High-order neural models for error correcting code

The decoding and error-correction of data transmitted over a noisy channel is in principle equivalent to the operation of a neural network performing as a content-addressable memory. For a successful application, however, the neural network has to be capable of storing arbitrary words, and it has to be guaranteed that the stored words represent the only stable attractors of the memory. This paper presents a novel high-order neural network architecture that has these characteristics. The analog nature of the network can be used to perform soft-decision decoding with any block code. The performance in terms of postdecoding bit error rate versus SNR is demonstrated for two exemplary block codes. The comparison with a conventional decoding algorithm for a (15,5) cyclic redundancy code shows, for example, that the bit error rate at 7dB SNR can be decreased by two orders of magnitude.