Error detection for data communication systems

A description of the problems encountered in the data communications field and the various solutions can be found in a number of diverse, and often theoretical sources. My intention in writing this thesis is to bring together, in a practical and understandable manner, the theory and the application of a method of error detection used extensively in data communication systems known as the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). To provide some background on the subject, a description of a data communication system is presented, and the possible sources of error are explored in some detail. Data transmission formats are described, and a comparison of various error detection schemes is presented so that the advantages of the CRC can be more readily understood. The theory behind the CRC and its physical implementation is given, along with a detailed example showing the effectiveness of the CRC for error detection. Finally, the current state-of-the-art technology available for implementing the various error detection schemes is discussed, with particular emphasis on those technologies that perform the Cyclic Redundancy Check