METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CORRECTING AND DECODING A SEQUENCE OF BRANCHES REPRESENTING ENCODED DATA BITS INTO ESTIMATED INFORMATION BITS

摘要

The method is for correcting and decoding a sequence of branches representing encoded data bits into estimated information bits. The encoded data bits were previously encoded in a convolutional manner with v encoded symbols forming a branch where v is a predetermined value. The method comprising the steps of (a) setting accumulation, correction and event indicators respectively into nonaccumulating, non-active and incomplete states, and setting a precedent Nccb variable at a predetermined value N; (b) receiving the sequence of branches, for each of the branches received in the step (b) a series of verification and calculation being performed; and (c) verifying whether the branch corresponding to the oldest undelivered estimated information bit has gone through all the substeps of step (b), and if it is the case, delivering the oldest undelivered estimated information bit when the oldest undelivered estimated information bit is no longer convolutionally associated with any of the branches corresponding to the syndromes stored in the first and second registers. An apparatus for performing the method is also described.