# US 8,572,454 B1 · System and method for decoding correlated data

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- Number: US 8,572,454 B1
- Document ID: US8572454B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/684,895
- Filed: 2012-11-26
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-11-30
- Assignees: Marvell International Ltd.
- Applicants: Marvell International Ltd.
- Inventors: Engling Yeo; Panu Chaichanavong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8572454B1

## CPC

- H03M 13/6331: {Error control coding in combination with equalisation}
- H03M 13/1105: {Decoding}
- H03M 13/6561: {Parallelized implementations}
- H03M 13/4138: {soft-output Viterbi algorithm based decoding, i.e. Viterbi decoding with weighted decisions}
- H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C)

## Abstract

A communication system includes an encoder configured to encode first data words to generate code words. A modulator is configured to modulate the code words into a first signal that is transmitted on a communication channel. A demodulator is configured to demodulate a second signal, received from the communication channel, into estimates of the code words. The second signal is based on the first signal. A decoding module is configured to group the estimates of the code words into a plurality of groups of correlated data bits, wherein the correlated data bits include statistical relationships between different data bits, generate a plurality of group estimate signals each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits, and generate, by combining the plurality of group estimate signals, an estimate signal corresponding to the first data words.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A communication system, comprising:
an encoder configured to encode first data words to generate code words;
a modulator configured to modulate the code words into a first signal that is transmitted on a communication channel;
a demodulator configured to demodulate a second signal, received from the communication channel, into estimates of the code words, wherein the second signal is based on the first signal; and
a decoding module configured to i) group the estimates of the code words into a plurality of groups of correlated data bits, wherein the correlated data bits include statistical relationships between different data bits, ii) generate a plurality of group estimate signals each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits, and iii) generate, by combining the plurality of group estimate signals, an estimate signal corresponding to the first data words.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the second signal corresponds to the first signal corrupted by noise or interference.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the decoding module is configured to generate the plurality of group estimate signals by decoding the plurality of groups of correlated data bits.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the decoding module is configured to generate the plurality of group estimate signals by generating soft decoding information based on the plurality of groups of correlated data bits.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The communication system of claim 4, wherein the soft decoding information includes log likelihood ratios.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the decoding module is configured to generate the plurality of group estimate signals by generating a plurality of probability vectors corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits, wherein the plurality of probability vectors includes probabilities that each of the correlated data bits has a respective value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the decoding module is configured to generate the plurality of group estimate signals by decoding two or more of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits concurrently.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The communication system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits has a different size than others of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits.

### Claim 9

A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:
encoding first data words to generate code words;
modulating the code words into a first signal that is transmitted on a communication channel;
demodulating a second signal, received from the communication channel, into estimates of the code words, wherein the second signal is based on the first signal;
grouping the estimates of the code words into a plurality of groups of correlated data bits, wherein the correlated data bits include statistical relationships between different data bits;
generating a plurality of group estimate signals each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits; and
generating, by combining the plurality of group estimate signals, an estimate signal corresponding to the first data words.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the second signal corresponds to the first signal corrupted by noise or interference.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the plurality of group estimate signals by decoding the plurality of groups of correlated data bits.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the plurality of group estimate signals by generating soft decoding information based on the plurality of groups of correlated data bits.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the soft decoding information includes log likelihood ratios.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the plurality of group estimate signals by generating a plurality of probability vectors corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits, wherein the plurality of probability vectors includes probabilities that each of the correlated data bits has a respective value.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the plurality of group estimate signals by decoding two or more of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits concurrently.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein one or more of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits has a different size than others of the plurality of groups of correlated data bits.