Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for detecing digital codewords or predetermined portions of digital codewords in a stream of codewords of a codeword system of digital codewords of varying length in which no short codeword forms the prefix of a longer codeword in the same system, comprising the steps of: (a) inverting a leading bit of said stream of codewords to provide a logical complement of said leading bit, (b) loading a shift register, having a length at least one bit greater than the longest said codeword or said predetermined codeword portion to be detected, with the logical complement of the leading bit of said stream of codewords; (c) serially shifting said data in said stream into said shift register; and (d) determining whether said data in said shift register upstream of the first change between data in said shift register of one type and data in said shift register of said complementary type comprises one of a codeword and a predetermined codeword portion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for detecing digital codewords or predetermined portions of digital codewords in a stream of codewords of a codeword system of digital codewords of varying length in which no short codeword forms the prefix of a longer codeword in the same system, comprising the steps of: (a) inverting a leading bit of said stream of codewords to provide a logical complement of said leading bit, (b) loading a shift register, having a length at least one bit greater than the longest said codeword or said predetermined codeword portion to be detected, with the logical complement of the leading bit of said stream of codewords; (c) serially shifting said data in said stream into said shift register; and (d) determining whether said data in said shift register upstream of the first change between data in said shift register of one type and data in said shift register of said complementary type comprises one of a codeword and a predetermined codeword portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the logical complement of the leading bit of said stream of codewords is loaded into the shift register in parallel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said (d) is performed after each of said shifts of data into said shift register.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein if a codeword is detected, said shifting of data into the shift register is temporarily terminated to allow said detected codeword to be decoded, said steps (a) to (d) then being repeated to enable the next codeword in said stream to be detected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said (d) comprises addressing a memory with the contents of said shift register, said memory having been preloaded at each valid address with data corresponding to each said codeword or said predetermined portion of a codeword.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said digital codewords to be detected have a common prefix, said predetermined codeword portion comprising said common prefix.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein when a prefix of a codeword is detected, said method further comprises repeating said steps (a) to (d) to detect a suffix of said codeword.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for detecting digital codewords or predetermined portions of digital codewords in a stream of codewords of a codeword system of digital codewords of varying length in which no short codeword forms the prefix of a longer codeword in the same system, said apparatus comprising a shift register having a length at least one bit greater than the length of the longest said codeword or said predetermined codeword portion to be detected; an inverter for loading said shift register with the logical complement of the leading bit of said stream of codewords; control means for causing data in said data stream to be serially shifted into said shift register; and detecting means for determining whether said data in said shift register upstream of the first change between data in said shift register of one type and data in said shift register of said complementary type comprises one of a codeword and a predetermined codeword portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for detecting digital codewords or predetermined portions of digital codewords in a stream of codewords of a codeword system of digital codewords of varying length in which no short codeword forms the prefix of a longer codeword in the same system, said apparatus comprising a shift register having a length at least one bit greater than the length of the longest said codeword or said predetermined codeword portion to be detected; an inverter for loading said shift register with the logical complement of the leading bit of said stream of codewords; control means for causing data in said data stream to be serially shifted into said shift register; and detecting means for determining whether said data in said shift register upstream of the first change between data in said shift register of one type and data in said shift register of said complementary type comprises one of a codeword and a predetermined codeword portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising means coupled between the inverter and the shift register for loading the shift register in parallel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said detecting means comprises at least one PROM which is addressed by the contents of said shift register.