Progressive transmission of images over memoryless noisy channels

An embedded source code allows the decoder to reconstruct the source progressively from the prefixes of a single bit stream. It is desirable to design joint source-channel coding schemes which retain the capability of progressive reconstruction in the presence of channel noise or packet loss. Here, we address the problem of joint source-channel coding of images for progressive transmission over memoryless bit error or packet erasure channels. We develop a framework for encoding based on embedded source codes and embedded error correcting and error detecting channel codes. For a target transmission rate, we provide solutions and an algorithm for the design of optimal unequal error/erasure protection. Three performance measures are considered: the average distortion, the average peak signal-to-noise ratio, and the average useful source coding rate. Under the assumption of rate compatibility of the underlying channel codes, we provide necessary conditions for progressive transmission of joint source-channel codes. We also show that the unequal error/erasure protection policies that maximize the average useful source coding rate allow progressive transmission with optimal unequal protection at a number of intermediate rates     

A Unified Framework for Layered Transmission Over Fading and Packet Erasure Channels

We consider layered transmission of a successively refinable source over a quasi-static fading channel. We establish a duality relationship between this problem and that of packet transmission over erasure channels and use it to share solution techniques in both domains. For a Gaussian source and the fading channel, a low-complexity, optimal algorithm is proposed, and it is shown that the corresponding dual for packet erasure channels has a linear complexity as opposed to the quadratic complexity of the best known optimal algorithms in the literature. For non-Gaussian sources, the optimal rate allocation problem for fading channels is solved using the dual solution for erasure channels. It is also shown that a single-layer system is optimal for fading channels if the goal is to maximize the rate. Numerical results for multiple antenna Rayleigh fading channels are presented for Gaussian sources and practical image coders. It is shown that a few number of layers significantly improves the performance. Finally, we numerically show that for practical operating conditions, optimizing the asymptotic measure of distortion exponent is not enough when there are more than one transmit or receive antennas.     

一种抗误码能力强的无线信道图像传输方案

本文提出一种新的综合源编码和信道编码的无线信道图像传输方案，对子波变换后各个子带采用基于统计特性的变系数定长（VCFL）编码，数据经过Reed-Solomon编码后选择不同码率的码率兼容删除卷积码（RCPC）编码以提供不同程度的差错保护（UEP），最后数据经交织后传输。在给定传输的总比特数的情况下，通过优化算法使总体失真最小。模拟结果表明新方案在无线衰落信道上表现出良好的性能。     

Distributed Joint Source-Channel Coding of Video Using Raptor Codes

Extending recent works on distributed source coding, this paper considers distributed source-channel coding and targets at the important application of scalable video transmission over wireless networks. The idea is to use a single channel code for both video compression (via Slepian-Wolf coding) and packet loss protection. First, we provide a theoretical code design framework for distributed joint source-channel coding over erasure channels and then apply it to the targeted video application. The resulting video coder is based on a cross-layer design where video compression and protection are performed jointly. We choose Raptor codes - the best approximation to a digital fountain - and address in detail both encoder and decoder designs. Using the received packets together with a correlated video available at the decoder as side information, we devise a new iterative soft-decision decoder for joint Raptor decoding. Simulation results show that, compared to one separate design using Slepian-Wolf compression plus erasure protection and another based on FGS coding plus erasure protection, the proposed joint design provides better video quality at the same number of transmitted packets. Our work represents the first in capitalizing the latest in distributed source coding and near-capacity channel coding for robust video transmission over erasure channels.     

Joint design of fixed-rate source codes and multiresolution channelcodes

We propose three new design algorithms for jointly optimizing source and channel codes. Our optimality criterion is to minimize the average end-to-end distortion. For a given channel SNR and transmission rate, our joint source and channel code designs achieve an optimal allocation of bits between the source and channel coders. Our three techniques include a source-optimized channel code, a channel-optimized source code, and an iterative descent technique combining the design strategies of the other two codes. The joint designs use channel-optimized vector quantization (COVQ) for the source code and rate compatible punctured convolutional (RCPC) coding for the channel code. The optimal bit allocation reduces distortion by up to 6 dB over suboptimal allocations and by up to 4 dB relative to standard COVQ for the source data set considered. We find that all three code designs have roughly the same performance when their bit allocations are optimized. This result follows from the fact that at the optimal bit allocation the channel code removes most of the channel errors, in which case the three design techniques are roughly equivalent. We also compare the robustness of the three techniques to channel mismatch. We conclude the paper by relaxing the fixed transmission rate constraint and jointly optimizing the transmission rate, source code, and channel code     

