Adaptive Turbo Decoding for Non-Convergent Bit Processing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Turbo decoders require high computational power and complexity to achieve optimal performance, especially with increasing iterations and interleaver size, which translates to higher MIPS and power consumption without significant improvements in bit error rate.

Innovation Solution

A channel adaptive iterative turbo decoder system that reduces computational complexity by continuing MAP decoding iterations only for non-convergent data points and using a smaller window for calculations when a predefined number of non-convergent points is reached, employing Log Max*() and MaxLogMax() methods for calculating forward, reverse, and LLR metrics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the number of iterations and interleaver size are increased to improve turbo code performance, then the bit error rate performance is improved, but the computational power and power consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebit error rate performanceVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the decoding process by identifying and separating converged bits from non-converged bits. Only non-converged bits continue to require computational processing in subsequent iterations, while converged bits are excluded from further calculations. This segmentation dramatically reduces the computational load and power consumption while maintaining the bit error rate performance benefits of multiple iterations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by performing MAP decoding operations only on the subset of non-converged bits rather than processing all bits in each iteration. The stopping criterion determines when to halt processing for specific bits, allowing the system to achieve sufficient performance with less computational effort than full iterative processing would require.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If the number of iterations and interleaver size are increased to improve turbo code performance, then the bit error rate performance is improved, but the MIPS (million instructions per second) requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebit error rate performanceVSAvoidMIPS requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the set of data bits into converged and non-converged subsets. The stopping criterion identifies converged bits, and subsequent MAP decoding iterations process only non-converged bits. This segmentation reduces the number of instructions that must be executed in each iteration, thereby reducing the MIPS requirement while preserving the performance improvements gained from multiple iterations on the critical non-converged bits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes converged bits from the processing pipeline once they meet the stopping criterion. By taking out these already-sufficiently-decoded bits from further processing, the system eliminates unnecessary computational instructions, reducing the overall MIPS requirement while maintaining decoding performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If conventional turbo decoding is performed for all data bits in each iteration, then complete decoding is achieved, but computational complexity and processing time increase unnecessarily for converged bits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding completenessVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary identification of converged bits using a stopping criterion after a predetermined number of iterations or when convergence conditions are met. Once bits are identified as converged, the action of excluding them from further processing is taken in advance, preventing unnecessary computational steps and reducing overall processing time while ensuring decoding completeness for all bits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by performing decoding operations only on non-converged bits in subsequent iterations. Instead of excessively processing all bits uniformly, the system applies decoding effort selectively only where needed, reducing processing time while maintaining decoding completeness through the stopping criterion that ensures all bits eventually meet convergence requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2332260B1Channel adaptive iterative turbo decoder system and method
Publication Date: 2019.05.01 ANALOG DEVICES INC
  • EP2332260B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2332260B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2332260B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A channel adaptive iterative turbo decoder for computing with MAP decoders a set of branch metrics for a window of received data, computing the forward and reverse recursive path state metrics and computing from the forward and reverse recursive path state metrics the log likelihood ratio for 1 and 0 and interleaving the decision bits; and identifying those MAP decoder decision bits which are non-convergent, computing a set of branch metrics for the received data, computing from the forward and reverse recursive path state metrics the log likelihood ratio (LLR) for 1 and 0 for each non-converged decision bit and interleaving the non-convergent decision bits.