Sequential decoding with an efficient incremental redundancy ARQscheme

Sequential decoding is analyzed in conjunction with an efficient incremental redundancy automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme using punctured convolutional coding. With the incremental redundancy ARQ scheme, whenever the decoding time of a given data packet exceeds some predetermined value T_max, decoding of that data packet is stopped and incremental redundancy bits are provided by the transmitter, a few bits at a time, as needed. It is shown that the incremental redundancy ARQ scheme provides throughput improvement over the partial retransmission code combining ARQ scheme. The advantage of the incremental redundancy ARQ scheme is that the throughput increases as the starting coding rate increases over all ranges of signal-to-noise ratios     

Analysis of a type II hybrid ARQ scheme with codecombining

An analysis is presented of the selective-repeat type II hybrid AR Q (automatic-repeat-request) scheme, using convolutional coding and exploiting code combining. With code combining, at successive decoding attempts for a data packet, the decoder for error correction operates on a combination of all received sequences for that packet rather than only on the two most recent received ones as in the conventional type II hybrid ARQ scheme. It is shown by means of analysis and computer simulations that with code combining, a significant throughput is achievable, even at very high channel error rates     

Optimum subpacket transmission for hybrid ARQ systems

Hybrid automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) is a flexible and efficient technique for data transmissions. In hybrid ARQ, subpacket schemes are more attractive for systems with burst errors than complete packet schemes. Although subpacket schemes were proposed in ARQ systems, optimum subpacket transmission is more effective to maximize throughput in a dynamic channel. Since convolutional codes have properties of burst errors in decoding, the optimum subpacket can be applied to convolutional codes. This paper investigates the performance of subpacket transmission for convolutionally coded systems. An efficient method is proposed to estimate the optimum number of subpackets, and adaptive subpacket schemes, i.e., schemes that enable a system to employ different optimum numbers of subpackets under various conditions, are suggested to achieve the maximum throughput of the system. Numerical and simulation results show that the adaptive subpacket scheme is very effective for the convolutionally coded hybrid ARQ system, and it can provide higher throughput, smaller delay,and lower dropping rate than complete packet schemes. Moreover, the adaptive subpacket scheme can be flexibly used with packet combining techniques to further improve the system throughput.     

Performance of ARQ protocols in nonindependent channel errors

The performance of automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) protocols which are affected by nonindependent channel errors is studied. The protocols are the three basic ARQ protocols: stop-and-wait, go-back-N, and selective-repeat. Two types of nonindependent channel errors are considered: the kth-order Markovian errors and the gap errors. Both throughput efficiency and packet delay are obtained. The validity of analysis is verified by computer simulations. One key discovery is that when channel errors are dependent, selective-repeat ARQ achieves the same throughput efficiency as that in independent channel errors     

Hybrid ARQ schemes for point-to-multipoint communication overnonstationary broadcast channels

Hybrid automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) error control schemes make use of both error detection and error correction in order to achieve high throughput and low undetected error probabilities on two way channels. Two hybrid ARQ schemes, termed hybrid go-back-N (HGB- N) and hybrid selective-repeat (HSR), are proposed for point-to-multipoint communications over broadcast channels. Both schemes incorporate a concatenated code for error correction and error detection. The performance study of the hybrid schemes is based on a two-state Markov model of a burst noise channel. An analytic solution is derived for the throughput efficiency of the HSR scheme, while approximations and computer simulation are used to evaluate the throughput efficiency of the HGB-N scheme. It is shown that the schemes perform considerably better than the corresponding pure ARQ schemes in which a block code is used for error detection only, especially in environments with a large number of receivers and large channel roundtrip delays, such as satellite broadcast links     

Performance of Hybrid ARQ Schemes with ML Code Combining over a Block-Fading Rayleigh Channel

This paper considers two well-known selective-repeat retransmission schemes, namely, hybrid type-I ARQ and hybrid type-II ARQ, using convolutional coding, in conjunction with maximum-likelihood code combining. Our theoretical analysis, based upon the concept of generalized weight distribution, shows that the use of code combining yields a significant throughput at very high channel error rates not only in constant AWGN channels but also in fading channels. To demonstrate this, we consider a widely-used block-fading Rayleigh channel model, in which the channel is assumed to be constant during each block of data and the fading is assumed to be independent from block to block. A key parameter in designing retransmission protocols for delay-limited applications in such channels is the minimum number of retransmissions, needed to achieve error-free decoding at almost all channel conditions (low outage probability). This number can be reduced significantly when code combining is employed.     

