Variable length data encapsulation and encoding

A method of encoding variable length data, the method comprising:

• receiving a data frame of K-bits;
• determining a minimum number of slots for encoding K-bits;
• padding the K-bits with a zero pad having a number of bits sufficient to increase a frame length to a maximum number of bits that can be encoded in the minimum number of slots;
• encoding the data frame having the zero pad with a plurality of encoders, each of the plurality of encoders encoding a portion of the data frame having the zero pad to generate a variable length encoded;
• and
• transmitting the variable length encoded frame in a burst having a duration substantially equal to a duration of the minimum number of slots.

An apparatus for encoding a variable data length frame, the apparatus comprising:

• a parser configured to receive the variable data length frame and generate a plurality of code blocks, wherein each of the plurality of code blocks has a distinct length;
• a variable length encoder coupled to the parser and configured to encode the plurality of code blocks using a plurality of encoders to generate a plurality of encoded blocks, the variable length encoder aggregating the plurality of encoded;
• and
• a slot alignment module coupled to the variable length encoder and configured to align the plurality of encoded blocks with a time assignment.

An apparatus for decoding an encoded variable data length frame, the apparatus comprising:

• a parser configured to receive the encoded variable length frame and parse the encoded variable length frame to a plurality of code blocks of distinct length;
• and
• a variable length decoder coupled to the parser and configured to decode each of the plurality of code blocks using a decoder associated with a code block length,
• wherein the parser is configured to parse the encoded variable length frame to one or more code block sizes that maximize a number of data bits contained within the encoded variable length frame.

A method of decoding variable length data, the method comprising:

• receiving a burst of encoded symbols;
• determining a maximum number of data bits contained within the burst of encoded symbols;
• determining a size of one or more blocks of encoded symbols based on the maximum number of data bits;
• decoding each of the one or more blocks of encoded symbols using a decoder from a plurality of decoders corresponding to the size of each of the one or more blocks;
• determining a number of symbols corresponding to the maximum number of data bits;
• and
• removing one or more zero padding symbols from the burst of encoded symbols in excess of the number of symbols.

One or more storage devices configured to store one or more processor usable instructions, when executed by one or more processors, performing the method comprising:

• receiving a data frame of K-bits;
• determining a minimum number of slots for encoding K-bits;
• padding the K-bits with a zero pad having a number of bits sufficient to increase a frame length to a maximum number of bits that can be encoded in the minimum number of slots;
• encoding the data frame having the zero pad with a plurality of encoders, each of the plurality of encoders encoding a portion of the data frame having the zero pad to generate a variable length encoded frame;
• and
• generating overhead bits based on the variable length encoded frame.

An apparatus for decoding an encoded variable data length frame, the apparatus comprising:

• means for determining a length of a data frame;
• means for parsing the data frame to a plurality of blocks, each block having a size selected from a plurality of predetermined block sizes;
• means for encoding each of the blocks with an encoder having a coding rate based in part on the block size to generate an encoded block;
• and
• means for aggregating the encoded blocks to generate an encoded frame of variable length;
• and
• means for zero padding the data frame to increase its length to maximize a smallest code block length within a predetermined number of time slots of fixed duration.