Convolutional interleaver employing an efficient memory scheme

A convolutional de-interleaver comprising:

• a de-interleaver memory partitioned into a plurality of circular buffers, wherein each of said plurality of circular buffers has a write pointer and a read pointer associated therewith;
• and
• a processor configured to selectively read interleaved symbols from a de-interleaver input vector and store said interleaved symbols in said de-interleaver memory in accordance with said write pointers, and to selectively read de-interleaved symbols from said de-interleaver memory and store said de-interleaved symbols in a de-interleaved output vector in accordance with said read pointers;
• wherein said de-interleaver memory is characterized by an interleaving depth and includes elements having associated interleaving delay depths, wherein said interleaving delay depths are less than said interleaving depth, wherein each of said plurality of circular buffers is assigned a different interleaving delay depth, and wherein said plurality of circular buffers are sorted according to said. interleaving delay depths.

A method of convolutionally interleaving an input vector to produce an interleaved output vector, said method comprising:

• partitioning an interleaver memory into a plurality of circular buffers, wherein each of said plurality of circular buffers has a write pointer and a read pointer associated therewith;
• selectively reading input symbols from said input vector;
• storing said input symbols in said interleaver memory in accordance with said write pointers;
• selectively reading output symbols from said interleaver memory;
• storing said output symbols in said output vector in accordance with said read pointers;
• wherein said interleaver memory is characterized by an interleaving depth and includes elements having associated interleaving delay depths, wherein said interleaving delay depths are less than said interleaving depth, wherein each of said plurality of circular buffers is assigned a different interleaving delay depth, and wherein said plurality of circular buffers are sorted according to said interleaving delay depths.

A method of convolutionally de-interleaving a de-interleaver input vector to produce an de-interleaved output vector, said method comprising:

• partitioning a de-interleaver memory into a plurality of circular buffers, wherein each of said plurality of circular buffers has a write pointer and a read pointer associated therewith;
• selectively reading interleaved symbols from said de-interleaver input vector;
• storing said interleaved symbols in said de-interleaver memory in accordance with said write pointers;
• selectively reading de-interleaved symbols from said de-interleaver memory;
• storing said de-interleaved symbols in said de-interleaved output vector in accordance with said read pointers;
• wherein said de-interleaver memory is characterized by an interleaving depth and includes elements having associated interleaving delay depths, wherein said interleaving delay depths are less than said interleaving depth, wherein each of said plurality of circular buffers is assigned a different interleaving delay depth, and wherein said plurality of circular buffers are sorted according to said interleaving delay depths.