Mobile wireless communications device and receiver with demodulation and related methods

A wireless receiver comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to said memory unit and being configured to use a modulation having memory for a received message in a block structure, the block structure including a plurality of mini-probes and a plurality of bodies therebetween, and to demodulate the received message by at least
• determining a corresponding set of received signal characteristic values based upon the plurality of mini-probes,
• determining a decode starting point in the body based upon the set of received signal characteristic values,
• from the decode starting point, decoding each of the plurality of bodies in a first time direction and determining survivor branch metrics therefrom, and
• decoding each of the plurality of bodies in a second time direction based upon at least the survivor branch metrics of the decoding in the first direction,
• the decoding in the first and second time directions being based upon a reduced trellis structure.

A method of receiving a message in a block structure and with a modulation having memory, the block structure including a pair of mini-probes and a body therebetween, the method comprising:

• using a processor to determine a corresponding set of received signal characteristic values based upon the pair of mini-probes;
• using the processor to determine a decode starting point in the body based upon the set of received signal characteristic values;
• from the decode starting point, using the processor to decode the body in a first time direction;
• and
• using the processor to decode the body in a second time direction based upon at least one result of the decoding in the first direction.