Patent ID: 8914716

Claim:
A state metric calculator for calculating state metrics of stages in a trellis of a sequence estimation technique, the calculator comprising: a processing path containing operations needed for calculating a state metric of a trellis stage from state metrics of an earlier trellis stage and at least one data store in the processing path so that the path is partitioned into sections that are arranged to operate on the calculation of different state metrics to one another; wherein: a first of said sections is arranged to select a candidate from candidates for a state metric of said trellis; and a second of said sections is arranged to correct inaccuracy in the candidate selected by the first section, wherein the second section compares at least two of the candidates, further wherein selection of the candidate by the first section is based on a comparison of the at least two candidates by the second section, further wherein at least two of said sections are arranged to work on, in a single clock cycle, production of different state metrics of a same trellis stage of the trellis.