Polar Code Interleaver Layout for Lower BLER in QAM

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems using polar codes face challenges in achieving sufficient performance in terms of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and Block Error Rate (BLER), especially under Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN), due to inadequate interleaver designs for higher-order modulation schemes like 16-QAM or 64-QAM.

Innovation Solution

A new interleaver design for polar codes utilizing a right isosceles triangle-shaped or trapezoid-shaped matrix with varying column counts between rows, where coded bits are fed into successive rows from top to bottom and read out from left to right, accompanied by the removal of inter-column permutation to reduce complexity and latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional rectangular interleavers are used for polar codes, then the structure is simple and easy to implement, but the performance in terms of SNR and BLER is insufficient, especially for higher-order modulation schemes

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSNR and BLER performanceVSAvoidinterleaver structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by transforming the traditional rectangular interleaver into a triangular interleaver structure where the number of columns varies between rows. Specifically, the first row has N columns while subsequent rows have progressively fewer columns, creating an asymmetric distribution pattern that improves error randomization performance for polar codes while maintaining implementation feasibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the structural parameters of the interleaver from a fixed rectangular grid to a variable triangular grid. The key parameter change is in the column count per row, which follows a specific pattern (N, N-1, N-2, ..., 1) rather than being uniform across all rows. This parameter variation enables better performance for higher-order modulations like 16-QAM and 64-QAM.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If complex interleaver designs are used to improve performance, then SNR and BLER performance improves, but computational complexity and latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror correction performanceVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the code block into a triangular matrix structure where each row has a different number of columns. This segmentation approach distributes the coded bits across varying row lengths, creating effective interleaving without requiring complex permutation operations. The segmented triangular structure achieves performance comparable to random interleavers while maintaining simpler computational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If inter-column permutation is included to enhance interleaving, then error randomization improves, but processing latency and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror randomizationVSAvoidprocessing latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the inter-column permutation operation from the traditional interleaving process. By relying solely on the triangular row-filling structure without additional permutation steps, the design achieves effective error randomization while reducing processing latency and computational overhead. This extraction of unnecessary operations optimizes the interleaver for real-time communication applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4135229B1An efficient interleaver design for polar codes
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4135229B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4135229B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4135229B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of the disclosure relate to wireless communication devices configured to encode information blocks to produce code blocks and interleave the code blocks utilizing an interleaver including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, where the number of columns of the interleaver varies between the rows. In some examples, the interleaver includes a right isosceles triangle-shaped matrix of rows and columns. In other examples, the interleaver includes a trapezoid-shaped matrix of rows and columns.