Patent ID: 7096402

Claim:
A turbo decoder for iteratively decoding received signals up to set number of times comprising: first and second elementary decoders for executing first decoding processing using a received signal, then executing second decoding processing using interleaved results of the first decoding processing and also using another received signal, and subsequently executing repeatedly, first decoding processing using deinterleaved results of the second decoding processing and also using said received signal and second decoding processing using interleaved results of the first decoding processing and also using said other received signal; an error detector for detecting errors in results of the first decoding processing in parallel with a decoding operation of the second decoding processing; and a controller which, when absence of error has been detected in results of the first decoding processing, is operable for outputting the results of the first decoding processing and halting the decoding operation of the second decoding processing even if the number of times decoding has been performed has not attained said set number of times.