Analysis of combinations of CRC in industrial communication

Abstract

Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is an established coding method to ensure a low probability of undetected errors in data transmission. In CRC, a checksum (Frame Check Sequence, FCS) is attached to the data. The FCS is a result of a polynomial division by a so called generator polynomial. CRC is widely used in industrial communication where the data are often transmitted through different layers. Each layer has usually its own CRC with its specific generator polynomial. The paper presents results of examinations of such cascades and other combinations of CRC. It is shown that residual error probability can be decreased by choosing the right combination and explained how the residual error probability of already existing cascades has to be determined in order to reduce the number of worst case assumptions in the overall safety proof. The combinations are illustrated by means of examples. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.