A New DC-Free Runlength Limited Coding Method for Data Transmission and Recording

This paper describes a new coding method based on binary (d, k) runlength constraints used for recording or transmitting an audio or video signal, computer data, etc. Data words of m bits are translated into codewords of n bits using a conversion table. The codewords satisfy a (d, k) runlength constraint in which at least d and not more than k `0's occur between consecutive `1's. The n-bit codewords alternate with p-bit merging words which in the prior art are selected such that the d and k are satisfied at the borders of consecutive codewords. We present a new coding method, where the codewords obey the (d, k)-constraint, but the merging words are not required to obey the (d)-constraint. The merging word that satisfies said conditions, yielding the lowest low-frequency spectral content of the encoded signal obtained after modulo-2 integration, is selected. The spectral performance of the new coding method has been appraised by computer simulations for the EFM (Eight-to-Fourteen Modulation) parameters, d = 2, k = 10, and p = 3. The low-frequency content of the signal generated by the newly presented coding method is around 4 dB lower in the relevant low-frequency range than that generated by the conventional EFM method.