Three module memory system constructed with symbol-wide memory chips and having an error protection feature, each symbol consisting of 2I+1 bits

摘要

A three module memory system is disclosed wherein a data word of 2.sup. i+1 bits is stored. Half of the data word is stored in each of two memory modules. A third memory module is provided, wherein each of the modules allows for storing symbols of 2.sup.i +1 bits. An error protection code is disclosed which for symbols of five bits has a minimum distance profile of (4, 2, 0) and for symbols of nine or seventeen bits has a minimum distance profile of (6, 2, 0). Thus a single bit error is correctable, a single symbol error is detectable, and up to four arbitrary bit errors are detectable. Also a simple and systematic decoder is disclosed.