Constructions of error-correcting DC-free block codes

Two DC-free codes are presented with distance 2d, b ⩾1 length 2n+2r(d-1) for d⩽3 and length 2n+2r(d-1)(2d -1) for d>3, where r is the least integer ⩾log₂ (2n+1). For the first code l=4, c=2, and the asymptotic rate of this code is 0.7925. For the second code l=6, c=3, and the asymptotic rate of this code is 0.8858. Asymptotically, these rates achieve the channel capacity. For small values of n these codes do not achieve the best rate. As an example of codes of short length with good rate, the author presents a (30, 10, 6, 4) DC-free block code with 2²¹ codewords. A construction is presented for which from a given code C ₁ of length n, even weight, and distance 4, the author obtains a (4n, l, c, 4) DC-free block code C₂, where l is 4, 5 or 6, and c is not greater than n+1 (but usually significantly smaller). The codes obtained by this method have good rates for small lengths. The encoding and decoding procedures for all the codes are discussed     

Combined effects of phase sweeping transmitter diversity andchannel coding

A novel transmitter diversity scheme that generates forced fading to improve the performance of channel coding is proposed and investigated. Since the required phase sweeping frequency is much smaller than the transmission bit rate, bandwidth expansion is negligible. A sinusoidal phase sweeping function ΔΘ sin(2πf_Ht) is employed in laboratory experiments using 32 kbit/s quarternary differential phase shift keying (QDPSK) with differential detection and BCH(23,12) code. It is shown that ΔΘ=200° and f_H=67 Hz can be used when m (interleaving depth)=10 b. Hence, excessively long interleaving is not required by the use of transmitter diversity. Under very slow Rayleigh fading (f_D=1 Hz), a measured improvement of 4.8 dB is obtained at a word error rate of 10^-2 without receiver diversity. Applications include paging systems that require very simple receivers     

Repeated convolutional codes for high-error-rate channels

An error-correction scheme for an M-ary symmetric channel (MSC) characterized by a large error probability p_e is considered. The value of p_e can be near, but smaller than, 1-1/M, for which the channel capacity is zero, such as may occur in a jamming environment. The coding scheme consists of an outer convolutional code and an inner repetition code of length m that is used for each convolutional code symbol. At the receiving end, the m inner code symbols are used to form a soft-decision metric, which is passed to a soft-decision decoder for the convolutional code. The effect of finite quantization and methods to generate binary metrics for M>2 are investigated. Monte Carlo simulation results are presented. For the binary symmetric channel (BSC), it is shown that the overall code rate is larger than 0.6R₀, where R₀ is the cutoff rate of the channel. New union bounds on the bit error probability for systems with a binary convolutional code on 4-ary and 8-ary orthogonal channels are presented. For a BSC and a large m, a method is presented for BER approximation based on the central limit theorem     

Bounds on the undetected error probabilities of linear codes forboth error correction and detection

The author investigates the (n, k, d⩾2t+1) binary linear codes, which are used for correcting error patterns of weight at most t and detecting other error patterns over a binary symmetric channel. In particular, for t=1, it is shown that there exists one code whose probability of undetected errors is upper-bounded by (n+1) [2^n-k-n]^-1 when used on a binary symmetric channel with transition probability less than 2/n     

A new upper bound on the minimal distance of self-dual codes

It is shown that the minimal distance d of a binary self-dual code of length n⩾74 is at most 2[(n+6)/10]. This bound is a consequence of some new conditions on the weight enumerator of a self-dual code obtained by considering a particular translate of the code, called its shadow. These conditions also enable one to find the highest possible minimal distance of a self-dual code for all n⩾60; to show that self-dual codes with d⩽6 exist precisely for n⩾22, with d ⩾8 exist precisely for n=24, 32 and n⩾26, and with d⩾10 exist precisely for n⩾46; and to show that there are exactly eight self-dual codes of length 32 with d=8. Several of the self-dual codes of length 34 have trivial group (this appears to be the smallest length where this can happen)     

Pseudocyclic maximum-distance-separable codes

The (n, k) pseudocyclic maximum-distance-separable (MDS) codes modulo (xⁿ- a) over GF(q) are considered. Suppose that n is a divisor of q+1. If n is odd, pseudocyclic MDS codes exist for all k. However, if n is even, nontrivial pseudocyclic MDS codes exist for odd k (but not for even k) if a is a quadratic residue in GF(q), and they exist for even k (but not for odd k) if a is not a quadratic residue in GF(q). Also considered is the case when n is a divisor of q-1, and it is shown that pseudocyclic MDS codes exist if and only if the multiplicative order of a divides (q-1)/n, and that when this condition is satisfied, such codes exist for all k. If the condition is not satisfied, every pseudocyclic code of length n is the result of interleaving a shorter pseudocyclic code     

