Patent · US Expired

Metric updater for maximum likelihood decoder

US4015238A · kind A · utility

45Cited by
5References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 24, 1975
Grant dateMar 29, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 24, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L1/0054
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a convolutional code decoder, a current received input corresponds to a last data state of a received sequence. Path metrics, respective correlations of the received sequence to each of a limited number of possible sequences, are determined to choose the "correct" possible sequence. Decoding then proceeds by known means. The current input addresses "look-up" memories, each associated with a possible input data state and providing a "branch metric address" output. "Update" memories, each associated with one of the data states, are each addressed by path metrics of prior sequences which can enter its associated state and by one "branch metric address." In functional effect, each "update" memory adds a separate branch metric to update each prior path metric leading into each state. Path metrics for the limited number of possible sequences are thus provided. An indication of which updated path metric is larger for each state and its value are output from each "update" memory. The largest of the updated path metrics provided by the memories identifies the "correct" possible sequence.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.