A method for obtaining the optimum sectionalization of the RMLD algorithm for non-linear rectangular codes

A recursive maximum likelihood decoding (RMLD) algorithm is more efficient than the Viterbi algorithm, The decoding complexity of the RMLD algorithm d epends on the recursive sectionalization. The recursive sectionalization wh ich minimizes the decoding complexity is called the optimum sectionalizatio n. In this paper, for a class of non-linear codes, called rectangular codes , it is shown that a near optimum sectionalization can be obtained with a d ynamic programming approach. Furthermore, far a subclass of rectangular cod es, called C-rectangular codes, it is shown that the exactly optimum sectio nalization can be obtained with the same approach. Following these results, an efficient algorithm to obtain the optimum sectionalization is proposed. The optimum sectionalizations for the minimum weight subcode of some Reed- Muller codes and of a BCH code are obtained with the proposed algorithm.