Methods and devices for decoding signals containing noise and distortion
View Patent ↗“Reliability-related” values are assigned to received signal samples containing noise and distortion. The samples are then sent to a Viterbi decoder in order to regenerate originally transmitted messages.
1. A soft decision decoder, the decoder comprising:
a receiving section operable to receive a signal sample;
a de-mapping section operable to map the signal sample to a constellation location; and
an assignment section operable to assign at least one reliability-related value to the signal sample based on a region which contains the mapped, constellation location and neighboring regions associated with a constellation reference point; and
a decoding section operable to decode the signal sample in accordance with the at least one assigned, reliability-related value.
2. The decoder as in claim 1 , wherein the assignment section is further operable to assign the reliability-related value to a mapped, constellation location associated with the signal sample.
3. The decoder as in claim 1 , wherein the assignment section is further operable to assign the reliability-related value to each bit of a mapped, constellation location associated with the signal sample.
4. The decoder as in claim 1 wherein the region is selected from a central region and eight surrounding regions associated with a constellation reference point.
5. The decoder as in claim 1 wherein the region is selected from a central region and four surrounding regions associated with a constellation reference point.
6. A soft decision decoding method comprising the steps of:
receiving a signal sample;
mapping the signal sample to a constellation location;
assigning at least one reliability-related value to the signal sample based on a region which contains the mapped, constellation location and neighboring regions associated with a constellation reference point; and
decoding the signal sample in accordance with the at least one assigned, reliability-related value.
7. The method as in claim 6 further comprising the step of further assigning the reliability-related value to a mapped, constellation location associated with the signal sample.
8. The method as in claim 6 further comprising the step of further assigning the reliability-related value to each bit of a mapped, constellation location associated with the signal sample.
9. The method as in claim 6 wherein the region is selected from a central region and eight surrounding regions associated with a constellation reference point.
10. The method as in claim 6 wherein the region is selected from a central region and four surrounding regions associated with a constellation reference point.
11. A soft decision decoder comprising:
means for receiving a signal sample;
means for mapping the signal sample to a constellation location;
means for assigning at least one reliability-related value to the signal sample based on a region which contains the mapped, constellation location and neighboring regions associated with a constellation reference point; and
means for decoding the signal sample in accordance with the at least one assigned, reliability-related value.
12. The decoder as in claim 11 , wherein the means for assigning further comprises means for assigning the reliability-related value to a mapped, constellation location associated with the signal sample.
13. The decoder as in claim 11 , wherein the means for assigning further comprises means for assigning the reliability-related value to each bit of a mapped, constellation location associated with the signal sample.
14. The decoder as in claim 11 wherein the region is selected from a central region and eight surrounding regions associated with a constellation reference point.
15. The decoder as in claim 11 wherein the region is selected from a central region and four surrounding regions associated with a constellation reference point.