Method and apparatus relating to channel decoding

A base station for channel decoding of a received channel encoded frame that has been generated from a frame that includes at least a first part with unknown information content and at least a second part with an information content for which at least one data hypothesis can be generated, the base station comprising:

• an hypothesis-based portion that is adapted, when executed by a processor, for channel decoding of the received channel encoded frame using at least one generated data hypothesis for the second part of the frame in order to increase a probability of successful decoding;
• wherein the channel encoded frame is a handover command acknowledgment that was received by the base station on a Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH);
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the first part which comprises an address field and a control field;
• and
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the second part which comprises a length indicator field and at least one fill bit octet, where the length indicator field per a standard has bits “10000000” and each of the at least one fill bit octet has per the standard either bits “00101011” or bits “11111111”.

A base station comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a channel encoded frame that has been generated from a frame that includes at least a first part with unknown information content and at least a second part with an information content for which at least one data hypothesis can be generated;
• a first convolutional decoder configured to decode the first part of the received frame;
• a second convolutional decoder configured to use a first data hypothesis to decode the second part of the received frame;
• a third convolutional decoder configured to use a second data hypothesis to decode the second part of the received frame;
• a first merge unit configured to merge decoded bits from the first convolutional decoder with decoded bits from the second convolutional decoder;
• a first FIRE decoder configured to perform error detection and correction on the merged decoded bits from the first merge unit;
• a second merge unit configured to merge decoded bits from the first convolutional decoder with decoded bits from the third convolutional decoder;
• a second FIRE decoder configured to perform error detection and correction on the merged decoded bits from the second merge unit
• wherein the channel encoded frame is a handover command acknowledgment that was received by the base station on a Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH);
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the first part which comprises an address field and a control field;
• and
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the second part which comprises a length indicator field and at least one fill bit octet, where the length indicator field per a standard has bits “10000000” and each of the at least one fill bit octet has per the standard either bits “00101011” or bits “11111111.

A method for channel decoding a received channel encoded frame, the method implemented by a base station comprising steps of:

• receiving, by a receiver unit, the channel encoded frame that has been generated from a frame that includes at least a first part with unknown information content and at least a second part with an information content for which at least one data hypothesis can be generated;
• decoding, by a first convolutional decoder, the first part of the received frame;
• decoding, by a second convolutional decoder, the second part of the received frame using a first data hypothesis;
• decoding, by a third convolutional decoder configured, the second part of the received frame using a second data hypothesis;
• merging, by a first merge unit, decoded bits from the first convolutional decoder with decoded bits from the second convolutional decoder;
• performing, by a first FIRE decoder, error detection and correction on the merged decoded bits from the first merge unit;
• merging, by a second merge unit, decoded bits from the first convolutional decoder with decoded bits from the third convolutional decoder;
• performing, by a second FIRE decoder, error detection and correction on the merged decoded bits from the second merge unit;
• wherein the channel encoded frame is a handover command acknowledgment that was received by the base station on a Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH);
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the first part which comprises an address field and a control field;
• and
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the second part which comprises a length indicator field and at least one fill bit octet, where the length indicator field per a standard has bits “10000000” and each of the at least one fill bit octet has per the standard either bits “00101011” or bits “11111111.

A base station comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a channel encoded frame that has been generated from a frame that includes at least a first part with unknown information content and at least a second part with an information content for which at least one data hypothesis can be generated;
• a first hypothesis-base portion branch comprising a first data insert unit, a first convolutional decoder, and a first FIRE decoder:
• the first data insert unit configured to (1) perform a convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using a first data hypothesis, and (2) replace soft information corresponding to the second part of the frame with a result of the convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using the first data hypothesis;
• the first convolutional decoder configured to perform convolutional decoding on information outputted from the first data insert unit;
• the first FIRE decoder configured to perform error detection and correction on information outputted from the first convolutional decoder;
• and
• a second hypothesis-base portion branch comprising a second data insert unit, a second convolutional decoder, and a second FIRE decoder:
• the second data insert unit configured to (1) perform a convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using a second data hypothesis, and (2) replace soft information corresponding to the second part of the frame with a result of the convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using the second data hypothesis;
• the second convolutional decoder configured to perform convolutional decoding on information outputted from the second data insert unit;
• the second FIRE decoder configured to perform error detection and correction on information outputted from the second convolutional decoder;
• wherein the channel encoded frame is a handover command acknowledgment that was received by the base station on a Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH);
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the first part which comprises an address field and a control field;
• and
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the second part which comprises a length indicator field and at least one fill bit octet, where the length indicator field per a standard has bits “10000000” and each of the at least one fill bit octet has per the standard either bits “00101011” or bits “11111111.

A method for channel decoding a received channel encoded frame, the method implemented by a base station comprising steps of:

• receiving, by a receiver unit, the channel encoded frame that has been generated from a frame that includes at least a first part with unknown information content and at least a second part with an information content for which at least one data hypothesis can be generated;
• providing a first hypothesis-base portion branch comprising a first data insert unit, a first convolutional decoder, and a first FIRE decoder:
• using the first data insert unit to (1) perform a convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using a first data hypothesis, and (2) replace soft information corresponding to the second part of the frame with a result of the convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using the first data hypothesis;
• performing, by the first convolutional decoder, convolutional decoding on information outputted from the first data insert unit;
• performing, by the first FIRE decoder, error detection and correction on information outputted from the first convolutional decoder;
• and
• providing a second hypothesis-base portion branch comprising a second data insert unit, a second convolutional decoder, and a second FIRE decoder:
• using the second data insert unit to (1) perform a convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using a second data hypothesis, and (2) replace soft information corresponding to the second part of the frame with a result of the convolutional encoding of the second part of the frame using the second data hypothesis;
• performing, by the second convolutional decoder, convolutional decoding on information outputted from the second data insert unit;
• performing, by the second FIRE decoder, error detection and correction on information outputted from the second convolutional decoder;
• wherein the channel encoded frame is a handover command acknowledgment that was received by the base station on a Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH);
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the first part which comprises an address field and a control field;
• and
• wherein the handover command acknowledgment has the second part which comprises a length indicator field and at least one fill bit octet, where the length indicator field per a standard has bits “10000000” and each of the at least one fill bit octet has per the standard either bits “00101011” or bits “11111111.