Reduced state trellis decoder using programmable trellis parameters

A programmable decoder comprising:

• at least one programming input for a plurality of programmable reduced-state trellis parameters, including a reduced-state programming input representing combined full-states for a reduced-state trellis;
• and
• a programmable device connected to the at least one programming input and reduced-state programming input and implementing a reduced-state sequence estimation (RSSE) decoder comprising at least one reduced-state trellis structure based upon the plurality of programmable reduced-state trellis parameters that comprise one of at least the number of super-states, the number of full-states, the number of branches per super-state, a reverse super-state trellis table, a decoder super-state survivor as a full-state, a forward full-state table, a full-state to super-state mapping table, decoder super-state path metric and decoder super-state traceback array.

A method of implementing a programmable decoder, comprising:

• providing a programming device to implement a reduced-state sequence estimation (RSSE) decoder comprising at least one reduced-state trellis structure based upon the plurality of programmable reduced-state trellis parameters that comprise one of at least the number of super-states, the number of full-states, the number of branches per super-state, a reverse super-state trellis table, a decoder super-state survivor as a full-state, a forward full-state table, a full-state to super-state mapping table, decoder super-state path metric and decoder super-state traceback array;
• and programming the plurality of programmable reduced-state trellis parameters via at least one programming input connected to the programmable device.