Method and apparatus for N+1 packet level mesh protection
Methods and apparatus are provided for N+1 packet level mesh protection. An error correction encoding method is provided that assembles M-T data packets; appends a sequence number and a payload integrity check to each of the M-T data packets; and creates T protection packets having the sequence number and payload integrity check, wherein a payload for each of the T protection packets are formed from corresponding symbols in the M-T data packets. An error correction decoding method is also provided that receives a plurality of error-free packets and one or more packets having an error; and reconstructs the one or more packets having an error by applying block erasure decoding to said plurality of error-free packets, whereby one packet having an error can be reconstructed for each protection packet used to encode the received packets.
1. An error correction decoding method, comprising:
receiving a plurality of error-free packets and one or more packets having an error; and
reconstructing said one or more packets having an error by applying block erasure decoding to said plurality of error-free packets, whereby one packet having an error can be reconstructed for each protection packet used to encode said received packets wherein each of T protection packets corresponds to M-T data packets in an M-way mesh, wherein each of said T protection packets comprises payload symbols, and wherein each of said payload symbols is generated from a corresponding location in said M-T data packets.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said block erasure decoder is a Bit Interleaved Parity (BIP-8) or byte-wise exclusive OR function.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing any padding at the end of said plurality of packets.
4. An error correction decoder, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to:
receive a plurality of error-free packets and one or more packets having an error; and
reconstruct said one or more packets having an error by applying a block erasure decoder to a said plurality of error-free packets, whereby one packet having an error can be reconstructed for each protection packet used to encode said received packets, wherein each of T protection packets corresponds to M-T data packets in an M-way mesh, wherein each of said T protection packets comprises payload symbols, and wherein each of said payload symbols is generated from a corresponding location in said M-T data packets.
5. The error correction decoder of claim 4 , wherein said block erasure decoder is a bytewise exclusive OR or BIP-8.
6. The error correction decoder of claim 4 , further comprising the step of removing any padding at the end of said M packets.