Performance Bounds for Convolutional Codes with Digital Viterbi Decoders in Gaussian Noise

With digital implementations of the Viterbi decoding algorithm for convolutional codes, soft quantization is preferred over hard quantization because it generally yields superior performance. Since the decoder needs to know the signal energy and channel noise variance with soft quantization, inaccurate information can result in a mismatch between the channel and decoder. Bounds which are tight for high signal-to-noise ratios are obtained on the bit error probability using the generating function approach. Automatic gain control level inaccuracies, imperfect carrier phase, symbol timing synchronization error, and path metric digitization are discussed in the context of a mismatch between the channel and decoder.     

一种基于滑窗回溯多标准Viterbi译码器

为满足当前通信系统中存在的多种通信标准要求,提出了一种基于滑窗回溯的多标准Viterbi译码器。与其他Viterbi译码器相比,该译码器在支持任意长度序列译码的基础上,实现了1/2、1/3和1/4三种不同码率的配置,并适配5~9五种可变约束长度。此外,该译码器还具有软判决和硬判决两种判决模式,其中软判决采用8 bit有符号数量化。在对路径度量防溢出及幸存路径管理等模块进行优化后,该译码器能够在不显著增加延迟的前提下,具有更优异的工作性能。实验结果表明,该译码器可以根据设置的参数适用多种通信标准,并得到更好的误码性能。     

Soft-decision COVQ for turbo-coded AWGN and Rayleigh fadingchannels

A robust soft-decision channel-optimized vector quantization (COVQ) scheme for turbo coded additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and Rayleigh fading channels is proposed, The log likelihood ratio (LLR) generated by the turbo decoder is exploited via the use of a q-bit scalar soft-decision demodulator. The concatenation of the turbo encoder, modulator, AWGN channel or Rayleigh fading channel, turbo decoder, and q-bit soft-decision demodulator is modeled as an expanded discrete memoryless channel (DMC). A COVQ scheme for this expanded discrete channel is designed. Numerical results indicate substantial performance improvements over traditional tandem coding systems, COVQ schemes designed for hard-decision demodulated turbo coded channels (q=1), as well as performance gains over a recent soft decoding COVQ scheme by Ho (see IEEE Commun. Lett., vol.3, p.208-10, 1999)     

An artificial neural net Viterbi decoder

The Viterbi algorithm is a maximum likelihood means for decoding convolutional codes and has thus played an important role in applications ranging from satellite communications to cellular telephony. In the past, Viterbi decoders have usually been implemented using digital circuits. The speed of these digital decoders is directly related to the amount of parallelism in the design. As the constraint length of the code increases, parallelism becomes problematic due to the complexity of the decoder. In this paper an artificial neural network (ANN) Viterbi decoder is presented. The ANN decoder is significantly faster than comparable digital-only designs due to its fully parallel architecture. The fully parallel structure is obtained by implementing most of the Viterbi algorithm using analog neurons as opposed to digital circuits. Several modifications to the ANN decoder are considered, including an analog/digital hybrid design that results in an extremely fast and efficient decoder. The ANN decoder requires one-sixth the number of transistors required by the digital decoder. The connection weights of the ANN decoder are either +1 or -1, so weight considerations in the implementation are eliminated. This, together with the design's modularity and local connectivity, makes the ANN Viterbi decoder a natural fit for VLSI implementation. Simulation results are provided to show that the performance of the ANN decoder matches that of an ideal Viterbi decoder     

High-performance Viterbi decoder with circularly connected 2-D CNN unilateral cell array

A very-high-performance Viterbi decoder with a circularly connected two-dimensional analog cellular neural network (CNN) cell array is disclosed. In the proposed Viterbi decoder, the CNN cells with nonlinear unilateral connections are implemented with electronic circuits at nodes on a trellis diagram. The circuits are circularly connected, forming a cylindrical shape so that the cells of the last stage are connected to those of the first stage. Unilateral connections guide the information to flow circularly around the cylindrical surface. Such configuration enables the conceptually infinite length of the trellis diagram to be reduced to a circuit of limited size. The analog circuits does not require any analog-digital converters, which is the major cause of high power consumption and the quantization error. With the parallel analog processing structure, its decoding speed becomes very high. Also, the decoding mechanism using triggering wave of the CNN circuit does not require the path memory. Circuits for the proposed structure have been designed with HSPICE. Features of the proposed Viterbi decoder are compared with those of the conventional digital Viterbi decoder.     

