Interleaver and de-interleaver for iterative code systems

A method of reading data samples from positions in memory defined with row and column addresses, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) reading, from a memory partition, a sequence of data values on a data set-by-data set basis, wherein the memory partition comprises a plurality of modules, each module having corresponding locations in the memory defined by a set of row/column addresses;
• (b) de-interleaving, on a layer-by-layer basis, data values of the data sets, wherein each layer comprises selected columns of each module, the step of de-interleaving each data set comprising the steps of:
• (b1) allocating consecutive data values of the data set from skewed consecutive-row addresses for the layer, and
• (b2) repeating step (b1) for subsequent data sets for the layer based on a skewed-memory-partition de-interleaver (SMPI) function to provide a matrix of the data samples.

Apparatus for decoding samples to provide data decisions, the apparatus comprising:

• a de-interleaver, wherein the deinterleaver is adapted to:
• (i) read, from a memory partition, a sequence of data values on a data set-by-data set basis, wherein the memory partition comprises a plurality of modules, each module having corresponding locations in the memory defined by a set of row/column addresses;
• (ii) de-interleave, on a layer-by-layer basis, data values of the data sets to provide an input matrix of de-interleaved samples, wherein each layer comprises selected columns of each module, the de-interleaver de-interleaving each data set by:
• repeatedly allocating to the input matrix of de-interleaved sample values consecutive data values of each data set from skewed consecutive-row addresses for the layer for a current data set based on a skewed-memory-partition de-interleaver (SMPI) function;
• and
• an iterative decoder, wherein the iterative decoder applies an iterative decoding algorithm to the input matrix of de-interleaved sample values to generate a corresponding matrix of decisions for the input matrix of de-interleaved sample values.

A machine-readable medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a machine, the machine implements a method for allocating data samples to positions in memory defined with row and column addresses, comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating a memory partition, wherein the memory partition comprises a plurality of modules, each module having corresponding locations in the memory defined by a set of row/column addresses;
• (b) interleaving, on a layer-by-layer basis, samples of sample sets from a sequence of samples arranged in a matrix, wherein each layer comprises selected columns of each module, the step of interleaving each sample set comprising the steps of:
• (b1) allocating consecutive samples of the sample set to skewed-consecutive row addresses for the layer, and
• (b2) repeating step (b1) for subsequent sample sets for the layer based on a skewed-memory-partition interleaver (SMPI) function