Method and apparatus for communicating digital information words by error-correction encoding

A method of communicating a sequence of digital information words, comprising the steps of separating said information words into a sequence of odd information words and into a sequence of even information words;

• time-displacing the separated odd and even information words from each other by a predetermined amount;
• generating at least one odd error-correcting word in response to said odd information words;
• generating at least one even error-correcting word in response to said even information words;
• selectively delaying said odd information and error-correcting words to form an odd sub-block of interleaved odd words;
• selectively delaying said even information and error-correcting words to form an even sub-block of interleaved even words;
• generating an error detecting code in response to said odd and even sub-blocks;
• combining said odd and even sub-blocks and said error detecting code into a transmission block;
• and transmitting said transmission block.

A method of recovering digital information words from a record medium having an edit point thereon such that the information words recorded on either side of said edit point are derived from different sources, said digital information words being recorded in successive transmission blocks, each block being formed of odd information words encoded in an error-correcting code and even information words separately encoded in an error-correcting code, the error-correcting encoded odd and even information words having been time-displaced from each other by a predetermined amount, said method comprising the steps of reproducing said transmission block from said record medium;

• decoding said odd and even information words to correct errors therein;
• removing the time displacement between the decoded odd and even information words;
• approximating correct odd or even information words reproduced within a predetermined range of said edit point to replace uncorrectable information words by interpolating adjacent correct even or odd information words, respectively;
• cross-fading the information words reproduced from one side of said edit point with the information words reproduced from the other side of said edit point during said predetermined range;
• and recovering a corrected sequence of information words from the corrected and cross-faded information words.

Apparatus for communicating a sequence of digital information words comprising:

• distributing means for distributing said information words into a sequence of odd information words and a sequence of even information words;
• time displacement means for imparting a relative time-displacement between said odd and even information words;
• odd and even error-correcting encoding means for encoding the time-displaced odd and even information words in error correcting codes;
• and means for transmitting the encoded, time-displaced odd and even information words as a transmission block.

Apparatus for recovering a sequence of digital information words from a received transmission block comprised of odd and even sub-blocks of odd and even information words, respectively, the odd and even sub-blocks being encoded in an error-correcting code and the odd and even information words being time-displaced from each other, said apparatus comprising receiving means for receiving each said transmission block;

• odd and even error-correcting decoding means for decoding correct odd and even information words from the received odd and even sub-blocks;
• time-adjustment means for removing the time-displacement between the corrected odd and even information words;
• error compensating means for replacing an erroneous, uncorrectable odd or even information word with an approximate correct information word derived from interpolating adjacent even or odd information words, respectively;
• and re-forming means for re-forming a sequence of correct odd and even information words.

Apparatus for recovering a sequence of digital information words recorded on a record medium having an edit point thereon, the information words recorded on either side of said edit point being derived from different sources and the information words being recorded as successive transmission blocks each comprised of odd and even sub-blocks of odd and even information words, respectively, the odd and even sub-blocks being encoded in an error-correcting code and the odd and even information words being time-displaced from each other, said apparatus comprising reproducing means for reproducing said transmission blocks from said record medium;

• odd and even error-correcting decoding means for decoding correct odd and even information words from the received off and even sub-blocks;
• time-adjustment means for removing the time-displacement between the corrected odd and even information words;
• error compensating means for replacing an erroneous, uncorrectable odd or even information word reproduced within a predetermined range of said edit point with an approximate correct information word derived from interpolating adjacent even or odd information words, respectively;
• means for cross-fading the corrected, replaced information words reproduced from one side of said edit point with the corrected, replaced information words reproduced from the other side of said edit point during said predetermined range;
• and recovering a corrected sequence of information words from the corrected and cross-faded information words.