Resource sharing in decoder architectures
AssigneeAltera Corporation
InventorsVolker Mauer, Zhengjun Pan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A state metric calculator for calculating state metrics of stages in a trellis of a sequence estimation technique is described. The calculator has a processing path containing operations needed for calculating a state metric of a trellis stage from state metrics of an earlier trellis stage. One or more data stores are located in the processing path to divide the path into separate sections. The sections can then operate on the production of different state metrics to one another in, if desired, the same clock cycle.
Claims23
A state metric calculator for calculating state metrics of stages in a trellis of a sequence estimation technique, the calculator comprising:
- a processing path containing operations needed for calculating a state metric of a trellis stage from state metrics of an earlier trellis stage and at least one data store in the processing path so that the path is partitioned into sections that are arranged to operate on the calculation of different state metrics to one another;
- wherein:
- a first of said sections is arranged to select a candidate from candidates for a state metric of said trellis;
- and
- a second of said sections is arranged to correct inaccuracy in the candidate selected by the first section, wherein the second section compares at least two of the candidates, further wherein selection of the candidate by the first section is based on a comparison of the at least two candidates by the second section,
- further wherein at least two of said sections are arranged to work on, in a single clock cycle, production of different state metrics of a same trellis stage of the trellis.
A state metric calculator for calculating a state metric of a stage of a trellis having a plurality of stages and relating to a sequence estimation technique, the calculator comprising:
- a set of processing elements;
- and
- at least one register,
- wherein the processing elements are arranged to take data from a trellis stage and produce a state metric for a subsequent stage of the trellis and at least one register of said at least one register is connected between two of the processing elements to divide the set into subsets that are capable of working on production of different state metrics, of said subsequent stage, to one another in a given clock cycle;
- wherein:
- a first of the processing elements is arranged to select a candidate from candidates for a state metric of said trellis;
- and
- a second of the processing elements is arranged to correct inaccuracy in the candidate selected by the first processing element, wherein the second of the processing elements compares at least two of the candidates, further wherein selection of the candidate by the first of the processing elements is based on a comparison of the at least two candidates by the second of the processing elements.
A state metric calculator that is pipelined to enable different parts of the calculator to be working on different state metrics at the same time, wherein:
- a first section of the state metric calculator is arranged to select a candidate from candidates for a state metric of a trellis;
- a second section of the state metric calculator is arranged to correct inaccuracy in the candidate selected by the first section, wherein the second section compares at least two of the candidates, further wherein selection of the candidate by the first section is based on a comparison of the at least two candidates by the second section;
- and
- at least one register between the first and second sections,
- wherein the first and second sections are arranged to work on, in a single clock cycle, production of different state metrics of a same trellis stage of the trellis.
A data sequence estimator for estimating a transmitted data sequence using a trellis calculation technique utilising a trellis comprising a set of stages each containing a number of states, the estimator comprising:
- a plurality of state metric calculators, wherein:
- each of at least two of the state metric calculators comprises a processing path containing operations needed for calculating a state metric of a trellis stage from state metrics of an earlier trellis stage and at least one data store in the processing path so that the path is partitioned into sections that are arranged to operate on calculation of different state metrics to one another;
- each of said at least two state metric calculators is arranged to produce, in one clock cycle, a state metric for a different state of the same stage of the trellis;
- and
- each of said at least two state metric calculators is arranged such that, in said clock cycle, at least two of its processing path sections work on the calculation of different state metrics to one another;
- wherein:
- a first of said sections is arranged to select a candidate from candidates for a state metric of said trellis;
- and
- a second of said sections is arranged to correct inaccuracy in the candidate selected by the first section, wherein the second section compares at least two of the candidates, further wherein selection of the candidate by the first section is based on a comparison of the at least two candidates by the second section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.