Efficient system and method for forward error correction

In a telecommunications system, a method for protecting a block of information bits, said method comprising the steps of:

• appending a number of tail bits to said block of information bits;
• encoding said block of information bits, including said number of appended tail bits;
• applying a first puncturing scheme to at least one portion of said encoded block of information bits, including said appended tail bits;
• and
• applying a second puncturing scheme to the entire block of information bits, including the portion of said block of information bits to which said first puncturing scheme was applied, wherein said first puncturing scheme punctures a number of bits equal to said number of encoded tail bits.

In a telecommunications system, a method for protecting a block of information bits, said method comprising the steps of:

• appending a number of tail bits to said block of information bits;
• encoding said block of information bits, including said number of appended tail bits;
• applying a “nominal” puncturing scheme to the entire encoded block of information bits, which includes said number of appended tail bits;
• and
• applying an “additional” puncturing scheme to at least one portion of said encoded block of information bits to which said “nominal” puncturing scheme was applied, wherein said “additional” puncturing scheme punctures a number of bits equal to said number of encoded tail bits.

In a telecommunications system, an apparatus for protecting a block of information bits, said apparatus comprising:

• means for appending a number of tail bits to the block of information bits;
• means for encoding the block of information bits, along with the appended tail bits, at a given code rate;
• means for applying a first puncturing scheme to a first portion of the encoded block of information bits;
• and
• means for applying a second puncturing scheme to a remaining portion of the encoded block of information bits, said second puncturing scheme puncturing a number of bits equal to said number of encoded tail bits.

In a telecommunications system, an apparatus for protecting a block of information bits, said apparatus comprising:

• means for appending a number of tail bits to the block of information bits;
• means for encoding the block of information bits, including the number of appended tail bits;
• means for applying a first puncturing scheme to at least one portion of the encoded block of information bits, including the appended tail bits;
• and
• means for applying a second puncturing scheme to the entire block of information bits, including the portion of the block of information bits to which the first puncturing scheme was applied, wherein said first puncturing scheme punctures a number of bits equal to said number of encoded tail bits.

In a telecommunications system, an apparatus for protecting a block of information bits comprising:

• means for appending a number of tail bits to the block of information bits;
• means for applying a “nominal” puncturing scheme to the entire encoded block of information bits, which includes the number of appended tail bits;
• and
• means for applying an “additional” puncturing scheme to at least one portion of the encoded block of information bits to which the “nominal” puncturing scheme was applied, wherein said “additional” puncturing scheme punctures a number of bits equal to said number of encoded tail bits.