Berger code

In telecommunication, a Berger code is an unidirectional error detecting code, named after its inventor, J. M. Berger. Berger codes can detect all unidirectional errors. Unidirectional errors are errors that only flip ones into zeroes or only zeroes into ones, such as in asymmetric channels. The check bits of Berger codes are computed by summing all the zeroes in the information word. If the information word consists of $n$ bits, then the Berger code needs $\log _{2}n$ more bits. Berger codes cannot correct any error.

References

• J. M. Berger, "A note on an error detection code for asymmetric channels", Information and Control, vol 4, pp. 68-73, March 1961.
• Subhasish Mitra and Edward J. McCluskey, "Which concurrent error detection scheme to choose?", Center for Reliable Computing, Stanford University, 2000.