Generalized type II hybrid ARQ scheme using punctured convolutionalcoding

A method is presented to construct rate-compatible convolutional (RCC) codes from known high-rate punctured convolutional codes, obtained from best-rate 1/2 codes. The construction method is rather simple and straightforward, and still yields good codes. Moreover, low-rate codes can be obtained without any limit on the lowest achievable code rate. Based on the RCC codes, a generalized type-II hybrid ARQ scheme, which combines the benefits of the modified type-II hybrid ARQ strategy of J. Hagenauer (1988) with the code-combining ARQ strategy of D. Chase (1985), is proposed and analyzed. With the proposed generalized type-II hybrid ARQ strategy, the throughput increases as the starting coding rage increases, and as the channel degrades, it tends to merge with the throughput of rate 1/2 type-II hybrid ARQ schemes with code combining, thus allowing the system to be flexible and adaptive to channel conditions, even under wide noise variations and severe degradations     

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     

Sequential decoding with an efficient partial retransmission ARQstrategy

The authors present and analyze an efficient partial retransmission automatic repeat request (ARQ) strategy using convolutional coding and sequential decoding in conjunction with code combining. In the proposed ARQ scheme, whenever a packet of data needs to be retransmitted that packet is not repeated entirely as in the case of conventional full retransmission ARQ strategies. Instead, symbols of that packet are repeated a few at a time, sequentially, as needed, hence making a more effective use of the channel. It is shown that partial repetitions and code combining still yields an increase of the apparent Pareto exponent of sequential decoding, as in the case of full repetition-code combining. A throughput analysis shows that the partial retransmission ARQ strategy yields a substantial throughput improvement over the full retransmission-code combining ARQ strategies     

An Adaptive Hybrid ARQ Scheme

A hybrid ARQ in which the transmitter adaptively selects an FEC code according to the channel condition is presented and analyzed. The code is selected according to the past transmissions and acknowledgements by an algorithm which is a generalization of that in [1]. The throughput is obtained as a function of the frame error rate for a general system employing the adaptive hybrid ARQ with acknowledgements that arrive instantly on an error-free return channel. The throughput is obtained as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio for an example quad rate system employing convolutional codes with non-coherent frequency shift keying over the uncorrelated Rayleigh fading channel. This allows the best choice for the parameters of the algorithm to be made. In the case that the channel bit errors are independent, the generalization offers performance improvement of less than 10% over that in [1]. But when the channel errors are bursty, as in the case of Rayleigh fading with finite bit interleaving, the generalization offers throughput improvement as high as 24%. We go on to consider incorporating code combining with the adaptive scheme to form an adaptive memory hybrid ARQ. Simulation of a system using complementary punctured convolutional codes with 4 code rates shows that 2-level code combining can extend the adaptive scheme's useful throughput into the low SNR region by approximately 4 dB.     

An adaptive ARQ scheme with packet combining for time varyingchannels

The dependence of the efficiency of hybrid type-II ARQ schemes on the packet size in the context of a simple packet combining scheme is discussed. A simple algorithm for adopting the optimum packet size according to the channel bit error rate (BER) is presented. Also, a very simple method of estimating the channel BER is provided     

A selective ARQ protocol with a finite-length buffer

Of the automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) techniques commonly used in communication systems, selective protocols, while the most efficient, have the notable drawback of requiring large buffers at the receiver side. A selective ARQ protocol with a finite-length buffer is described. If N is the number of codewords transmittable in the round-trip delay, the protocol requires a buffer length N+N_a , N_a⩾2 being an integer. A lower bound on the throughput of the protocol is derived. It achieves higher throughputs than similar schemes giving results comparable to those for selective protocols with infinite-length buffer for high error rates in the communication channel     

Performance of truncated type-II hybrid ARQ schemes with noisyfeedback over block fading channels

This paper considers truncated type-II hybrid automatic repeat-request (ARQ) schemes with noisy feedback over block fading channels. With these ARQ techniques, the number of retransmissions is limited, and, similar to forward error correction (FEC), error-free delivery of data packets cannot be guaranteed. Bounds on the average number of transmissions, the average coding rate as well as the reliability of the schemes are derived using random coding techniques, and the performance is compared with FEC. The random coding bounds reveal the achievable performance with block codes and maximum-likelihood soft-decision decoding. Union upper bounds and simulation results show that over block fading channels, these bounds can be closely approached with simple terminated convolutional codes and soft-decision Viterbi decoding. Truncated type-II hybrid ARQ and the corresponding FEC schemes have the same probability of packet erasure; however, the truncated ARQ schemes offer a trade-off between the average coding rate and the probability of undetected error. Truncated ARQ schemes have significantly higher average coding rates than FEC at high and medium signal-to-noise ratio even with noisy feedback. Truncated ARQ can be viewed as adaptive FEC that adapts to the instantaneous channel conditions     

