Patent ID: 6526104
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A method for maximum likelihood detection of digital samples of data recorded as analog signals representing a finite number of maximum likelihood states in accordance with a finite number of maximum likelihood sample-to-sample path cases, said digital samples representing channel output of said recorded analog signals at a predetermined timing with respect thereto, comprising the steps of:programming at least two numerical metric coefficients, said numerical metric coefficients relating to the probability of said digital samples comprising a data sequence; respectively applying said at least two programmed numerical metric coefficients to each of said digital samples to generate alternative metrics; providing a previous metric which comprises a function of a previous digital sample; selecting the one of said respective generated alternative metrics which minimizes the mean squared error with respect to said previous metric; identifying the one of said finite number of maximum likelihood cases represented by said selected metric; and responding to said identified one of said finite maximum likelihood cases, setting a maximum likelihood path memory to a maximum likelihood state dictated by said identified one of said finite maximum likelihood cases, said set maximum likelihood state detecting said recorded analog signals.