Rate-Distortion Optimized Video Transmission Over DS-CDMA Channels with Auxiliary Vector Filter Single-User Multirate Detection

In this paper, we consider the rate-distortion optimized resource allocation for video transmission over multi-rate wireless direct-sequence code-division-multiple-access (DS-CDMA) channels. We consider the performance of transmitting scalable video over a multipath Rayleigh fading channel via a combination of multi-code multirate CDMA and variable sequence length multirate CDMA channel system. At the receiver, despreading is done using adaptive space-time auxiliary-vector (AV) filters. We propose a new interference cancelling design that uses just a single AV filter for single-user mutirate despreading. Our experimental results show that the proposed interference cancelling design has excellent performance in scalable video transmission over DS-CDMA systems that use a combination of multicode multirate and variable processing gain multirate CDMA. The proposed design takes advantage of the fact that single user's video data is transmitted using two spreading codes, one for the base layer and one for the enhancement layers, and of the fact that these spreading codes can have different processing gains. The proposed interference cancelling design is compared with two conventional single-user multirate CDMA receiver configurations, however now we use an AV filter rather than a simple matched filter. We also propose a resource allocation algorithm for the optimal determination of source coding rate, channel coding rate and processing gain for each scalable layer, in order to minimize the expected distortion at the receiver.     

Performance of H.263 video transmission over wireless channelsusing hybrid ARQ

This paper proposes a hybrid ARQ error control scheme based on the concatenation of a Reed-Solomon (RS) code and a rate compatible punctured convolutional (RCPC) code for low-bit-rate video transmission over wireless channels. The concatenated hybrid ARQ scheme we propose combines the advantages of both type-I and type-II hybrid ARQ schemes. Certain error correction capability is provided in each (re)transmitted packet, and the information can be recovered from each transmission or retransmission alone if the errors are within the error correction capability (similar to type-I hybrid ARQ). The retransmitted packet contains redundancy bits which, when combined with the previous transmission, result in a more powerful RS/convolutional concatenated code to recover information if error correction fails for the individual transmissions (similar to type-II hybrid ARQ). Bit-error rate (BER) or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a radio channel changes over time due to mobile movement and fading. The channel quality at any instant depends on the previous channel conditions. For the accurate analysis of the performance of the hybrid ARQ scheme, we use a multistate Markov chain (MSMC) to model the radio channel at the data packet level. We propose a method to partition the range of the received SNR into a set of states for constructing the model so that the difference between the error rate of the real radio channel and that of the MSMC model is minimized. Based on the model, we analyze the performance of the concatenated hybrid ARQ scheme. The results give valuable insight into the effects of the error protection capability in each packet, the mobile speed, and the number of retransmissions. Finally, the transmission of H.263 coded video over a wireless channel with error protection provided by the concatenated hybrid ARQ scheme is studied by means of simulations     

Joint source-channel coding for motion-compensated DCT-based SNR scalable video

In this paper, we develop an approach toward joint source-channel coding for motion-compensated DCT-based scalable video coding and transmission. A framework for the optimal selection of the source and channel coding rates over all scalable layers is presented such that the overall distortion is minimized. The algorithm utilizes universal rate distortion characteristics which are obtained experimentally and show the sensitivity of the source encoder and decoder to channel errors. The proposed algorithm allocates the available bit rate between scalable layers and, within each layer, between source and channel coding. We present the results of this rate allocation algorithm for video transmission over a wireless channel using the H.263 Version 2 signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) scalable codec for source coding and rate-compatible punctured convolutional (RCPC) codes for channel coding. We discuss the performance of the algorithm with respect to the channel conditions, coding methodologies, layer rates, and number of layers.     

Adaptive source-channel subband video coding for wireless channels

This paper presents a general framework for combined source-channel coding within the context of subband coding. The unequal importance of subbands in reconstruction of the source is exploited by an appropriate allocation of source and channel coding rates for the coding and transmission of subbands over a noisy channel. For each subband, the source coding rate as well as the level of protection (quantified by the channel coding rate) are jointly chosen to minimize the total end-to-end mean-squared distortion suffered by the source. This allocation of source and channel coding rates is posed as a constrained optimization problem, and solved using a generalized bit allocation algorithm. The optimal choice of source and channel coding rates depends on the state of the physical channel. These results are extended to transmission over fading channels using a finite state model, where every state corresponds to an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. A coding strategy is also developed that minimizes the average distortion when the channel state is unavailable at the transmitter. Experimental results are provided that demonstrate application of these combined source-channel coding strategies on video sequences     

