Error Detection/Correction Method

1 . A method for error detection and correction (EDC) comprising:

generating a complete EDC code in response to a data packet;

distributing the complete EDC code among the data packet to create a plurality of bytes, each including a data portion from the data packet and an EDC code portion from the complete EDC code;

storing the bytes in a memory module;

retrieving the bytes from the memory module;

forwarding the data portions of the bytes retrieved from the memory module to a requesting device;

providing the data portions of the bytes retrieved from the memory module to an EDC functional block;

providing the EDC code portions of the bytes retrieved from the memory module to the EDC functional block; and

performing error checking and correction in the EDC functional block upon receiving the complete EDC code from the provided EDC code portions.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating syndrome bits in response to the data portions provided to the EDC functional block.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forwarding the data portions is performed in parallel with the steps of: providing the data portions to the EDC functional block, providing the EDC code portions to the EDC functional block, and performing error checking and correction in the EDC functional block.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising performing the following steps if the EDC functional block detects an error:

correcting the data portions of the bytes retrieved from the memory module;

writing the corrected data portions to the memory module; and

generating an interrupt to the requesting device to arrange for a data retransmission.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the EDC code portions of the bytes retrieved from the memory module to create the complete EDC code.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising only forwarding the data portions of the bytes retrieved from the memory module to the requesting device if the EDC functional block determines there are no errors in the data portions retrieved from the memory module.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising performing the following steps if the EDC functional block determines there is an error in the data portions retrieved from the memory module:

correcting the data portions of the bytes retrieved from the memory module, thereby creating corrected data portions; and then,

forwarding the corrected data portions to the requesting device; and

writing the corrected data portions to the memory module.