A Comparison of Block and Convolutional Codes in ARQ Error Control Schemes

ARQ methods of error control can considerably improve the reliablity of data transmission in such areas as satellite communications, computer networks, etc. A number of ARQ schemes using both block and convolutional codes have appeared in the literature. In this paper, the following problem is addressed. Given two different implementations of an ARQ scheme, one using a block code and the other using a convolutional code, such that the bit error probability of both implementations does not exceed some specific value, which implementation has the higher throughput and under what conditions will it be attained? The comparison is made for three basic retransmission schemes using both hybrid and pure ARQ: stop-and-wait, go-back-N, and selective repeat. Numerical estimates of the throughput were obtained using approximate theoretical expressions for BCH codes and simulation results for sequential decoding of rate 1/2 convolutional codes. Parameters optimizing the performance of both block and convolutional codes for different channel conditions and round trip delays were found and were used to obtain these numerical estimates. Comparison of the quantitative results indicates a trend toward preferring convolutional codes as delay and/or block length increases. A binary symmetric channel with noiseless feedback was assumed. Possible implications for the Gaussian channel are also discussed.     

Efficient stop-and-wait type II hybrid ARQ scheme

An efficient stop-and-wait ARQ protocol proposed by Sastry (1975) is modified to include a parity retransmission type II hybrid ARQ scheme. Unlike the Sastry scheme in which simple repeats of a data packet are transmitted, with the type II hybrid ARQ scheme, the data packet to be transmitted is encoded with a rate 1/2 code, and repetitions alternate between the two sequences obtained at the output of the encoder. It is found that the throughput can be substantially increased.<>     

Runlength-limited codes for mixed-error channels

The mixed-error channel (MC) combines the binary symmetric channel and the peak shift channel. The construction of (d, k) constrained t-MC-error-correcting block codes is described. It is demonstrated that these codes can achieve a code rate close to the ( d, k) capacity. The encoding and decoding procedures are described. The performance of the construction depends on a particular partitioning of (d, k) constrained block codes. This partitioning is discussed and various tables of codes are included. Examples on encoding/decoding and on code performance are given     

Modeling TCP SACK performance over wireless channels with semi-reliable ARQ/FEC

Providing reliable data communications over wireless channels is a challenging task because time-varying wireless channel characteristics often lead to bit errors. These errors result in loss of IP packets and, consequently, TCP segments encapsulated into these packets. Since TCP cannot distinguish packet losses due to bit corruption from those due to network congestion, any packet loss caused by wireless channel impairments leads to unnecessary execution of the TCP congestion control algorithms and, hence, sub-optimal performance. Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) and Forward Error Correction (FEC) try to improve communication reliability and reduce packet losses by detecting and recovering corrupted bits. Most analytical models that studied the effect of ARQ and FEC on TCP performance assumed that the ARQ scheme is perfectly persistent (i.e., completely reliable), thus a frame is always successfully transmitted irrespective of the number of transmission attempts it takes. In this paper, we develop an analytical cross-layer model for a TCP connection running over a wireless channel with a semi-reliable ARQ scheme, where the amount of transmission attempts is limited by some number. The model allows to evaluate the joint effect of stochastic properties of the wireless channel characteristics and various implementation-specific parameters on TCP performance, which makes it suitable for performance optimization studies. The input parameters include the bit error rate, the value of the normalized autocorrelation function of bit error observations at lag 1, the strength of the FEC code, the persistency of ARQ, the size of protocol data units at different layers, the raw data rate of the wireless channel, and the bottleneck link buffer size.     

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     

On the cutoff rate of a discrete memoryless channel with(d, k)-constrained input sequences

The cutoff rate of a discrete memoryless channel whose output sequences are from a (d, k) encoder is investigated. A rational rate (d, k) encoder is considered as a finite state machine and maximum-likelihood decoding is used to compute the cutoff rate. Some commonly used (d, k) codes, such as the rate 1/2 (1, 3) code with a two-state encoder, the IBM rate 2/3 (1, 7) code having a five-state encoder, and the IBM rate 1/2 (2, 7) code with a seven-state encoder, are used to illustrate the cutoff rate computation. Results are presented for both the binary symmetric channel (BSC) and the Gaussian noise channel. The performance of a decoder designed for noiseless transmission of (1, 3) code is compared to that of a maximum-likelihood decoder for the (1, 3) code. It is also shown that for the case of the Gaussian noise channel, a gain of about 1.7 dB in signal-to-noise ratio is possible by using 3-bit soft decisions over hard decisions