Hybrid ARQ with selective combining for fading channels

We propose and analyze a hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) with a selective combining scheme using rate-compatible punctured convolutional (RCPC) codes for fading channels. A finite-state Markov channel model is used to represent the Rayleigh fading channels. We show that the hybrid ARQ with selective combining yields better performance than the generalized type-II ARQ scheme for fading channels. Furthermore, simulation results of real-time video time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission system are given. Better video quality can be obtained by our proposed scheme, with a bounded delay. Analytical results of throughput and packet error rate (PER) are compared to the simulated results. Our analysis based on a finite-state Markov channel model, is shown to give good agreement with simulations     

Source-channel rate allocation for progressive transmission of images

Progressive image transmission is difficult in the presence of a noisy channel, mainly due to the propagation of errors during the decoding of a progressive bitstream. Excellent results for this problem are made possible through combined source-channel coding, a method that matches the channel code to the source operational rate distortion as well as channel conditions. This paper focuses on the key component of combined source-channel coding: rate allocation. We develop a parametric methodology for rate allocation in progressive source-channel coding. The key to this technique is an empirical model of decoded bit-error rate as a function of the channel code rate. We investigate several scenarios. In the case of the memoryless channel, we present closed-form expressions. For the fading channel and channels with feedback, where closed-form results are elusive, our analysis leads to low-complexity algorithms. The results presented are applicable to any progressive source code, and any family of channel codes.     

Reed-Solomon error control coding for Rayleigh fading channels withfeedback

The use of nonbinary block error control codes over Rayleigh fading channels with feedback is examined. It is assumed that the fading is slow with respect to the rate of symbol transmission. Expressions are derived for the probabilities of channel symbol error and erasure, which are in turn used to develop expressions for code symbol error and erasure. Two erasure generation mechanisms are considered, one based on the existence of channel amplitude side information, the other not. This analytical framework is used to evaluate the performance of the Reed-Solomon/hybrid-ARQ protocol (RS/HARQ) over fading channels with feedback. The RS/HARQ system uses erasure decoding in a hybrid-ARQ protocol to provide excellent reliability performance at the expense of a reduction in throughput. The RS/HARQ protocol allows for the variation of the erasure threshold and the effective diameter of the decoding operation     

Concatenated Reed-Solomon/convolutional coding for datatransmission in CDMA-based cellular systems

A robust error control scheme for data transmission in CDMA-based cellular systems is proposed which employs outer Reed-Solomon codes concatenated with inner convolutional codes. The performance of this scheme is analyzed assuming nonperiodic random spreading sequences and a Rake receiver with perfect knowledge of the channel. In particular, a simple model for the memoryless inner coding channel that encompasses the effects of multiple access interference, self-noise and thermal noise is first derived. Using new tight upper bounds on bit- and symbol-error probabilities of convolutional codes over Nakagami, Rayleigh, and Rician fading multipath channels, the performance of the concatenated coding scheme is then evaluated. The Reed-Solomon/convolutional coding scheme has been adopted by the European RACE Project Code Division Testbed (CODIT) and implemented in an experimental testbed. The code design methodology, which has been used to specify the 9.6-, 64-, and 128-kbit/s data traffic channels of the CODIT testbed, is presented and the single-cell CDMA capacity is computed     

On the unequal error protection for progressive image transmission.

In this paper, we consider the unequal error protection (UEP) for progressive image transmission when the coded packet size is fixed. First, we prove that, for the source code with convex rate-distortion (R-D) function and practically used channel codes, the channel code rate for each packet in the optimal rate allocation is nondecreasing indeed. Then, we give an upper bound for the channel code rate of the last packet so that the number of rate allocations in the exhaustive search can be predicted. Further, we propose a heuristic optimization method which has low complexity and obtains performance approaching to the optimal solutions for various channel conditions and transmission rates.     

Turbo codes-based image transmission for channels with multiple types of distortion

Product codes are generally used for progressive image transmission when random errors and packet loss (or burst errors) co-exist. However, the optimal rate allocation considering both component codes gives rise to high-optimization complexity. In addition, the decoding performance may be degraded quickly when the channel varies beyond the design point. In this paper, we propose a new unequal error protection (UEP) scheme for progressive image transmission by using rate-compatible punctured Turbo codes (RCPT) and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) codes only. By sophisticatedly interleaving each coded frame, the packet loss can be converted into randomly punctured bits in a Turbo code. Therefore, error control in noisy channels with different types of errors is equivalent to dealing with random bit errors only, with reduced turbo code rates. A genetic algorithm-based method is presented to further reduce the optimization complexity. This proposed method not only gives a better performance than product codes in given channel conditions but is also more robust to the channel variation. Finally, to break down the error floor of turbo decoding, we further extend the above RCPT/CRC protection to a product code scheme by adding a Reed-Solomon (RS) code across the frames. The associated rate allocation is discussed and further improvement is demonstrated.     

