Product codes with semi-blind decoding for single carrier transmission over multipath fading channel
Abstract
Introduction: Design of codes for single-carrier transmission based on product codes with relatively simple internal codes that provide an acceptable error probability in a multipath fading channel with no channel parameter estimates in the receiver is of considerable interest for developing spectrally efficient methods for reliable transmission in channels with random, rapidly changing parameters. Purpose: To develop product codes with semi-blind decoding for single-carrier transmission in a multipath fading channel and analyze their performance. Results: We propose a formal description of single-carrier transmission with PSK modulation in a multipath fading channel, as well as a product code exploiting a semi-blind procedure for decoding the inner code. We describe semi-blind maximum likelihood soft-decision decoding of the inner code, carry out the performance analysis of the proposed design and present examples of specific designs of product codes for one- and two-path channels, various transmission rates and the values for the channel parameters. We demonstrate that the proposed codes with semi-blind decoding ensure the implementation of the internal diversity inherent in a multipath channel, which is expressed in significant energy gain. Practical relevance: The proposed design of a product code with semi-blind decoding efficiently integrates the error-correcting coding with the channel parameter estimation and has moderate complexity, which is of practical interest for the transmission in channels with random, rapidly changing parameters. The flexibility of the design makes it possible to adapt it to the transmission rate, number of paths, and maximum Doppler spread. The performance analysis provides a wide range of possible trade-offs between transmission rate, error probability, implementation complexity, and channel parameter values, which can help to rationally select key system parameters.
