Method for reducing the computational complexity of Viterbi decoder

摘要

A method for reducing the computational complexity of a Viterbi decoder, which is suitable for all code rates of a convolutional code applied by the Viterbi decoder. The method dramatically reduces the branch metric computation to thus reduce the complexity of implementing the Viterbi decoder, without affecting the capability of error correction. Upon the best mode, the Viterbi decoder can reduce the required branch metric computation to ¼^k of the original computation.