Method and apparatus for generating error correction data, and a computer-readable recording medium recording an error correction data generating program thereon

1. An error correction data generating method for generating error correction data, which is to be inserted into transmission data at specific insertion intervals, by calculating exclusive-OR of the transmission data, said method comprising:

cumulatively calculating exclusive-OR of the transmission data, said calculation being continuously performed independent of the insertion intervals; and

computing exclusive-OR between a calculation of the exclusive-OR obtained at the previous insertion occasion of the error correction data and a calculation of the exclusive-OR obtained at the scheduled time of the current insertion of the error correction data, to generate error correction data to be inserted at the present insertion occasion.

2. An error correction data generating method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, when the transmission data is sent to a plurality of data receiver apparatus, and when the error correction data is inserted into the transmission data at insertion intervals unique to each of the destination receiver apparatus,

a calculation of the exclusive OR obtained at the previous insertion occasion is stored separately for each of the plural data receiver apparatus, and

for each of the plural data receiver apparatus, exclusive-OR between the calculation of the exclusive-OR obtained at the previous insertion occasion of the error correction data and a calculation of the exclusive-OR obtained at the scheduled time of the current insertion of the error correction data, is computed to generate error correction data to be inserted at the present insertion occasion.

3. An error correction data generating method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein, the insertion intervals are changed in response to a retransmission request for the transmission data.

4. An error correction data generating method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, the insertion intervals are changed in response to a retransmission request for the transmission data.

5. An error correction data generating apparatus for generating error correction data, which is to be inserted into transmission data at specific insertion intervals, by calculating exclusive-OR of the transmission data, said apparatus comprising:

an exclusive-OR cumulative calculation unit which cumulatively calculates exclusive-OR of the transmission data, said calculation being continuously performed independent of the insertion intervals;

a storing means which stores a calculation obtained by said exclusive-OR cumulative calculation unit at the previous data insertion occasion, and

an exclusive-OR insertion time point computing means which computes exclusive-OR between a calculation obtained by said exclusive-OR cumulative calculation unit at the scheduled time of the current insertion of the error correction data and the calculation which is obtained at the previous insertion occasion of the error correction data and is stored in said storing means, to generate error correction data to be inserted at the present insertion occasion.

6. An error correction data generating apparatus as set forth in claim 5 , wherein, when the transmission data is sent to a plurality of data receiver apparatus, and when the error correction data is inserted into the transmission data at insertion intervals unique to each of the destination receiver apparatus,

said storing means is provided as a data receiver apparatus-specific storing means which stores a calculation of the exclusive OR, obtained at the previous insertion occasion, separately for each of the plural data receiver apparatus, and

said exclusive-OR insertion time point computing means is provided as a means which computes, for each of the plural data receiver apparatus, exclusive-OR between the calculation, which is obtained at the previous insertion occasion of the error correction data and is stored in said data receiver apparatus-specific storing means, and a calculation obtained by said exclusive-OR cumulative calculation means at the scheduled time of the current insertion of the error correction data.

7. An error correction data generating apparatus as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising an insertion interval changing apparatus which changes the insertion intervals in response to a retransmission request for the transmission data.

8. An error correction data generating apparatus as set forth in claim 6 , further comprising an insertion interval changing apparatus which changes the insertion intervals in response to a retransmission request for the transmission data.

9. A computer-readable recording medium in which is recorded a program for instructing a computer to generate error correction data, which is to be inserted into transmission data at specific insertion intervals, by calculating exclusive-OR of the transmission data, said program instructing the computer to execute the steps of:

cumulatively calculating exclusive-OR of the transmission data, said calculation being continuously performed independent of the insertion intervals; and

computing exclusive-OR between a calculation of the exclusive-OR obtained at the previous insertion occasion of the error correction data and a calculation of the exclusive-OR obtained at the scheduled time of the current insertion of the error correction data, to generate error correction data to be inserted at the present insertion occasion.