Efficient maximum likelihood decoding of linear block codes using a trellis

It is shown that soft decision maximum likelihood decoding of any(n,k)linear block code overGF(q)can be accomplished using the Viterbi algorithm applied to a trellis with no more thanq^{(n-k)}states. For cyclic codes, the trellis is periodic. When this technique is applied to the decoding of product codes, the number of states in the trellis can be much fewer thanq^{n-k}. For a binary(n,n - 1)single parity check code, the Viterbi algorithm is equivalent to the Wagner decoding algorithm.