Multiuser Distortion Management of Layered Video over Resource Limited Downlink Multicode-CDMA

Transmitting multiple real-time encoded videos to multiple users over wireless cellular networks is a key driving force for developing broadband technology. We propose a new framework to transmit multiple users' video programs encoded by MPEG-4 FGS codec over downlink multicode CDMA networks in real time. The proposed framework jointly manages the rate adaptation of source and channel coding, CDMA code allocation, and power control. Subject to the limited system resources, such as the number of pseudo-random codes and the maximal power for CDMA transmission, we develop an adaptive scheme of distortion management to ensure baseline video quality for each user and further reduce the overall distortion received by all users. To efficiently utilize system resources, the proposed scheme maintains a balanced ratio between the power and code usages. We also investigate three special scenarios where demand, power, or code is limited, respectively. Compared with existing methods in the literature, the proposed algorithm can reduce the overall system's distortion by 14% to 26%. In the demand-limited case and the code-limited but power-unlimited case, the proposed scheme achieves the optimal solutions. In the power-limited but code-unlimited case, the proposed scheme has a performance very close to a performance upper bound     

Forward Error Correction Coding for Fading Compensation in Mobile Satellite Channels

Fading in mobile satellite communications severely degrades the performance of data transmission. The channel is modeled with nonfrequency selective Rice and Rayleigh fading. Also, stored channel simulation is used for hardware data transmission. FEC coding with Viterbi decoding of convolutional codes, and Berlekamp-Massey decoding of Reed-Solomon codes, are used to compensate for the fading. In addition to interleaving, channel state and erasure information improve the performance of the decoder. The BER after decoding is calculated for specific codes on several channels and for different transmission schemes. Using very simple channel state and erasure information gives 2-7 dB additional coding gain. These gains have been verified by hardware data transmission on synthetic fading channels and stored mobile satellite channels.     

BER performance comparison of single code and multicode DS/CDMAchannelization schemes for high rate data transmission

The bit error rate (BER) performance of single code and multicode channelization schemes for high rate data transmission in direct-sequence code division multiple access (DS/CDMA) systems is compared. The multipath interference (MPI) effects, which become significant as the data rate increases, are accurately included in the analysis. It is shown that notable performance improvement can be achieved by using multicode scheme in the multipath fading channel     

Adaptive interleaver based on rate-compatible punctured convolutional codes

This letter focuses on the design of an adaptive Bit- Interleaved Coded Modulation (BICM) scheme for frequency selective slow fading channels where the transmitter has certain knowledge of the channel response. In particular, we consider the design of the interleaver stage for a specific convolutional code operating with OFDM modulation. The adaptive interleaver uses the puncturing tables of the Rate-Compatible Punctured Convolutional Codes (RCPC codes) to rearrange the bits as a function of the fading values and the specific constellation. The performance of different interleavers are compared, revealing that the adaptive RCPC-based interleaver produces larger Euclidean distances between the received codewords and reduces the packet error rate (PER), specially when the number of deep-faded subcarriers increases. Numerical results also evidence the importance of the interleaver choice when comparing the performance of different power allocation strategies.     

ZCZ‐CDMA and OFDMA using M‐QAM for broadband wireless communications

This paper considers direct‐sequence code‐division multiple‐access with zero‐correlation zone sequences (ZCZ‐CDMA) and orthogonal frequency‐division multiple‐access (OFDMA) schemes using M‐ary QAM signaling for broadband wireless communications. Their system structures, complexities and performances in both AWGN and multipath frequency‐selective fading channels are evaluated and compared. For ZCZ‐CDMA, joint suppression of the multipath fading interference and multiple‐access interference can be achieved with a reduced family‐size of the spreading sequences. For OFDMA, analytical and simulation results indicate that it has the same performance as ZCZ‐CDMA in fast time‐varying multipath fading channels. In time‐invariant or slowly time‐varying channels, where the channel information can be made available to transmitters, OFDMA outperforms ZCZ‐CDMA, offers a higher capacity and is more flexible for system reconfiguration with a comparable computational complexity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.