Patent ID: 8683288

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an input configured to receive a low density parity check (LDPC) coded signal; a metric computer configured to: calculate a first plurality of symbol metrics of a first symbol of the LDPC coded signal having a first modulation including a first constellation having a first mapping of constellation points therein; and calculate a second plurality of symbol metrics of a second symbol of the LDPC coded signal having a second modulation including a second constellation having a second mapping of constellation points therein; a symbol node calculator configured to: calculate a first plurality of bit metrics based on the first plurality of symbol metrics; and calculate a second plurality of bit metrics based on the second plurality of symbol metrics; and an LDPC decoder configured to decode the LDPC coded signal to make a first at least one estimate of a first plurality of bits of the first symbol of the LDPC coded signal and a second at least one estimate of a second plurality of bits of the second symbol of the LDPC coded signal based on the first plurality of bit metrics and the second plurality of bit metrics, respectively, wherein the apparatus operative within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, and a fiber-optic communication system.