SCMA Codebook Pruning for Lower-Complexity Message Passing Decoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Frequency domain non-orthogonal multiple-access techniques, such as SCMA, face increased signal processing complexity and latency due to the need for iterative interference compensation, which consumes significant resources and degrades decoding performance.

Innovation Solution

The method involves pruning codebooks to reduce the number of codewords considered during message passing algorithm (MPA) processing, using threshold-based criteria for codeword probabilities and log-likelihood ratios (LLRs) to eliminate unlikely codewords, thereby reducing computational complexity and improving decoding efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If iterative non-orthogonal signal processing techniques are used to compensate for interference, then decoding accuracy is improved, but processing complexity and latency increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and processes only the most significant components of the received signal through selective signal component extraction. By identifying and processing only the dominant signal components rather than performing exhaustive iterative processing on all components, the system achieves acceptable decoding accuracy while dramatically reducing processing complexity and computational load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by performing signal processing on only a subset of signal components deemed most important for decoding. Instead of processing all signal components equally through multiple iterations, the system focuses computational resources on the most significant components, achieving a balance between decoding accuracy and processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Measurement precision

If iterative non-orthogonal signal processing techniques are used to compensate for interference, then decoding accuracy is improved, but processing latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding accuracyVSAvoidprocessing latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential signal components needed for decoding rather than performing complete iterative processing. By identifying and processing only the most significant signal components in a single pass or limited iterations, the system reduces processing latency while maintaining sufficient decoding accuracy for practical applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent skips unnecessary iterative processing steps by directly extracting and processing the most significant signal components. This approach rushes through the processing pipeline by focusing only on critical operations, thereby reducing latency while still achieving acceptable decoding performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Device complexity

If codebooks are pruned to reduce the number of codewords, then processing complexity is reduced, but decoding accuracy may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoiddecoding accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively processing only certain signal components rather than treating all components uniformly. By identifying and focusing on the most significant local components of the received signal, the system achieves efficient processing without sacrificing overall decoding accuracy, as the processed components contain the essential information needed for correct decoding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of signal component selection by using threshold-based criteria to identify significant components. By dynamically adjusting which components are processed based on their significance metrics, the system optimizes the balance between processing complexity and decoding accuracy, pruning insignificant components while preserving those critical for accurate decoding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3245745B1System and method for a message passing algorithm
Publication Date: 2019.06.12 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3245745B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3245745B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3245745B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The complexity of sparse code multiple access (SCMA) decoding can be reduced by pruning codebooks to remove unlikely codewords prior to, or while, performing an iterative message passing algorithm (MPA). The pruned codebook is then used by to perform one or more iterations of MPA processing, thereby reducing the number codeword probabilities that are calculated for the corresponding SCMA layer. The pruned codebook also reduces the computational complexity of calculating codeword probabilities associated with other SCMA layers. The pruned codebook may be "reset" by reinserting the pruned codewords into the codebook after a final hard-decision for a given set of received samples is made, so that the pruning does not affect evaluation of the next set of samples.