Mutual-Information Polar Code Construction for Punctured Bit-Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Polar codes in wireless communication systems face challenges in accommodating puncturing, leading to reduced throughput due to the inability to account for punctured bits, which affects the allocation of information bits to bit-channels based on reliability metrics.

Innovation Solution

A method for encoding and decoding polar codes that identifies punctured bit locations and adjusts the initial target mutual information and recursive partitioning to account for the number of punctured bits, ensuring information bits are allocated to the most reliable bit-channels, using a mutual information transfer function to determine bit-channel capacities and allocate bits effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If polar codes use fixed encoder lengths determined by a power function, then the code structure is simple and standardized, but the system cannot flexibly accommodate variable bit rates and puncturing scenarios

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in bit rate and puncturing accommodationVSAvoidcode structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic code construction by allowing the encoder length and bit-channel partitioning to adapt based on the number of punctured bits. The system dynamically adjusts the target mutual information and re-partitions bit-channels at each polarization stage according to actual puncturing patterns, transforming a static code structure into a dynamic one that responds to channel conditions and puncturing requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes key parameters including the target mutual information value and the partitioning configuration of bit-channels based on the number of punctured bits. By modifying these parameters dynamically, the system adapts the polar code construction to accommodate variable bit rates and puncturing scenarios while maintaining optimal performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If punctured bits are not accounted for in polar code encoding, then the encoding process is simple, but information bits are incorrectly allocated to unreliable bit-channels reducing throughput

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission throughputVSAvoidencoding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary identification of punctured bit locations and adjusts the target mutual information before the actual encoding process. By preparing the bit-channel partitioning and reliability metrics in advance based on known puncturing patterns, the system ensures that information bits are correctly allocated to reliable bit-channels without requiring complex real-time adjustments during encoding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback about the number and positions of punctured bits to adjust the encoding process. The decoder information about punctured bits is fed back to the encoder side, allowing the system to modify the target mutual information and bit-channel partitioning accordingly, ensuring optimal throughput performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If the target mutual information is not adjusted for punctured bits, then the calculation is simpler, but the allocation of information bits to bit-channels becomes inaccurate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebit-channel capacity measurement accuracyVSAvoidmutual information calculation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically changes the target mutual information parameter based on the number of punctured bits. The formula adjusts the target mutual information by incorporating the ratio of un-punctured bits to total bits, ensuring accurate bit-channel capacity measurement that reflects the actual transmission conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If polar codes accommodate flexible bit rates and puncturing, then the system is more versatile, but the number of bits required to describe each code structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport for wide range of code rates and lengthsVSAvoidcode structure description overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses parameter changes to achieve flexibility, where the target mutual information and bit-channel partitioning are adjusted based on the number of punctured bits. This approach allows the system to support a wide range of code rates and lengths by dynamically modifying parameters rather than requiring separate code structures for each scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3586444B1Mutual-information based recursive polar code construction
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3586444B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3586444B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3586444B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. To encode a vector of bits using a polar code, an encoder may allocate information bits of the vector to polarized bit-channels associated with a channel (e.g., a set of unpolarized bit-channels) used for a transmission. In some cases, the polarized bit-channels may be partitioned into groups associated with different values of some associated reliability metric (s). The information bits may be allocated to the polarized bit-channels based on the reliability metrics of the different polarized bit-channels and the overall capacity of a transmission. That is, the bit locations of a transmission may depend on the reliability metrics of different polarized bit-channels and the overall capacity of the transmission. To facilitate puncturing, the overall capacity of the transmission may be adjusted and the unpolarized bit-channels may be partitioned into polarized bit-channels based on the adjusted capacity.