Parallel convolutional encoder

A method for encoding a set of data bits for use. in a communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving first and second subsets of said set of data bits;
• b) convolutionally encoding said first subset using said second subset to produce a first set of output bits;
• c) convolutionally encoding said first subset using a previous subset of an immediately preceding set of data bits to produce a second set of output bits;
• and
• d) replacing said previous subset with said second subset of said set of data bits for use with a next set of data bits,
• wherein said encoding in steps b) and c) are executed in a bitwise parallel manner.

A device for encoding a set of data bits for use in a communications system, the device comprising:

• first receiving means for receiving and storing a first subset of said set of data bits;
• second receiving means for receiving and storing a second subset of said set of data bits;
• storage means for storing a subset of an immediately preceding set of data bits;
• first encoding means for convolutionally encoding a subset of data bits, said first encoding means receiving inputs from said first receiving means and from said second receiving means to produce a first set of output bits;
• second encoding means for convolutionally encoding a subset of data bits, said second encoding means receiving inputs from said first receiving means and from said storage means to produce a second set of output bits;
• switching means for storing contents of said second receiving means in said storage means,
• wherein said storage means and said switching means is activated after said first and second sets of output bits have been produced.

A system for encoding a current set of data bits for use in a communications device, the device comprising:

• at least two encoding stages for encoding a subset of said current set of data bits, each of said at least two stages comprising:
• first receiving means for receiving and storing a first subset of said current set of data bits;
• storage means for storing a subset of data bits, said subset of data bits being chosen from a group comprising:
• a second subset of said current set of data bits;
• and
• a subset of a previously received set of data bits,
• encoding means for encoding contents of said first receiving means using contents of said storage means to produce a set of output bits,
• wherein at least one encoding stage receives a subset of dat bits form another encoding stage for storage in said storage means and for encoding a subset of said current set of data bits.