Extension of the BCH decoding algorithm to decode binary cyclic codes up to their maximum error correction capacities

The BCH algorithm is extended to correct more errors than indicated by the BCH bound. In the first step of the decoding procedure, a number of errors corresponding to a particular case of the Hartmann-Tzeng bound are corrected. In the second step full error correction is the goal. A measure for the worst-case number of field elements of an extension field GF(2/sup m/) that must be tested for this purpose is given for binary cyclic linear unequal error protection codes as well as for conventional binary cyclic codes. >