Patent ID: 8320442

Claim:
A method performed by a decision feedback equalizer having a feed forward filter and a feedback filter, comprising: making first symbol decisions from an output of the decision feedback equalizer, wherein the first symbol decisions are characterized by a relatively long processing delay; making second symbol decisions from the output of the decision feedback equalizer, wherein the second symbol decisions are characterized by a relatively short processing delay; obtaining an estimated channel impulse response update directly from the first and second symbol decisions; determining updated tap weights for both the feed forward filter and the feedback filter of the decision feedback equalizer directly from the estimated channel impulse response update; wherein the making of first symbol decisions comprises making the first symbol decisions by use of a first device having a first processing delay, wherein the making of second symbol decisions comprises making the second symbol decisions by use of a second device having a second processing delay; wherein the second processing delay is shorter than the first processing delay; wherein the making of the first symbol decisions by use of a device comprises making the first symbol decisions by use of a long traceback trellis decoder; and wherein the making of the second symbol decisions by use of a second device comprises making the second symbol decisions by use of a short traceback trellis decoder.