Contrast Coding With Multi-Level FEC for Bit Error Rate Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing bit error rates (BER) across different bits in a signal, leading to suboptimal performance in error correction and increased overhead due to the use of FEC schemes, which can result in higher costs, larger system sizes, and increased heat generation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of contrast coding, which adjusts bit error rates (BER) through contrast encoding at the transmitter and contrast decoding at the receiver, allowing for better matching of FEC schemes and modulation formats, thereby achieving higher noise tolerance, greater data capacity, or smaller system sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stronger FEC schemes are used to provide better error protection, then reliability is improved, but information rate decreases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different FEC schemes with different information rates to different classes of bits based on their individual BER characteristics. Bits are divided into multiple classes, and each class is encoded with an FEC scheme matched to its error rate, rather than applying a single uniform FEC scheme to all bits. This resolves the contradiction by optimizing protection locally for each bit class rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the information rate parameter of FEC schemes to match the BER of different bit classes. By adjusting the FEC information rate parameter according to the specific error characteristics of each bit class, the system achieves optimal error protection while maximizing the overall information rate, rather than using a fixed FEC configuration for all bits.
2Reliability
If stronger FEC schemes are used to provide better error protection, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements error protection locally tailored to each bit class's BER characteristics rather than using a uniform strong FEC scheme for all bits. This allows the system to achieve reliable error correction for critical bits while using simpler encoding for less critical bits, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining necessary reliability.
3Reliability
If stronger FEC schemes are used to provide better error protection, then reliability is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the FEC information rate parameter to match the BER of different bit classes, avoiding the use of overly strong FEC schemes that would generate excessive heat. By optimizing the FEC strength parameter for each bit class's actual error characteristics, the system achieves reliable error protection while minimizing unnecessary computational overhead and heat generation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If modulation formats are used that produce different BERs for different bits, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the non-uniform BER produced by modulation formats by applying different FEC schemes to different bit classes. Each bit class receives error protection tailored to its specific BER characteristics, converting the manufacturing precision issue (non-uniform errors) into an opportunity for optimized local error correction rather than a system-wide problem.
Data Source
AI summary
In data communications, a suitably designed contrast coding scheme, comprising a process of contrast encoding (108) at a transmitter end (101) and a process of contrast decoding (120) at a receiver end (103), may be used to create contrast between the bit error rates ‘BERs’ experienced by different classes of bits. Contrast coding may be used to tune the BERs experienced by different subsets of bits, relative to each other, to better match a plurality of forward error correction ‘FEC’ schemes (104, 124) used for transmission of information bits (102), which may ultimately provide a communications system (100) having a higher noise tolerance, or greater data capacity, or smaller size, or lower heat.