Code generator and decoder for communications systems operating using hybrid codes to allow for multiple efficient uses of the communications systems

A hybrid decoder for decoding information received over a communications channel from an encoder, the hybrid decoder comprising:

• an input for receiving symbols from the communications channel, the received symbols including received source symbols of encoded data, first code encoding symbols generated from the source symbols according to a first FEC code, second code encoding symbols generated from the source symbols according to a second FEC code, first FEC code keys, and second FEC code keys;
• a first FEC code decoder communicatively coupled with the input and configured to use the received source symbols, the first code encoding symbols, and the first FEC code keys to recover one or more missing source symbols;
• a symbol converter communicatively coupled with the first FEC code decoder and configured to convert the first code encoding symbols and the first FEC code keys into converted encoding symbols and converted FEC code keys suitable for use by a second FEC code decoder;
• and
• the second FEC code decoder communicatively coupled with the symbol converter and configured to use the received source symbols, the recovered source symbols, the second code encoding symbols, the converted encoding symbols, the second FEC code keys, and the converted FEC code keys to recover one or more missing source symbols.

A system for decoding transmitted data that encodes for a set of source symbols transmitted over a communications channel, the system comprising:

• means for receiving symbols from the communications channel, the received symbols including received source symbols of the encoded data, first code encoding symbols generated from the source symbols according to a first FEC code, second code encoding symbols generated from the source symbols according to a second FEC code, first FEC code keys, and second FEC code keys;
• means for recovering one or more missing source symbols using the received source symbols, the first code encoding symbols, and the first FEC code keys;
• and
• if source symbols are still missing following the first recovery,
• means for converting the first code encoding symbols and the first FEC code keys into converted encoding symbols and converted FEC code keys suitable for use by means for recovering missing source symbols using the second FEC code, and
• means for further recovering one or more missing source symbols using the received source symbols, the recovered source symbols, the second code encoding symbols, the converted encoding symbols, the second FEC code keys, and the converted FEC code keys.

A computer program product for decoding transmitted data that encodes for a set of source symbols transmitted over a communications channel, the computer program product comprising:

• a processor-readable medium storing processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to:
• obtain symbols received from the communications channel, the received symbols including received source symbols of encoded data, first code encoding symbols generated from the source symbols according to a first FEC code, second code encoding symbols generated from the source symbols according to a second FEC code, first FEC code keys, and second FEC code keys;
• use the received source symbols, the first code encoding symbols, and the first FEC code keys to first recover one or more missing source symbols;
• and
• if source symbols are still missing following the first recovery,
• convert the first code encoding symbols and the first FEC code keys into converted encoding symbols and converted FEC code keys suitable for use for decoding using the second FEC code, and
• use the received source symbols, the recovered source symbols, the second code encoding symbols, the converted encoding symbols, the second FEC code keys, and the converted FEC code keys to further recover one or more missing source symbols.