Decoding linear block codes for minimizing word error rate (Corresp.)

Two modifications of the basic correlation decoding approach are presented. One of them yields a nonexhaustive optimum word decoding algorithm whose complexity depends upon the "projecting" structure of the code. This algorithm is then modified to yield a second decoding algorithm which, while not optimum, has simpler complexity. Applications to the AWGN channel are discussed and performance curves are given for (24, 12) and (31, 15) codes.