A convolutional single-parity-check concatenated coding scheme forhigh-data-rate applications

The coding scheme uses a set of n convolutional codes multiplexed into an inner code and a (n,n-1) single-parity-check code serving as the outer code. Each of the inner convolutional codes is decoded independently, with maximum-likelihood decoding being achieved using n parallel implementations of the Viterbi algorithm. The Viterbi decoding is followed by additional outer soft-decision single-parity-check decoding. Considering n=12 and the set of short constraint length K=3, rate 1/2 convolutional codes, it is shown that the performance of the concatenated scheme is comparable to the performance of the constraint length K=7, rate 1/2 convolutional code with standard soft-decision Viterbi decoding. Simulation results are presented for the K=3, rate 1/2 as well as for the punctured K=3, rate 2/3 and rate 3/4 inner convolutional codes. The performance of the proposed concatenated scheme using a set of K=7, rate 1/2 inner convolutional codes is given     

The (d,k) subcode of a linear block code

A simple technique employing linear block codes to construct (d,k) error-correcting block codes is considered. This scheme allows asymptotically reliable transmission at rate R over a BSC channel with capacity C_BSC provided R ⩽C_d,k-(1+C_BSC), where C_d,k is the maximum entropy of a (d,k ) source. For the same error-correcting capability, the loss in code rate incurred by a multiple-error correcting (d,k) code resulting from this scheme is no greater than that incurred by the parent linear block code. The single-error correcting code is asymptotically optimal. A modification allows the correction of single bit-shaft errors as well. Decoding can be accomplished using off-the-shelf decoders. A systematic (but suboptimal) encoding scheme and detailed case studies are provided     

Coding techniques for partial-response channels

A coding technique for improving the reliability of digital transmission over noisy partial-response channels with characteristics (±D^m), m=1, 2, where the channel input symbols are constrained to be ±1, is presented. In particular, the application of a traditional modulation code as an inner code of a concentrated coding scheme in which the outer code is designed for maximum (free) Hamming distance is considered. A performance comparison is made between the concentrated scheme and a coding technique presented by Wolf and G. Ungerboeck (see ibid., vol. COM-34, p.765-773, Aug. 1986) for the dicode channel with transfer function (1- D)     

Weight enumerators of self-dual codes

Some construction techniques for self-dual codes are investigated, and the authors construct a singly-even self-dual [48,24,10]-code with a weight enumerator that was not known to be attainable. It is shown that there exists a singly-even self-dual code C' of length n =48 and minimum weight d=10 whose weight enumerator is prescribed in the work of J.H. Conway et al. (see ibid., vol.36, no.5, p.1319-33, 1990). Two self-dual codes of length n are called neighbors, provided their intersection is a code of dimension (n/2)-1. The code C' is a neighbor of the extended quadratic residue code of length 48     

Bounds for abnormal binary codes with covering radius one

The normality of binary codes is studied. The minimum cardinality of a binary code of length n with covering radius R is denoted by K(n,R). It is assumed that C is an (n,M)R code, that is, a binary code of length n with M codewords and covering radius R. It is shown that if C is an (n,M)1 code, then it is easy to find a normal (n ,M)1 code by changing C in a suitable way, and that all the optimal (n,M)1 codes (i.e. those for which M=K(n,1)) are normal and their every coordinate is acceptable. It is shown that if C is an abnormal (n,M) code, then n⩾9, and an abnormal (9118)1 code which is the smallest abnormal code known at present, is constructed. Lower bounds on the minimum cardinality of a binary abnormal code of length n with covering radius 1 are derived, and it is shown that if an (n,M)1 code is abnormal, then M⩾96     

A (16, 9, 6, 5, 4) error-correcting DC free block code

A (2n, k, l, c, d) DC free binary block code is a code of length 2n, constant weight n, 2^k codewords, maximum runlength of a symbol l , maximum accumulated charge c, and minimum distance d . The purpose of this code is to achieve DC freeness and error correction at the same time. The goal is to keep the rate k/2 n and d large and l and c small. Of course, these are conflicting goals. H.C. Ferreira (IEEE Trans. Magn., vol.MAG-20, no.5, p.881-3, 1984) presented a (16, 8, 8, 5, 4) DC free code. Here, a (16, 9, 6, 5, 4) DC free code is presented. Easy encoding and decoding algorithms are also given     

