Patent attributes
A method for decoding tail-biting convolutional codes is disclosed. In the method, all beginning states of a trellis diagram are initialized. Forward Viterbi metrics are calculated for the trellis diagram. A trace-back process is performed from an ending state of the trellis diagram at a first time instance to a first state where all surviving paths converge at a second time instance. Backward Viterbi metrics are calculated for a predetermined period of time from the first state at the second time instance to a second state at a third time instance. A trace-back process is performed from a designated state, which is equal to the second state, at the first time instance to determine a most likely path for the convolutional codes in the trellis diagram.
