EXIT Chart Analysis of Iterative Receivers for Space-Time-Frequency Coded OFDM Systems

This paper proposes an extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart analysis and an asymptotic bit error rate (BER) prediction method to speed up the design of high rate RCM-LDGM hybrid codes over AWGN and fast Rayleigh channels. These codes are based on a parallel concatenation of a rate compatible modulation (RCM) code with a low-density generator matrix (LDGM) code. The decoder uses the iterative sum-product algorithm to exchange information between the variable nodes (VNs) and the two types of constituent check nodes: RCM-CN and LDGM-CN. The novelty of the proposed EXIT chart procedure lies on the fact that it mixes together the analog RCM check nodes with the digital LDGM check nodes, something not possible in previous multi-edge EXIT charts proposed in the literature.

EXtrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) chart is a graphical tool for analysis of low density parity check (LDPC) and other codes with iterative decoding. In this paper, we propose the design of LDPC codes for coded modulation schemes by application of linear programming with conditions derived from EXIT charts. Points on the EXIT curve for bit and check node operations are first computed either using analysis or by simulation. The entire EXIT curve is then obtained by linear interpolation. Finally, the EXIT curves are optimized to obtain the maximum possible rate for the code under a given threshold condition. To demonstrate the design procedure, we consider the cases of M-PAM and 8-PSK over the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. The optimization method presented is versatile, and can be extended to other constellations and situations easily.

Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks aim at connecting low cost devices with high constraints on the link budget. Focusing on the physical layer, the combination of Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) modulation and coding in the same process has been shown efficient when associated to a turbo receiver. This paper considers the optimization of Turbo-FSK parameters for the LPWA context using the EXtrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) Chart analysis. After adapting the metric to the FSK waveforms, EXIT chart performance results are extended and compared to short packet lengths using extensive Bit Error Rate (BER) computations.

In this letter, the concept of multiple serially-concatenated codes is invoked in the context of stochastic resonance (SR), where the achievable performance is improved by increasing noise power. More specifically, the receiver's iterative decoding process is characterized with the aid of extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) charts, such that the SR effect induced by a non-linear component is taken into account. Our simulation results demonstrate that although the SR demodulator's log-likelihood ratio (LLR) outputs are not Gaussian distributed, the corresponding EXIT trajectory matches the prediction from the associated inner- and outer-codes' EXIT curves, while reaching the perfect convergence point in terms of mutual information. Therefore, an infinitesimally low bit-error ratio (BER) is attained by appropriately designing the channel code's parameters based on EXIT charts.

Turbo equalization schemes based on minimum mean square error (MMSE) criteria available in the literature for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems are computationally expensive, as they require a relatively large matrix inversion. In this paper, we propose a low complexity turbo equalization (TE) scheme with successive interference cancellation for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based MIMO receiver systems (TE-SIC-MIMO). TE-SIC-MIMO leverages on the soft feedback symbol estimate to selectively remove the intercarrier interference (ICI) and co-antenna interference (CAI) from the received data, thus turning the system matrix into an easily invertible form. Extrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) chart analysis supplemented with numerical simulation results shows that TE-SIC-MIMO performance under static and rapidly time varying multipath conditions is mostly on par with MMSE turbo equalization scheme available in the literature, that is based on a sub-matrix of the system matrix at signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of practical interest. However, the computation complexity of TE-SIC-MIMO turns out to be much lesser than the TE scheme considered.

In previous works, density evolution schemes have been used to design an irregular low-density parity-check (LDPC) code for the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems. However the code design based on the density evolution can be used only for simple code structure like LDPC codes and repeat-accumulate (RA) codes. Recently simple and accurate irregular LDPC code design method based on the extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart was introduced for an AWGN channel. This code design scheme is much flexible, therefore it can be used for any kind of code structure like turbo codes. In this paper we design an irregular LDPC code for a MIMO system using the EXIT chart based scheme. The EXIT charts are used to obtain the optimal edge degree distribution of the irregular LDPC code combined with the MMSE-SIC MIMO detector. This scheme can be generalized for designing the optimal iterative MIMO detector combined with any kind of channel codes including turbo codes.

In this paper we derive a novel extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) function for a channel estimator that uses both pilot symbols and soft decoding information. We consider a CDMA system with forward error correction that employs iterative multiuser detection based on soft interference cancellation and single user decoding. The J function is useful in convergence analysis as it provides a mapping between mutual information and variance. J functions are derived for both the flat-fading Rayleigh channel and channel estimate, allowing the a priori inputs to the channel estimator, interference canceller and decoder to be modeled. Algorithms for obtaining the EXIT functions for the three receiver blocks are proposed. We then combine the EXIT functions to create an EXIT chart that can be used to predict the behaviour of the overall receiver. Simulations are run for a 3GPP-like receiver in a mobile environment with a vehicle speed of 100 km/h. It is found that under these conditions, the detector trajectory closely matches our proposed EXIT chart.

This study presents a low-complexity soft-interference cancellation equaliser (SICE) for the turbo detection of multiple-input–multiple-output systems operating in time dispersive channels. The SICE contains three time-invariant linear filters: a feedforward filter, a causal feedback filter and an anti-causal feedback filter. The feedforward filter is designed to suppress the intersymbol interference because of channel time dispersion and the multiplexing interference from multiple transmit antennas. The causal (or anti-causal) feedback filter is developed to remove the residual interference caused by the symbols transmitted before (or after) the symbol under detection. The filters are designed by analysing the statistical properties of soft decisions. The performance of the proposed SICE is verified through both extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart analysis and computer simulations. The EXIT chart analysis shows that, because of the inclusion of the anti-causal soft decision, the SICE performance approaches the ideal matched filter bound as the iteration progresses. Consequently, the proposed SICE achieves significant performance gains over conventional equalisers.

