Decoder and decoding method

The decoder of claim 21, wherein the one or more logic units of the codeword node decoding pipeline comprise:

• a hardware-based F-G processing unit configured to apply selectively one of F and G arithmetic operations to the set of LLRs to generate intermediate LLR results, the F-G processing unit being configured to apply the F arithmetic operation by:
• fetching a first LLR and a second LLR from the set of LLRs, the first and second LLRs having a first value LLR1 and a second value LLR2 respectively;
• and
• determining a first intermediate LLR having a third value LLR3 from the first and second LLRs, the third value LL3 being defined as:
• LLR3=Sign(LLR1)*Sign(LLR2)*Min(|LLR1 LLR2|);
• the F-G processing unit being configured to apply the G arithmetic operation by:
• fetching a third LLR and a fourth LLR from the set of LLRs, the third and fourth LLRs having a fourth value LLR4 and a fifth value LLR5 respectively;
• fetching a partial sum value PSUM from the output storage, the partial sum value PSUM being based on the decoded bits of a respective encoded codeword node;
• and
• determining a second intermediate LLR having a sixth value LLR6 from the third and fourth LLRs, and the partial sum value PSUM, the sixth value LL6 being defined as:
• LLR6=LLR5+LLR4, if PSUM=0, and
• LLR6=LLR5−LLR4, if PSUM=1;
• the selection of the F and G arithmetic operations being based on a bit index of the encoded codeword node;
• a hardware-based specialized decoding unit connected to the F-G processing unit and configured to:
• receive the intermediate LLR results from the F-G processing unit, and
• execute a decoding logic on the intermediate LLR results based on the codeword node type, and to generate the decoded bits of the encoded codeword node;
• and
• a hardware-based partial sum (PSUM) unit connected to the specialized decoding unit and configured to:
• receive, from the specialized decoding unit, the decoded bits of the encoded codeword node, and
• generate a PSUM value.

The decoder of claim 21, wherein the decoder is one of a plurality of decoders forming a polar decoder array of a vertical array decoder, the set of LLRs being one of a plurality of sets of LLRs, the plurality of sets of LLRs corresponding to one codeword of a plurality of codewords, and the a vertical array decoder further comprises:

• a demultiplexer configured to:
• receive pluralities of sets of LLRs corresponding to the plurality of codewords, and
• transmit one plurality of sets of LLRs of the pluralities of sets of LLRs to each
• decoder of the plurality of decoders;
• and
• a multiplexer configured to receive one decoded codeword from each decoder of the plurality of decoders and to generate sequentially a plurality of decoded codewords.

A decoding method, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of sets of logarithmic likelihood ratios (LLRs) corresponding to an encoded codeword, the encoded codeword having at least one encoded codeword node;
• for each encoded codeword node of the encoded codeword:
• receiving a set of LLRs corresponding to the encoded codeword node;
• selecting one or more processing methods implemented in one or more logic units of a codeword node decoding pipeline based on commands, the commands being based on values of a codeword node length and a codeword node type of the encoded codeword node;
• and
• applying, by the codeword node decoding pipeline, the one or more processing methods to decode the set of LLRs, corresponding to the encoded codeword node;
• and
• generating a decoded codeword based on the decoded bits received from the codeword node decoding pipeline for each encoded codeword node of the encoded codeword.

A decoder comprising:

• an input configured to receive a set of logarithmic likelihood ratios (LLRs) corresponding to an encoded codeword node;
• a program storage configured to store a plurality instruction sequences;
• a scheduler configured to:
• read values of a codeword node length and a codeword node type of the encoded codeword node,
• select one of the instruction sequences based on the value of the codeword node length and on the value of the codeword node type, and
• generate commands based on the selected instruction sequence;
• a codeword node decoding pipeline configured to:
• receive the commands,
• based on the commands, make a selection of one or more processing methods implemented in one or more logic units of the codeword node decoding pipeline, and decode the encoded codeword node by applying the one or more selected processing methods to the set of LLRs to generate decoded bits corresponding to the encoded codeword node;
• an output storage configured to store the decoded bits corresponding to each encoded codeword node;
• and
• a decoder output operatively connected to the output storage and configured to output a decoded codeword generated based on the decoded bits.