On runlength codes

Several results on binary (d, k) codes are given. First, a novel derivation for the capacity of these codes based on information-theoretic principles is given. Based on this result the spectrum of a (d, k) code is computed. Finally, the problem of computing the capacity of the binary symmetric channel under the condition that the input sequences satisfy the (d, k ) constraint is considered. Lower bounds on the capacity of such a channel are derived     

On the Hamming distance properties of group codes

Under certain mild conditions, the minimum Hamming distance D of an (N, K, D) group code C over a non-abelian group G is bounded by D⩽N -2K+2 if K⩽N/2, and is equal to 1 if K>N/2. Consequently, there exists no (N, K, N-K+1) group code C over an non-abelian group G if 1<K<N. Moreover, any normal code C with a non-abelian output space has minimum Hamming distance equal to D=1. These results follow from the fact that non-abelian groups have nontrivial commutator subgroups. Finally, if C is an (N, K, D) group code over an abelian group G that is not elementary abelian, then there exists an (N, K, D) group code over a smaller elementary abelian group G'. Thus, a group code over a general group G cannot have better parameters than a conventional linear code over a field of the same size as G     

Focused codes for channels with skewed errors

Consider a channel with inputs and outputs in the field F _q(q>2). It is said that the channel is skewed on a set B⊂F_q* if the additive noise generated by the channel is likely to lie in B, i.e. B is a set of common errors. The concern is the construction of focused codes that are appropriate for such channels. It is said that a code is (t₁,t₂)-focused on B if it can correct up to t₁+t₂ errors provided at most t₁ of those errors lie outside of B; the strategy is to offer different levels of protection against common and uncommon errors and so provide novel tradeoffs between performance and rate. Techniques for constructing focused codes and bounds on their rates are described     

Performance comparison of antenna diversity and slow frequencyhopping for the TDMA portable radio channel

The authors compare the performance of a TDMA (time-division multiple-access) system plan using two-branch antenna diversity to other TDMA system plans using channel and time slot interleaving and slow frequency hopping/burst error correction (SFH/BC). Results indicate that the system designer can trade off spectral efficiency by using a double-error-correction code with channel interleaving and SFH to make the SFH/BC system perform as well as a system using two-branch antenna diversity. For a system with interleaving and SFH, the number of hopping frequencies required depends on the code used and on the design of the demodulator (i.e. hard versus soft decisions). As long as the code is chosen such that the system can handle the complete failure of one of the hopping frequencies, it can achieve about the same outage probability or speech block dropping rate as a system using antenna diversity. However, this equality is exacted at the price of spectral efficiency. In this instance, the decrease in required signal-to-interference ratio (S/I) is not enough to offset the decrease in the number of available channel sets caused by the wider bandwidth required to transmit the lower rate code. Other coding plans must be evaluated for relative spectral efficiency     

A fast algorithm for computing distance spectrum of convolutionalcodes

A fast algorithm for searching a tree (FAST) is presented for computing the distance spectrum of convolutional codes. The distance profile of a code is used to limit substantially the error patterns that have to be searched. The algorithm can easily be modified to determine the number of nonzero information bits of an incorrect path as well as the length of an error event. For testing systematic codes, a faster version of the algorithm is given. FAST is much faster than the standard bidirectional search. On a microVAX, d_∞=27 was verified for a rate R=1/2, memory M=25 code in 37 s of CPU time. Extensive tables of rate R=1/2 encoders are given. Several of the listed encoders have distance spectra superior to those of any previously known codes of the same rate and memory. A conjecture than an R=1/2 systematic convolutional code of memory 2M will perform as well as a nonsystematic convolutional code of memory M is given strong support     

Extended tables for the moments of gamma-distribution orderstatistics

The authors tabulate expectations, variances, and covariances of order statistics from a sample of size n from a standard gamma distribution with shape parameter r. The expected values are n=1(1)10(5)40 and r =5(1)8; the covariances are n =15(5)25 and r=2(1)5     

New lower bounds for covering codes

Some new lower bounds on |C| for a binary linear [n, k]R code C with n+1=t(R +1)-r(0⩽r<R+1, t>2 odd) or with n+1=t(R+1)-1(t>2 even) are obtained. These bounds improve the sphere covering bound considerably and give several new values and lower bounds for the function t[n, k], the smallest covering radius of any [n, k] code