Viterbi decoding apparatus and viterbi decoding method

A Viterbi decoding apparatus which has a path memory for storing selection information of a path for each transition state of a convolution code and which traces the information held in the path memory by an amount corresponding to a traceback depth, thereby performing a Viterbi decoding, wherein the path memory comprises:

• a plurality of single-port rewritable memories for performing tracing operations as many as a plurality of times and decoding operations for a period of time of one clock and
• memory control means for controlling access to said plurality of single-port rewritable memories, such that performance of only one read operation or write operation happens on each of the plurality of single-port rewritable memories during a single clock,
• wherein said memory control means controls said plurality of rewritable memories so as to sequentially write when the path selection information is written into said plurality of rewritable memories and to sequentially read out from said plurality of rewritable memories at the time of tracing, and
• wherein the number of said single-port rewritable memories minus one is as many times as the tracing operations occur during the period of time of one clock.