Speech transmission using rate-compatible trellis codes andembedded source coding

This paper presents bandwidth-efficient speech transmission systems using rate-compatible channel coders and variable bitrate embedded source coders. Rate-compatible punctured convolutional codes (RCPC) are often used to provide unequal error protection (UEP) via progressive bit puncturing. RCPC codes are well suited for constellations for which Euclidean and Hamming distances are equivalent (BPSK and 4-PSK). This paper introduces rate-compatible punctured trellis codes (RCPT) where rate compatibility and UEP are provided via progressive puncturing of symbols in a trellis. RCPT codes constitute a special class of codes designed to maximize residual Euclidean distances (RED) after symbol puncturing. They can be designed for any constellation, allowing for higher throughput than when restricted to using 4-PSK. We apply RCPC and RCPT to two embedded source coders: a perceptual subband coder and the ITU embedded ADPCM G.727 standard. Different operating modes with distinct source/channel bit allocation and UEP are defined. Each mode is optimal for a certain range of AWGN channel SNRs. Performance results using an 8-PSK constellation clearly illustrate the wide range of channel conditions at which the adaptive scheme using RCPT can operate. For an 8-PSK constellation, RCPT codes are compared to RCPC with bit interleaved coded modulation codes (RCPC-BICM). We also compare performance to RCPC codes used with a 4-PSK constellation     

On the capacity of network coding for random networks

We study the maximum flow possible between a single-source and multiple terminals in a weighted random graph (modeling a wired network) and a weighted random geometric graph (modeling an ad-hoc wireless network) using network coding. For the weighted random graph model, we show that the network coding capacity concentrates around the expected number of nearest neighbors of the source and the terminals. Specifically, for a network with a single source, l terminals, and n relay nodes such that the link capacities between any two nodes is independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) /spl sim/X, the maximum flow between the source and the terminals is approximately nE[X] with high probability. For the weighted random geometric graph model where two nodes are connected if they are within a certain distance of each other we show that with high probability the network coding capacity is greater than or equal to the expected number of nearest neighbors of the node with the least coverage area.     

Superposition turbo TCM for multirate broadcast

Bergmans and Cover identified the capacity region of the Gaussian degraded broadcast channel, where different receivers observe the transmitted signal with different signal-to-noise ratios. This letter presents a superposition turbo-coding scheme that performs within 1 dB of the capacity region boundary of the degraded broadcast channel at a bit-error rate of 10/sup -5/.     

A Tighter Bhattacharyya Bound for Decoding Error Probability

The Bhattacharyya bound has been widely used to upper bound the pair-wise probability of error when transmitting over a noisy channel. However, the bound as it appears in most textbooks on channel coding can be improved by a factor of 1/2 when applied to the frame error probability. For the particular case of symmetric channels, the pairwise error probability can also be improved by a factor of 1/2. This letter provides a simple proof of these tighter bounds that has the same simplicity as the proof of the standard Bhattacharyya bound currently found in textbooks     

Turbo-encoder design for symbol-interleaved parallel concatenatedtrellis-coded modulation

This paper addresses turbo-encoder design for coding with high spectral efficiency using parallel concatenated trellis-coded modulation and symbol interleaving. The turbo-encoder design involves the constituent encoder design and the interleaver design. The constituent encoders are optimized for symbol-wise effective free distance, and each has an infinite symbol-wise impulse response. We identify the canonical structures for the constituent encoder search space. In many cases of practical interest, the optimal structure for these constituent encoders connects the memory elements in a single row. This single row generally applies to turbo code constituent encoders for parallel concatenation and is not restricted to symbol interleaving. To lower the error floor, a new semi-random interleaver design criteria and a construction method extends the spread-interleaver concept introduced by Divsalar and Pollara (1995). Simulation results show that the proposed system employing symbol interleaving can converge at a lower signal-to-noise ratio than previously reported systems. We report simulation results between 0.5 and 0.6 db from constrained capacity for rates of 2 and 4 bits/s/Hz     

