Polar Code Rate Matching With Unified Buffer-Based Length Adaptation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Polar codes in communication systems face limitations in code length flexibility and rate matching techniques, particularly in achieving optimal code lengths and adapting to varying channel conditions, which affects their performance in wireless communication networks.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a method for polar code rate matching in communication devices that employs puncturing, shortening, or repetition techniques based on a unified scheme, using a rate matching controller to determine the appropriate polar code length and select the most reliable bit channels for information transmission, while adjusting the code length to match allocated transmission resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If polar codes use fixed code lengths that are powers of two, then the encoding procedure is simple and well-defined, but the code length flexibility is limited and cannot adapt to varying transmission resource allocations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecode length flexibilityVSAvoidrate matching complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the code length adaptable rather than fixed. The base polar code structure maintains fixed power-of-two lengths for simple encoding, while rate matching techniques dynamically adjust the effective code length to match transmission resource allocations. This allows the system to switch between fixed and variable length modes as needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the code length adjustment into distinct rate matching operations (puncturing, shortening, repetition) that can be applied to the base polar code. Each technique divides the adjustment task into manageable operations that modify specific portions of the code while maintaining the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If rate matching techniques are implemented to achieve any code length, then code length flexibility improves, but the device complexity and implementation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecode length adaptabilityVSAvoidrate matching implementation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a unified rate matching framework that handles puncturing, shortening, and repetition through a common implementation structure. This universal approach allows the same base code structure to serve multiple rate matching functions, reducing overall implementation complexity despite the variety of techniques available.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes parameters such as code rate thresholds and rate matching technique selection based on channel conditions and transmission requirements. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system adapts code length to match resource allocations without requiring complete redesign of the encoding structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If puncturing or shortening is performed based on code rate comparison with threshold 1/2, then rate matching can be achieved, but the complexity increases and performance optimization is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidrate matching control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the code rate threshold parameter from the conventional 1/2 to a lower value better suited for control channel applications. This parameter change improves reliability by selecting more appropriate rate matching techniques for the specific use case, while the unified framework keeps the control complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from channel conditions and transmission requirements to determine the optimal rate matching technique and threshold. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to varying channel quality and resource allocations, improving reliability while maintaining reasonable control complexity through automated decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3273602B1Low complexity rate matching design for polar codes
Publication Date: 2022.01.26 MEDIATEK INC
  • EP3273602B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3273602B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3273602B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

Aspects of the disclosure provide polar code rate matching methods. A first method can include determining whether to puncture or shorten a mother polar code according to a mother code rate and/or a rate matched code rate, and selecting K positions in the sequence of N input bits for input of K information bits to a polar encoder according to an offline prepared index list ordered according to the reliabilities of respective synthesized channels. Frozen input bits caused by puncturing or shortening are skipped during the selection. A second method includes generating a mother polar code, rearranging code bits of the mother polar code to form a rearranged sequence that can be stored in a circular buffer, and performing, in a unified way, one of puncturing, shortening, or repetition on the rearranged sequence to obtain a rate matched code.