On formulas for decoding binary cyclic codes

— We address the problem of the algebraic decoding of any cyclic code up to the true minimum distance. For this, we use the classical formulation of the problem, which is to find the error locator polynomial in terms of the syndromes of the received word. This is usually done with the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm in the case of BCH codes and related codes, but for the general case, there is no generic algorithm to decode cyclic codes. Even in the case of the quadratic residue codes, which are good codes with a very strong algebraic structure, there is no available general decoding algorithm. For this particular case of quadratic residue codes, several authors have worked out, by hand, formulas for the coefficients of the locator polynomial in terms of the syndromes, using the Newton identities. This work has to be done for each particular quadratic residue code, and is more and more difficult as the length is growing. Furthermore, it is error-prone. We propose to automate these comp...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2007
• Where: CORR
• Authors: Daniel Augot, Magali Bardet, Jean-Charles Faugère
• Keywords: CORR 2007, Cyclic Codes, Education, Locator Polynomial, Quadratic Residue Code