Method and apparatus for coding information, method and apparatus for decoding coded information, method of fabricating a recording medium, the recording medium and modulated signal

A coding device, comprising:

• a converter receiving m-bit information words, where m is an integer and converting the m-bit information words into n-bit code words, where n is an integer greater than m, the n-bit code words being divided into a first type, a second type and a third type, and into coding states of a first kind, a second kind and a third kind such that an m-bit information word is converted into an n-bit code word of the first, second or third kind if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the first type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first or third kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the second type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the third type, wherein sets of code words belonging to the different coding states do not contain any code words in common.

A recording medium having a modulated signal recorded in a track, the modulated signal including signal portions representing n-bit code words, where n is an integer, each n-bit code word representing an m-bit information word, where m is an integer less than n, the n-bit code words being divided into a first type, a second type and a third type and into coding states of a first kind, a second kind and a third kind such that an m-bit information word is converted into an n-bit code word of the first, second or third kind if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the first type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first or third kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the second type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the third type, wherein sets of code words belonging to the different coding states do not contain any code words in common.

A modulated signal, comprising:

• signal portions representing n-bit code words, where n is an integer, each n-bit code word representing an m-bit information word, where m is an integer less than n, the n-bit code words being divided into a first type, a second type and a third type and into coding states of a first kind, a second kind and a third kind such that an m-bit information word is converted into an n-bit code word of the first, second or third kind if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the first type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first or third kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the second type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the third type, wherein sets of code words belonging to the different coding states do not contain any code words in common.

A method of decoding, comprising:

• receiving n-bit code words, where n is an integer;
• converting the n-bit code words into m-bit information words, where m is an integer less than n, the n-bit code words being divided into a first type, a second type and a third type and into coding states of a first kind, a second kind and a third kind such that an m-bit information word is converted into an n-bit code word of the first, second or third kind if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the first type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first or third kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the second type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the third type, wherein sets of code words belonging to the different coding states do not contain any code words in common.

A decoding device, comprising:

• a converter receiving n-bit code words, where n is an integer, and converting the n-bit code words into m-bit information words, where m is an integer less than n, the n-bit code words being divided into a first type, a second type and a third type and into coding states of a first kind, a second kind and a third kind such that an m-bit information word is converted into an n-bit code word of the first, second or third kind if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the first type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first or third kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the second type and is converted into an n-bit code word of the first kind, if the previous m-bit information word was converted into an n-bit code word of the third type, wherein sets of code words belonging to the different coding states do not contain any code words in common.