A new class of superregular matrices and MDP convolutional codes

This paper deals with the problem of constructing superregular matrices that lead to MDP convolutional codes. These matrices are a type of lower block triangular Toeplitz matrices with the property that all the square submatrices that can possibly be nonsingular due to the lower block triangular structure are nonsingular. We present a new class of matrices that are superregular over a sufficiently large finite field F . Such construction works for any given choice of characteristic of the field F and code parameters ( n , k ,δ) such that ( n − k ) | δ . We also discuss the size of F needed so that the proposed matrices are superregular

Complete j-MDP convolutional codes

Maximum distance profile (MDP) convolutional codes have been proven to be very suitable for transmission over an erasure channel. In addition, the subclass of complete MDP convolutional codes has the ability to restart decoding after a burst of erasures. However, there is a lack of constructions of these codes over fields of small size. In this paper, we introduce the notion of complete j-MDP convolutional codes, which are a generalization of complete MDP convolutional codes, and describe their decoding properties. In particular, we present a decoding algorithm for decoding erasures within a given time delay T and show that complete T-MDP convolutional codes are optimal for this algorithm. Moreover, using a computer search with the MAPLE software, we determine the minimal binary and non-binary field size for the existence of (2,1,2) complete j-MDP convolutional codes and provide corresponding constructions. We give a description of all (2,1,2) complete MDP convolutional codes over the smallest possible fields, namely F_13 and F_16 and we also give constructions for (2,1,3) complete 4-MDP convolutional codes over F_128 obtained by a randomized computer search.Comment: 2

Decoding of Convolutional Codes over the Erasure Channel

In this paper we study the decoding capabilities of convolutional codes over the erasure channel. Of special interest will be maximum distance profile (MDP) convolutional codes. These are codes which have a maximum possible column distance increase. We show how this strong minimum distance condition of MDP convolutional codes help us to solve error situations that maximum distance separable (MDS) block codes fail to solve. Towards this goal, we define two subclasses of MDP codes: reverse-MDP convolutional codes and complete-MDP convolutional codes. Reverse-MDP codes have the capability to recover a maximum number of erasures using an algorithm which runs backward in time. Complete-MDP convolutional codes are both MDP and reverse-MDP codes. They are capable to recover the state of the decoder under the mildest condition. We show that complete-MDP convolutional codes perform in certain sense better than MDS block codes of the same rate over the erasure channel.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, to appear on IEEE Transactions on Information Theor

On optimal extended row distance profile

In this paper, we investigate extended row distances of Unit Memory (UM) convolutional codes. In particular, we derive upper and lower bounds for these distances and moreover present a concrete construction of a UM convolutional code that almost achieves the derived upper bounds. The generator matrix of these codes is built by means of a particular class of matrices, called superregular matrices. We actually conjecture that the construction presented is optimal with respect to the extended row distances as it achieves the maximum extended row distances possible. This in particular implies that the upper bound derived is not completely tight. The results presented in this paper further develop the line of research devoted to the distance properties of convolutional codes which has been mainly focused on the notions of free distance and column distance. Some open problems are left for further research

State-Space Realizations of Periodic Convolutional Codes

Convolutional codes are discrete linear systems over a finite field and can be defined as F[d]-modules, where F[d] is the ring of polynomials with coefficient in a finite field F. In this paper we study the algebraic properties of periodic convolutional codes of period 2 and their representation by means of input-state-output representations. We show that they can be described as F[d2]-modules and present explicit representation of the set of equivalent encoders. We investigate their state-space representation and present two different but equivalent types of state-space realizations for these codes. These novel representations can be implemented by realizing two linear time-invariant systems separately and switching the input (or the output) that is entering (or leaving) the system. We investigate their minimality and provide necessary and also sufficient conditions in terms of the reachability and observability properties of the two linear systems involved. The ideas presented here can be easily generalized for codes with period larger than 2.This work was supported by Portuguese funds through the Center for Research and Development in Mathematics and Applications (CIDMA) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT-Fundaçao para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) within project UIDB/04106/2020. It was also partially supported by Base Funding (UIDB/00147/2020) and Programmatic Funding (UIDP/00147/2020) of the Systems and Technologies Center - SYSTEC - funded by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). The work of the second author was partially supported by Spanish grants PID2019-108668GB-I00 of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of the Gobierno de España and VIGROB-287 of the Universitat d'Alacant