Array codes correcting a two-dimensional cluster of errors

A novel construction method is presented for array codes correcting a single rectangular error cluster of size b/sub 1//spl times/b/sub 2/ or less. Encoding is done in such a way that parity check symbols are calculated row-or columnwise which are a word of a one-dimensional code correcting a phased burst. These parity check symbols are not transmitted but can be calculated by the receiver. Corresponding decoding algorithms are given. A code is constructed with maximum size n/sub 1/=b/sub 1/2/sup b2/, n/sub 2/=b/sub 2/2/sup b1/, and r=3b/sub 1/b/sub 2/ redundancy symbols which is close to the generalized Singleton bound r/spl ges/2b/sub 1/b/sub 2/. Its encoding and decoding complexity are low.