卷积编码及译码在数字通信系统中的仿真

本文介绍了利用点对点（哪）数字通信系统模型，推导卷积编码和Viterbi译码的非线性传输函数的方法以及对Viterbi译码软判决和硬判决的性能分析。通过Matlab中的Simulink仿真模块，对系统模型进行了建模，其仿真结果表明。增大卷积编码和Viterbi译码的约束长度可以提高误码性能。最后，得到了Viterbi译码在软判决和硬判决条件下的误码曲线。     

Viterbi-based algorithm for side-match vector quantization overnoisy channels

Side-match vector quantization is a finite-state technique for image coding. This research shows that the side-match vector quantization is an error-propagating code and it is similar to a catastrophic convolutional code. Here, we propose a Viterbi-based algorithm to solve this problem. Various noise detection algorithms are integrated into the Viterbi algorithm (to yield the Viterbi-based algorithm) for a much better performance. According to the simulation of a binary symmetric channel with random bit-error rate (BER) 0.1%-0.01%, the Viterbi-based algorithm provides 2.8-9.6 dB and 2.3-8.4 dB gain compared with the conventional side-match vector quantization decoder and the Viterbi decoder, respectively. In addition, the proposed algorithm requires much fewer computations than the Viterbi algorithm     

A Hybrid Phase/Data Viterbi Demodulator for Encoded CPFSK Modulation

By using an analysis technique based on the concept of transfer function bounds, we show that the Viterbi demodulator for correlative encoded CPFSK modulation is sensitive to carrier reference errors. To compensate for this sensitivity, we introduce a few extra phase states into the demodulation algorithm; this has been suggested earlier by Jackson and Omura. However, their demodulator is more complex than ours, as it is intended to compensate for rapidly varying phase offsets. Ours requires considerably fewer decoder states but uses a combination of external and internal phase estimation relative to the Viterbi demodulation algorithm, and is intended to track slowly varying phase offsets. We test the performance of our hybrid demodulation procedure, using an approximate analysis and a digital computer simulation which involves a simple vector structure and is based on orthogonal basis functions for the signal space under consideration. Our demodulation algorithm results in a modest increase in the number of Viterbi decoder states and no increase in the number of receiver matched filters. To track time-varying phase offsets, a truncated metric version of the Viterbi demodulation algorithm is introduced and tested.     

Noncoherent equalization of GMSK using complex receiver structures

In this letter, the performance of the HIPERLAN system in an indoor multipath fading channel is considered. Due to the high carrier frequency and high data rate, a simple noncoherent demodulator followed by a nonlinear equalizer, which includes a RAM and a Viterbi decoder, is proposed to cope with intersymbol interference. The novelty of the proposed equalizer is that a complex noncoherent signal is used. Although the complexity of the receiver is doubled, performance is greatly improved with respect to real receivers     

1000 BASE-T收发器中的Viterbi译码算法研究

采用4维8状态网格编码和Viterbi译码相结合的方法，理论上可以获得6dB的编码增益，用于补偿采用PAM-5编码所带来的噪声容限损失。文章给出了针对4维8状态网格编码的Viterbi译码算法的译码过程，并就译码深度、量化精度和溢出处理方法对译码器性能的影响进行了算法仿真，确定出适合1000 BASE-T收发器应用的译码器参数。     

一种M-FSK信号的能量度量Viterbi软译码算法性能分析

Viterbi译码算法广泛应用于无线数字通信系统,一般采用比特对数似然信息(LLR)作为译码器的输入。针对M-FSK信号,该文提出一种采用信号解调得到的M维能量信息,直接作为译码器分支度量值,并给出了相应的Viterbi译码算法。在加性高斯白噪声(AWGN)和瑞利(Rayleigh)衰落信道下对所提算法的BER性能进行了理论推导,得到了闭合表达式。通过仿真验证了理论推导的正确性,与常规Viterbi算法相比,所提算法避免了比特LLR和分支度量值的计算,降低了算法复杂度和减少了信息损失,提高了M-FSK信号软解调Viterbi译码算法的BER性能,是一种更适用于工程实现的M-FSK信号的Viterbi译码算法。     

Soft decoding in optical systems

We consider the application of concatenated codes with interleaver and iterative decoding to optical communication systems. We show how to obtain the optimum log-likelihood ratio to be provided to the soft decoder in the optical channel environment, and compare the performance of a decoder using it with the one employing a Gaussian approximation of the optical channel. Simulation results refer to practical turbo-product codes, and encompass the effect of quantization on the log-likelihood ratio. The results show that the Gaussian assumption in computing the log-likelihood ratio for the optical channel leads to significant losses.     

Soft-decision demodulation design for COVQ over white, colored, andISI Gaussian channels

In this work, the design of a q-bit (scalar and vector) soft-decision demodulator for Gaussian channels with binary phase-shift keying modulation is investigated. The demodulator is used in conjunction with a soft-decision channel-optimized vector quantization (COVQ) system. The COVQ is constructed for an expanded (q>1) discrete channel consisting of the concatenation of the modulator, the Gaussian channel, and the demodulator. It is found that as the demodulator resolution q increases, the capacity of the expanded channel increases, resulting in an improvement of the COVQ performance. Consequently, the soft-decision demodulator is designed to maximize the capacity of the expanded channel. Three Gaussian channel models are considered as follows: (1) additive white Gaussian noise channels; (2) additive colored Gaussian noise channels; and (3) Gaussian channels with intersymbol interference. Comparisons are made with (a) hard-decision COVQ systems, (b) COVQ systems which utilize interleaving, and (c) an unquantized (q=∞) soft-decision decoder proposed by Skoglund and Hedelin (1999). It is shown that substantial improvements can be achieved over COVQ systems which utilize hard decision demodulation and/or channel interleaving. The performance of the proposed COVQ system is comparable with the system by Skoglund and Hedelin-though its computational complexity is substantially less     

