Method and device for improving decoding of data received from one source by several receivers

An apparatus for improving decoding of at least one set of k data symbols received from a plurality of receivers, the data symbols being encoded by a systematic block error correcting code of dimension k and size n, k being smaller than n, the set of data symbols being received along with a corresponding subset of parity symbols, forming a partial data block comprising m symbols, m being smaller than n, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving, from each receiver of a plurality of receivers, a partial data block transmitted by one emitter, the received partial data block comprising a set of k data symbols and a subset of (m−k) parity symbols;
• processing means for processing each received partial data block, the processing means being configured for executing
• generating at least a subset of parity symbols from the received set of data symbols, and
• computing an item of reliability information as a function of at least the received parity symbols and parity symbols generated from a received set of data symbols;
• comparing means for comparing the items of computed reliability information with each other;
• and
• selecting means for selecting one received set of data bits as a function of comparing the items of computed reliability information with each other.