Methods and apparatus for parallel decision-feedback decoding in a communication system

摘要

Parallel Decision-Feedback Decoding (PDFD) techniques which provide joint Decision Feedback Equalization (DFE) and decoding of a sequence of transmitted symbols. In an illustrative embodiment, branch metrics associated with transitions between states of a multi-stage trellis are computed. For a given stage t of the trellis, the branch metrics are computed for each of the states, using a different input value yt(s) for each state. The input values yt(s) correspond to extended survivor paths computed for each state using a DFE process. The branch metrics are utilized to determine a global most-likely path through the trellis, and the path is used to generate a decoded output signal representative of the transmitted symbol sequence. The PDFD techniques of the invention provide significant performance gains relative to conventional techniques, and are suitable for use with both PSK and QAM modulation constellations.