Patent ID: 8619913

Claim:
A non-transitory computer-implemented method for determining a path metric in a receiver by selecting N metrics among M metrics, where M>Nâ‰§1, the method comprising: determining, using a computer processor, M metrics P(i)=[b i (Bâˆ’1) . . . b i (1) b i (0)], where i=1, . . . , M, each P(i) being represented by B bits; initializing, using a computer processor, two comparison values, P(i) 0 and P(i) 1 , to zero for each P(i); determining, using a computer processor, a sum of j-th bit for M P(i)s, where j=0, 1, . . . , Bâˆ’1, as shown: sum â¡ ( j ) = âˆ‘ i = 1 M â¢ ( ~ P â¡ ( i ) 0 ) & â¢ â¢ ( P â¡ ( i ) 1 | b i â¡ ( j ) ) where sum(j) denotes the sum of j-th bit for M P(i)s, â€˜Ëœâ€™ denotes a bit inversion operation, â€˜&â€™ denotes a bit AND operation, and â€˜|â€™ denotes a bit OR operation; updating, using a computer processor, P(i) 0 and P(i) 1 for each P(i) by comparing sum(j) and (Mâˆ’N); and selecting, using a computer processor, at least one P(i) having a P(i) 0 value of 1 among M P(i)s.