Hamming code

communications

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

The Hamming code is a type of forward error control (FEC) used in telecommunications to correct errors that occur during transmission. Invented by Richard Wesley Hamming in 1950, it adds redundant bits, called parity bits, to information bits. This redundancy allows the receiver to detect and correct single-bit errors without needing to retransmit the message.12

For example, a Hamming code can protect a four-bit information signal by adding three redundant bits, creating a seven-bit code word. Each parity bit is calculated to ensure an even number of ones in specific groups of bits. If an error occurs, recomputing these parity checks helps pinpoint and correct the faulty bit. This method is crucial for reliable communication in various applications, including satellite and computer networking.1

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telecommunication
The Hamming code
Another simple example of an FEC code is known as the Hamming code. This code is able to protect a four-bit information signal from a single error on the channel by adding three redundant bits to the signal. Each sequence of seven bits…
Read More
Another simple example of an FEC code is known as the Hamming code. This code is able to protect a four-bit information signal from a single error on the channel by adding three redundant bits to the signal. Each sequence of seven bits…
Read More

Richard Wesley Hamming
…where in 1950 he invented Hamming codes, which are used in telecommunications. He realized that, by the appending of a parity check (an extra bit or block of bits) to each transmitted “word,” transmission errors could be corrected automatically, without having to resend the message. He is famous for saying,…
Read More
…where in 1950 he invented Hamming codes, which are used in telecommunications. He realized that, by the appending of a parity check (an extra bit or block of bits) to each transmitted “word,” transmission errors could be corrected automatically, without having to resend the message. He is famous for saying,…
Read More