Viterbi equalizer using various hardware data paths for ACS and transmission metric operations

1. A Viterbi equalizer for equalizing a received 8PSK symbol sequence that has been transmitted via a channel subject to interference, the equalizer comprising a digital signal processor including:

a first hardware data path configured for carrying out ACS operations and for calculating state metrics of 8PSK target states in a trellis diagram; and

a second hardware data path configured for taking account of channel characteristics when using the received symbol sequence to calculate transition metrics from 8PSK previous states to the 8PSK target states in the trellis diagram.

2. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein said second hardware data path has a calculation loop for summing products or partial sums from transition metrics values.

3. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 2 , wherein: said calculation loop has a temporary memory for storing a partial sum; and the partial sum can be used for calculating all of the transition metrics values from a specific 8PSK previous state.

4. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 2 , wherein said second hardware data path has at least one squaring stage connected downstream from said calculation loop; and said second hardware data path has at least one further addition stage.

5. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein said second hardware data path has at least one squaring stage connected downstream from said calculation loop; and said second hardware data path has at least one further addition stage.

6. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein said first hardware data path and said second hardware data path are connected directly to one another without any intermediate processing of data therebetween.

7. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein said first hardware data path and said second hardware data path are designed to carry out calculations in accordance with an EDGE mobile radio standard and calculations in accordance with a CSM mobile radio standard.

8. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 1 , comprising a fourth hardware data path for calculating 8PSK target state vectors.

9. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 8 , comprising a fifth hardware data path using an 8PSK state vector obtained from said fourth hardware data path to an 8PSK target state to calculate addresses of partial sums of the transition metrics that originate from the 8PSK target state to 8PSK states in a next time step.

10. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 1 , comprising a further hardware data path for calculating determined 8PSK data symbols.

11. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 1 , comprising:

a fourth hardware data path for calculating 8PSK target state vectors;

in order to carry out ACS operations, said first hardware data path including a first minimization stage for determining a minimum of sums from metrics and transition metrics values of at least two state transitions, and a second minimization stage connected downstream from said first minimization stage;

said second minimization stage configured for determining a minimum by sequential processing; and

said first minimization stage and said second minimization stage providing pointer information used in said fourth hardware data path for determining a state vector to a target state.

12. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 11 , wherein the pointer information is passed to said fourth hardware data path in order to determine a 8PSK state vector relating to the target state.

13. A Viterbi equalizer for equalizing a received 8PSK symbol sequence that has been transmitted via a channel subject to interference, the equalizer comprising a digital signal processor including:

a hardware data path configured for carrying out ACS operations and for calculating state metrics of 8PSK target states in a trellis diagram; and

a hardware data path configured for calculating soft output values for an 8PSK symbol sequence estimated from state transitions that lead to the 8PSK target states.

14. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 13 , wherein said hardware data path for carrying out ACS operations and said hardware data path for calculating soft output values are connected directly to one another without any intermediate processing of data therebetween.

15. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 13 , wherein said hardware data path for carrying out ACS operations and said hardware data path for calculating soft output values are designed to carry out calculations in accordance with an EDGE mobile radio standard and calculations in accordance with a GSM mobile radio standard.

16. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 13 , comprising a further hardware data path for calculating 8PSK target state vectors.

17. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 16 , comprising a hardware data path using an 8PSK state vector obtained from said hardware data path for calculating 8PSK target state vectors to an 8PSK target state to calculate addresses of partial sums of transition metrics that originate from the 8PSK target state to 8PSK states in a next time step.

18. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 13 , comprising a further hardware data path for calculating determined 8PSK data symbols.

19. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 13 , comprising:

a further hardware data path for calculating 8PSK target state vectors;

in order to carry out ACS operations, said hardware data path for carrying out ACS operations including a first minimization stage for determining a minimum of sums from metrics and transition metrics values of at least two state transitions, and a second minimization stage connected downstream from said first minimization stage;

said second minimization stage configured for determining a minimum by sequential processing; and

said first minimization stage and said second minimization stage providing pointer information used in said further hardware data path for determining a state vector to a target state.

20. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 19 , wherein the pointer information is passed to said further hardware data path in order to determine a 8PSK state vector relating to the target state.

21. The Viterbi equalizer according to claim 13 , comprising:

a hardware data path with at least one calculation loop including a minimum unit with an input, a demultiplexer with an output, two memories connected to said output of said demultiplexer, and a multiplexer;

said memories having outputs; and

said multiplexer connecting said outputs of said memories to said input of said minimum unit.