第三代移动通信系统中通用高速维特比译码器的设计与实现

本文描述了一种可用于第三代移动通信系统的通用高速维特比译码器的设计与实现.该译码器支持可变码率、可变帧长的译码,具有一定的通用性.同时通过两条流水线并行运算的结构,内部可达到588kbps的最高译码速度.该维特比译码器具有很强的通用性和可移植性,可以方便地运用于第三代移动通信系统和其它许多系统.     

Adaptive Bayesian equalizer with decision feedback

A Bayesian solution is derived for digital communication channel equalization with decision feedback. This is an extension of the maximum a posteriori probability symbol-decision equalizer to include decision feedback. A novel scheme utilizing decision feedback that not only improves equalization performance but also reduces computational complexity greatly is proposed. It is shown that the Bayesian equalizer has a structure equivalent to that of the radial basis function network, the latter being a one-hidden-layer artificial neural network widely used in pattern classification and many other areas of signal processing. Two adaptive approaches are developed to realize the Bayesian solution. The maximum-likelihood Viterbi algorithm and the conventional decision feedback equalizer are used as two benchmarks to asses the performance of the Bayesian decision feedback equalizer     

Soft-decision decoding of fixed-rate entropy-coded trellis-coded quantizer over a noisy channel

This paper presents new techniques to improve the performance of a fixed-rate entropy-coded trellis-coded quantizer (FE-TCQ) in transmission over a noisy channel. In this respect, we first present the optimal decoder for a fixed-rate entropy-coded vector quantizer (FEVQ). We show that the optimal decoder for the FEVQ can be a maximum likelihood decoder where a trellis structure is used to model the set of possible code words and the Viterbi algorithm is subsequently applied to select the most likely path through this trellis. In order to add quantization packing gain to the FEVQ, we take advantage of a trellis-coded quantization (TCQ) scheme. To prevent error propagation, it is necessary to use a block structure obtained through a truncation of the corresponding trellis. To perform this task in an efficient manner, we apply the idea of tail biting to the trellis structure of the underlying TCQ. It is shown that the use of a tail-biting trellis significantly reduces the required block length with respect to some other possible alternatives known for trellis truncation. This results in a smaller delay and also mitigates the effect of error propagation in signaling over a noisy channel. Finally, we present methods and numerical results for the combination of the proposed FEVQ soft decoder and a tail-biting TCQ. These results show that, by an appropriate design of the underlying components, one can obtain a substantial improvement in the overall performance of such a fixed-rate entropy-coded scheme.     

Optimum soft decision demodulation for ISI channels

Two different methods of soft-decision demodulation for channels with finite intersymbol interference (ISI) in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) are analyzed. In both schemes, the cutoff rate R₀ of the discrete channel created by the demodulator output quantization is chosen as the design criterion. Expressions for the optimal thresholds of the quantizer associated with the demodulation of binary signals are derived. Results for the channel with memory equal to one symbol duration are presented. As a special case, the (1-D) channel with soft decision demodulation is analyzed. Closed-form solutions show that a 4-b quantizer improves performance substantially in this case     

基于IP核的Viterbi译码器实现

Viterbi译码器在通信系统中应用非常普遍,针对采用DSP只能进行相对较低速率的Viterbi译码的问题,人们开始采用FPGA实现高速率Viterbi译码。本文首先简单描述了Viterbi译码的基本过程,接着根据Viterbi译码器IP核的特点,分别详细介绍了并行结构、混合结构和基于混合结构的增信删余3种Viterbi译码器IP核的主要性能和使用方法,并通过应用实例给出了译码器IP核的性能仿真。     

Bit-by-bit soft-decision decoding of trellis-coded M-DPSKmodulation

We present a simple soft-decision decoding method for use with trellis-coded M-ary differential phase-shift keying (M-DPSK). The demodulator assigns a separate confidence level to each bit associated with an M-ary symbol, and these confidence levels are based only on the phase of the received symbol. Decoding is performed by the standard soft-decision Viterbi decoder that is normally used for binary modulation. Our soft-decision decoder is much simpler to implement than the typical trellis decoder, but we show that the performance is approximately the same     

Threshold decoder and two feedback checkers for nonsystematic convolutional code (2,1,6)

A threshold decoder of the well known convolutional code (2,1,6) is proposed. Two simple approaches to reduce error propagation are presented. This decoder can be used when the communication channel does not require a more efficient and expensive decoder such as the Viterbi decoder.<>