Joint iterative channel estimation and decoding in flat correlatedRayleigh fading

This paper addresses the design and performance evaluation with respect to capacity of M-PSK turbo-coded systems operating in frequency-flat time-selective Rayleigh fading. The receiver jointly performs channel estimation and turbo decoding, allowing the two processes to benefit from each other. To this end, we introduce a suitable Markov model with a finite number of states, designed to approximate both the values and the statistical properties of the correlated flat fading channel phase, which poses a more severe challenge to PSK transmission than amplitude hiding. Then, the forward-backward algorithm determines both the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) value for each symbol in the data sequence and the MAP channel phase in each iteration. Simulations show good performance in standard correlated Rayleigh fading channels. A sequence of progressively tighter upper bounds to the capacity of a simplified Markov-phase channel is derived, and performance of a turbo code with joint iterative channel estimation and decoding is demonstrated to approach these capacity bounds     

Constellation labeling for linear encoders

This paper investigates optimal constellation labeling in the context of the edge profile. A constellation's edge profile lists the minimum-distance edge for each binary symbol error. The paper introduces the symmetric-ultracomposite (SU) labeling structure and shows that this structure provides undominated edge profiles for 2ⁿ-PSK, 2 ⁿ-PAM, and 2²ⁿ-point square QAM. The SU structure is a generalization of the commonly used reflected binary Gray code. With the proper choice of basis vectors, SU labeling can support either set-partition or Gray-code labeling of 2ⁿ-PSK, 2ⁿ-PAM, and 2²ⁿ-point square QAM. Notably, there are Gray-code and set-partition labelings that do not have the SU structure. These labelings yield inferior edge profiles. The SU structure does not apply to cross constellations. However, for any standard cross constellation with 32 or more points, a quasi-SU labeling structure can approximate the SU structure. With the correct choice of basis, quasi-SU labelings produce quasi-Gray labelings. However, the quasi-SU structure cannot support set-partition labeling. In fact, the quasi-SU structure provides a better edge profile than standard set-partition labeling. Thus, for cross constellations there is a choice between edge profile optimality and the group structure provided by set-partitioning. Here, the correct choice depends on whether the encoder trellis has parallel branches     

What a difference a colon makes: how superficial factors influence subsequent citation

Getting cited is important for scholars and for the institutions in which they work. Whether because of the influence on scientific progress or because of the reputation of scholars and their institutions, understanding why some articles are cited more often than others can help scholars write more highly cited articles. This article builds upon earlier literature which identifies seemingly superficial factors that influence the citation rate of articles. Three Journal Citation Report subject categories are analyzed to identify these effects. From a set of 2,016 articles in Sociology, 6,957 articles in General & Internal Medicine, and 23,676 articles in Applied Physics, metadata from the Web of Knowledge was downloaded in addition to PDFs of the full articles. In this article number of words in title, number of pages, number of references, sentences in the abstract, sentences in the paper, number of authors and readability were identified as factors for analysis.     

Trellis code design for periodic interleavers

A standard technique for correlated fading combines trellis codes designed for independent fading with interleaving that makes correlated fading appear to be independent for symbols within the Viterbi traceback depth. When the fading correlation is persistent and delay constraints preclude deep interleaving, some correlation remains among symbols within the traceback depth. Incorporating this post-interleaver correlation improves the trellis code design. This article presents such a trellis code design technique for periodic interleavers. Bit error rate simulations demonstrate that the new design technique can provide a dramatic performance improvement when fading or interference is severe and persistent     

Trellis codes for periodic erasures

This paper describes techniques for the design and analysis of trellis codes that provide reliable communication over every channel in a specified set of possible channels, where each channel is characterized by additive white Gaussian noise with a distinct periodic variation in signal-to-noise ratio. An important practical application for such trellis codes is the periodic erasure channel produced by partial-band interference dispersed by a block interleaver. We present trellis codes that provide reliable communication over all periodic erasure patterns of a given period for which the number of unerased coded bits per period is at least equal to the number of information bits per period