US Patent 7107509 Higher radix Log MAP processor

A Log Map processor that processes information in accordance with the Log MAP algorithm using an N-state Radix-K trellis where K is an integer equal to 4 or greater and N is an integer equal to 2 or greater. The Log Map processor comprises branch and path metric calculators designed with LogSum operators. The LogSum operators used and Add-Compare-Select architecture that is based on an approximation of the Jacobian definition of the LogSum operation. The Log Map processor is thus able to process relatively more information per unit time.