Digital receiver using equalization and block decoding with erasure and error correction

A communications system comprising:

• an encoder configured to receive a digital signal and thereafter convert said digital signal to a coded digital signal;
• a transmission channel through which said coded digital signal is transmitted;
• a decoder coupled to said transmission channel to receive said coded digital signal, configured to correct erasures and errors in said coded digital signal, and configured to thereafter convert said coded digital signal to substantially said digital signal;
• and
• an error detector configured to provide error flags to said decoder, said error detector comprising:
• a decision element coupled to receive an equalized coded digital signal and thereafter render a set of symbol decisions;
• a comparator with two inputs, first of said two inputs coupled to receive said equalized coded digital signal, and the second of said two inputs coupled to receive said set of symbol decisions;
• said comparator configured to produce a noise signal representing an estimated noise value;
• and
• a threshold detector coupled to receive an error signal which is indicative of an error burst in said coded digital sequence if a function of said signal exceeds a threshold, and thereafter assert an error flag.