Patent ID: 8650468
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: during a first iteration of a first decoder for decoding convolutionally encoded data elements, determining a first value of a first path metric by calculating a full trace across a trellis in the forward direction and storing the first value of the first path metric, and determining a first value of a second path metric by performing a partial trace across the trellis in the reverse direction; and during a second iteration of the first decoder, determining a second value of the first path metric by retrieving the first value of the first path metric and using the retrieved first value as an initial value of the first path metric, determining a second value of the second path metric, and storing the second value of the second path metric; wherein storing values of the first path metric and the second path metric alternate with subsequent iterations, values of the first path metric are stored when the values of the first path metric are determined by performing a full trace in the forward direction, and values of the second path metric are stored when the values of the second path metric are determined by performing a full trace in the reverse direction.