Mitigating Error Propagation Effects in a Decision Feedback Equalizer

This paper presents an approximate analysis approach to the computation of probability of error and mean burst error length for a decision feedback equalizer DFE that takes into account feedback of decision errors. The method uses a reduced-state Markov model of the feedback process and is applicable to linear modulation formats. This technique was used to analyze a DFE design that mitigates the effects of feedback error by incorporating a soft decision device into the feedback path and a norm constraint on the feedback filter weights. The DFE design and analysis approach was applied to a dispersive multipath propagation environment.