Array codes correcting likely burst error patterns

This contribution considers data transmission over channels which are corru pted by two-dimensional bursts of errors. A code is constructed that allows to correct one rectangular burst. Its code rate is close to the generalize d Singleton bound, and in the case of binary code symbols it can be impleme nted efficiently using only shift registers and XOR gates. Based on this co de, constructions of codes are studied whose error correcting capabilities are restricted to a subset of rectangular bursts. When only likely error pa tterns can be corrected, the code rate can be raised while accepting only a small increase in error probability. In particular it will be shown that a symptotically these codes permit data transmission with arbitrarily low err or probability at a rate beyond the Generalized Singleton bound.