Implementation of APP decoders on dual code trellis

For high rate k/n convolutional codes (k/n > 0.5), a trellis based implementation of a posteriori probability (APP) decoders is less complex on the dual code trellis owing to its branch complexity (2^n-k ) being lower than the code trellis (2^k). The log scheme used for APP decoders is not attractive for practical implementation owing to heavy quantisation requirements. As an alternative, presented is an arc hyperbolic tangent (AHT) scheme for implementing the dual- APP decoder. The trellis based implementation of this AHT dual APP decoder is discussed and some fundamental differences between primal APP and dual APP decoders that have an effect on a quantised implementation are reported.