Maximum likelihood sequence detection for intersymbol interference channels: A new upper bound on error probability

Maximum likelihood sequence detection of digital signaling subject to intersymbol interference and additive white Gaussian noise is considered. A new approach to the error probability analysis results in an upper bound which is tighter than the Forney bound. In addition, in the case of infinite-length intersymbol interference a locally convergent bound is shown to hold under fairly general assumptions on the signal autocorrelation.