The joint Viterbi detector/decoder (JVDD) has been proposed as an alternative to the powerful and ubiquitous low-density parity check (LDPC) coding schemes, that are used in the majority of channel coding applications today. At shorter block lengths, the JVDD is able to outperform the state-of-the-art LDPC decoder that can be found in many of today’s systems, from deep-space communications to the digital video broadcasting standard, to the advanced television standard committee 3.0. Researchers have developed the tools to analyze the performance of the LDPC decoder, which is known as the sum-product algorithm or message passing algorithm. These tools include density evolution (DE) and extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) charts. To date, no similar such analysis exists for the JVDD. In the current paper we perform a similar preliminary analysis on the JVDD algorithm akin to what DE and EXIT charts are for the LDPC decoder. The current new analysis of the JVDD allows prediction of its probability of error based on the probability distribution functions of the metrics used within the algorithm. Our analysis plays a similar role to the abovementioned tools developed for the LDPC decoder: it allows us to predict the performance of the JVDD under various conditions (such as varying SNR’s, thresholds, and block lengths), it improves our understanding of the JVDD algorithm and the match against Monte-Carlo simulations verifies our assumptions on the main error-causing mechanisms within the JVDD.

Free space optical (FSO) communication has received attention because of its high bandwidth, less expensive deployment and error prone links. But the FSO signals attenuate significantly due to the atmospheric and varying channel conditions. A hybrid optical/RF (radio frequency) communication system is an alternative communication system to cope with FSO signal attenuations. In such hybrid FSO/RF communication system, power and rate adaptation due to the varying channel conditions is another challenge. We have already proposed a novel puncturing optimization algorithm to solve the adaptation issue. A single pair of encoder and decoder has been suggested in order to avoid additional component cost, computational complexity and synchronisation issues. The extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart is well-known technique to measure the convergence of a code. In this research work, we analyse the behaviour of the EXIT chart for the hybrid optical/RF communication system.

The computational complexity and hence energy consumption of a low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoder employing fixed point (FP) computation is commensurate with the operand width (OW) of the FP representation employed. Therefore low OWs are desirable, but, if the OW is too low, then an inevitable performance degradation will be introduced. For that reason it is desirable to determine the minimum OW that does not impose a significant performance degradation. Previous efforts have advocated different OWs based on results obtained using time-consuming bit-error ratio (BER) simulations. However, these BER simulations are extremely time consuming, owing to the requirement of considering a range of channel signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Therefore, in this paper, we propose the employment of extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) charts to overcome this drawback. Furthermore, EXIT-chart analysis has the additional benefit of offering insights into the specific causes of the performance degradations encountered. Finally, a FP scheme having an overall OW of 6 bits is proposed for the implementation of the min-sum algorithm (MSA).

In MIMO communication system the conventional Turbo-BLAST receiver using Gray mapping converges slow. For this reason, an improved Turbo-BLAST scheme with Anti-Gray mapping is proposed in this paper. Research has shown that the iterative receiver using new scheme outperforms the convention alone and obtains a faster convergence rate. Also, an improved receiver based on soft interference cancellation and MMSE filtering is proposed: The posterior information not extrinsic information is fed back from outer decoder to inner detector. A better performance is attained without increasing the computational complexity. Simulation results and Extrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) chart analysis all demonstrate this.

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a very attractive technique for high data rate transmission with good bandwidth efficiency. OFDM system utilize the cyclic prefix (CP) to mitigate the effect of inter symbol interference (ISI) produced by the multipath effect of wireless channel. The CP insertion only mitigates the effect of inter block interference of OFDM symbols, whereas the intra block interference remain present in the OFDM symbol. The intra block OFDM symbol interference degrades the error performance of the OFDM system. In order to improve the error performance of the OFDM system forward error correction scheme can be utilized. Many FEC schemes for single carrier and multicarrier systems have been proposed in the literature. Convolution and LDPC codes are two popular coding schemes for FEC. In this paper we have considered Convolution and LDPC codes for improving the error performance of OFDM system. The BER performance of convolution ally coded a LDPC coded OFDM is evaluated for various code rates in AWGN and fading channel. We have also compared the performance of coded OFDM system with an OFDM system without FEC.

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems are commonly used to mitigate frequency-selective multipath fading and provide high-speed data transmission. In this paper, we derive new union bounds on the error probability of a coded OFDM system in wireless environments. In particular, we consider convolutionally coded OFDM systems employing single and multiple transmit antennas over correlated block fading (CBF) channels with perfect channel state information (CSI). Results show that the new union bound is tight to simulation results. In addition, the bound accurately captures the effect of the correlation between sub-carriers channels. It is shown that as the channel becomes more frequency-selective, the performance get better due to the increased frequency diversity. Moreover, the bound also captures the effect of multi-antenna as space diversity. The proposed bounds can be applied for coded OFDM systems employing different coding schemes over different channel models.

In this paper, the rate achievable in Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems with iterative receivers based on linear front-end (FE) processing is investigated. First, the communication with Gaussian input signal is assumed and the Extrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) chart is applied to evaluate the achievable sum rate. Then, the method for deriving the EXIT chart for a more practical case has been introduced. As a specific model, which fits the real turbo receivers better, communication with large size uniform constellations is discussed where the information being exchanged between the receiver's iterative block are Log-Likelihood-Ratios (LLRs) of the transmitted bits. It is shown that, in this situation, the iterative process does not improve the performance from achievable sum rate point of view in both high and low SNR regimes. However, the iterative process is shown to help in the medium SNR range, which is the range of interest.