the plurality of pieces of second encoded information;
• wherein the arithmetic operations performed by the first method and the second method fulfill (A∘B) [Circlesolid]B=A, where ∘ represents a first operator representing the arithmetic operation to be performed by the first method, the [Circlesolid] represents a second operator representing the arithmetic operation to be performed by the second method, and A and B each represent an arbitrary value.

An information re-encoding method for re-encoding a plurality of pieces of first encoded information into a plurality of pieces of second encoded information, wherein:

• the plurality of pieces of first encoded information include a plurality of first scrambled information scrambled by performing an arithmetic operation on a plurality of first scrambling patterns with respect to a plurality of pieces of information by a first method;
• the plurality of pieces of second encoded information include a plurality of pieces of second scrambled information scrambled by performing an arithmetic operation on a plurality of second scrambling patterns with respect to the plurality of pieces of information by the first method, and a plurality of second parities,
• the information re-encoding method comprising the steps of:
• (a) performing an arithmetic operation on the plurality of first scrambling patterns with respect to the plurality of second scrambling patterns by a second method, thereby generating a plurality of third scrambling patterns;
• (b) performing an arithmetic operation on the plurality of third scrambling patterns with respect to the plurality of pieces of first scrambled information by the first method, thereby generating the plurality of pieces of second scrambled information;
• and
• (c) supplying the plurality of pieces of second scrambled information with the plurality of second parities, thereby generating the plurality of pieces of second encoded information;
• wherein the arithmetic operations performed by the first method and the second method fulfill (A∘B) [Circlesolid]B=A, where β represents a first operator representing the arithmetic operation to be performed by the first method, the [Circlesolid] represents a second operator representing the arithmetic operation to be performed by the second method, and A and B each represent an arbitrary value.