Forward Backward Syndrome Computation: A Reduced Complexity CRC Code Decoder

This letter proposes a simplified method for correcting a single-bit error event in a message protected by a CRC code thanks to a new decoding method called Forward-Backward Syndrome Computation. The two key ideas of the letter are to show that: 1) syndrome computation can be performed in any direction (Forward and Backward), 2) consequently, it is possible to create a partition of the received message in a set of disjoint syndromes, thus allowing a direct identification of the error position. Evaluation in terms of number of 2-input binary logic functions shows a complexity reduction by a factor of up to 3 compared to conventional methods.