Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for processing a received digitally-modulated carrier signal to coherently demodulate or, for some applications, coherently demodulate and decode said signal when the signal's phase has an undesired component and/or to generate successive estimated values of said undesired phase of the received signal. Signal processing operations are performed in accord with a composite trellis diagram formed from one or more component trellis diagrams that are phase-displaced versions of a root trellis diagram and, when applicable, phase migration transitions. Desired variations in signal parameter values that result from modulating the signal effect transitions between states in the root trellis diagram.

Abstract: This invention provides means for processing a received digitally-modulated carrier signal to coherently demodulate or, for some applications, coherently demodulate and decode said signal when the signal's phase has an undesired component and/or to generate successive estimated values of said undesired phase of the received signal. The signal processed is partially represented by a composite trellis diagram formed by combining multiple component trellis diagrams which are phase-displaced versions of a root trellis diagram. Desired variations in signal parameter values that result from modulating the signal effect transitions between states within the root trellis diagram.