Variable FEC Encoding for Reliable Header Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems lack the ability to provide variable forward error correction (FEC) protection, particularly for data packets where certain data, such as headers, require higher reliability than other data like digital voice, leading to inefficiencies in error correction and increased bit error rates.
Innovation Solution
A communications system that uses a convolutional encoder to vary the code rate and repetition rate for different portions of the data, including headers, allowing for variable FEC protection across different segments of the transmission, utilizing a single interleaver and decoder for improved performance on multipath/fading channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate FEC processes and interleavers are used for headers and data, then reliability of critical data segments is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different code rates to different portions of the data stream. Specifically, header bits are encoded with a first code rate (e.g., 1/2) while data bits are encoded with a second code rate (e.g., 2/3), providing differentiated protection levels where critical headers receive higher reliability protection without requiring separate FEC processes for each data type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by using a single interleaver that handles both header and data bits together, rather than requiring separate interleavers for different data types. The single interleaver distributes all encoded bits (including both header and data portions) across time slots, providing efficient resource utilization while maintaining the variable protection scheme.
2Productivity
If variable code rates are used for different data portions, then transmission efficiency is improved, but encoding complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the input data stream into distinct portions (header bits and data bits) and applying different encoding parameters to each segment. The encoder processes header bits with one code rate and data bits with another code rate, allowing optimized transmission efficiency for each data type while maintaining manageable encoding complexity through systematic segmentation.
Data Source
AI summary
A communications system includes a transmitter having an encoder for encoding communications data and varying at least one of a puncturing of the code rate and a repetition rate on different portions of the communications data. As a result, a variable forward error correction is added to different portions of the communications data.