MICROPROCESSOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VITERBI DETECTOR.

The Viterbi detector exhibits improved error performance for intersymbol interference channels relative to linear receivers. However, it is quite complex as the storage and processing required grows exponentially with the channel memory. It is assumed that the detector would be preceded by a linear digital filter that would shorten the channel memory. For small channel memories, it was possible to implement a relatively simple version of the Viterbi detector. This detector was implemented on an eight-bit microprocessor and tested in the laboratory. The results give an estimate of the complexity and implementation loss that would occur in more practical digital implementations.