Method and apparatus for evaluating performance of a read channel
AssigneeAgere Systems Inc.
InventorsNils Graef, Zachary Keirn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring the performance of a read channel. A number of detection techniques, such as SOVA and maximum-a-posteriori (MAP) detectors, produce a bit decision and a corresponding reliability value associated with the bit decision. The reliability value associated with the bit decision may be expressed, for example, in the form of log likelihood ratios (LLRs). The reliability value can be monitored and used as a performance measure. The present invention provides a channel performance measure that generally correlates directly to the BER but can be collected in less time.
Claims10
A method for measuring performance in a read channel, comprising configuring a processor to execute the steps of:
- obtaining one or more soft bit decisions for a bit read on said read channel, wherein each of said soft bit decisions is a decision on a value of a bit;
- determining a reliability value based on said one or more soft bit decisions, wherein said reliability value is a measure of probability of for said bit read on said read channel;
- determining a performance of said read channel based on a number of occurrences of said reliability value in a plurality of ranges;
- and
- providing said number of occurrences to tune a channel and thereby improve said performance of said read channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.