Method and system for reduction of decoding complexity in a communication system

A method for decoding, comprising:

• decoding received frames by a first decoder (318) to obtain encoded Reed-Solomon code words contained in the received frames;
• de-multiplexing said decoded frames to a plurality of buffers (322);
• and
• processing content of each of the plurality of buffers (322), wherein said processing content comprises decoding a systematic portion (324) of the encoded Reed-Solomon code words stored in the buffer (322) by a second decoder (328) when the systematic portion is recoverable;
• wherein each buffer (322) comprises a systematic buffer (324) and the systematic buffers (322) are used
• for storing said systematic portion, such that said de-multiplexing is performed directly into the plurality of buffers (322), and
• for storing said decoded systematic portion (324), after said systematic portion (324) has been decoded by said second decoder (328).

An apparatus for encoding, comprising:

• a plurality of buffers (304);
• a plurality of Reed-Solomon encoders (310), each of said plurality of Reed-Solomon encoders (310) being communicatively coupled to one of said plurality of buffers (304);
• a multiplexer (312) communicatively coupled to said plurality of buffers (306);
• and
• an inner encoder communicatively coupled to said multiplexer (312);
• wherein each buffer (304) comprises a systematic buffer (306) and the systematic buffers (306) are used
• for storing systematic data before Reed-Solomon encoding, as uncoded data, and
• for storing a systematic portion of the encoded Reed-Solomon code words after Reed-Solomon encoding, such that said multiplexing is performed directly on the buffer content.

An apparatus for decoding, comprising:

• a first decoder (318) for decoding received frames to obtain encoded Reed-Solomon code words contained in the received frames;
• a de-multiplexer (320) communicatively coupled to said first decoder (318) for de-multiplexing the decoded received frames;
• a plurality of buffers (322) communicatively coupled to said de-multiplexer (320);
• and
• a plurality of second decoders (328), each of said plurality of second decoders being communicatively coupled to one of said plurality of buffers (322) and is configured to decode a systematic portion (324) of the encoded Reed-Solomon code words in the buffer when the systematic portion is recoverable;
• wherein each buffer (322) comprises a systematic buffer (324) and the systematic buffers (322) are used for
• storing each systematic portion of the encoded Reed-Solomon code words contained in the received frames, such that said de-multiplexing is performed directly into the plurality of buffers (322) and
• storing said decoded systematic portion (324), after said systematic portion (324) has been decoded by said second decoder (328).

An apparatus for encoding, comprising:

• means for encoding systematic bits contained in each of a plurality of buffers (304) with a Reed-Solomon code;
• means for multiplexing content of the plurality of buffers (304);
• and
• means for encoding said multiplexed content with a further code to provide a set of frames;
• wherein each buffer (304) comprises a systematic buffer (306) and the systematic buffers (306) are used
• for storing systematic data before Reed-Solomon encoding, as uncoded data, and
• for storing a systematic portion of the encoded Reed-Solomon code words after Reed-Solomon encoding, such that said multiplexing is performed directly on the buffer content.

A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions executable to:

• decode received frames by a first decoder (318) to obtain encoded Reed-Solomon code words contained in the received frames;
• de-multiplex said decoded frames to a plurality of buffers (322);
• and
• process content of each of the plurality of buffers (322), wherein said processing content comprises decoding a systematic portion (324) of the encoded Reed-Solomon code words stored in the buffer (322) by a second decoder (328) when the systematic portion is recoverable;
• wherein each buffer (322) comprises a systematic buffer (324) and the systematic buffers (322) are used
• for storing said systematic portion, such that said de-multiplexing is performed directly into the plurality of buffers (322), and
• for storing said decoded systematic portion (324), after said systematic portion (324) has been decoded by said second decoder (328).