The theoretical limits of source and channel coding

The theoretical relationship among signal power, distortion, and bandwidth for several source and channel models is presented. The work is intended as a reference for the evaluation of the performance of specific data compression algorithms

Finite-state codes

A class of codes called finite-state (FS) codes is defined and investigated. The codes, which generalize both block and convolutional codes, are defined by their encoders, which are finite-state machines with parallel inputs and outputs. A family of upper bounds on the free distance of a given FS code is derived. A general construction for FS codes is given, and it is shown that in many cases the FS codes constructed in this way have a free distance that is the largest possible. Catastrophic error propagation (CEP) for FS codes is also discussed. It is found that to avoid CEP one must solve the graph-theoretic problem of finding a uniquely decodable edge labeling of the state diagram

Constructions for finite-state codes

A class of codes called finite-state (FS) codes is defined and investigated. These codes, which generalize both block and convolutional codes, are defined by their encoders, which are finite-state machines with parallel inputs and outputs. A family of upper bounds on the free distance of a given FS code is derived from known upper bounds on the minimum distance of block codes. A general construction for FS codes is then given, based on the idea of partitioning a given linear block into cosets of one of its subcodes, and it is shown that in many cases the FS codes constructed in this way have a d sub free which is as large as possible. These codes are found without the need for lengthy computer searches, and have potential applications for future deep-space coding systems. The issue of catastropic error propagation (CEP) for FS codes is also investigated

Further results on finite-state codes

A general construction for finite-state (FS) codes is applied to some well-known block codes. Subcodes of the (24,12) Golay code are used to generate two optimal FS codes with d sub free = 12 and 16. A partition of the (16,8) Nordstrom-Robinson code yields a d sub free = 10 FS code. Simulation results are shown and decoding algorithms are briefly discussed

Wiring Viterbi decoders (splitting deBruijn graphs)

A new Viterbi decoder, capable of decoding convolutional codes with constraint lengths up to 15, is under development for the Deep Space Network (DSN). A key feature of this decoder is a two-level partitioning of the Viterbi state diagram into identical subgraphs. The larger subgraphs correspond to circuit boards, while the smaller subgraphs correspond to Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) chips. The full decoder is built from identical boards, which in turn are built from identical chips. The resulting system is modular and hierarchical. The decoder is easy to implement, test, and repair because it uses a single VLSI chip design and a single board design. The partitioning is completely general in the sense that an appropriate number of boards or chips may be wired together to implement a Viterbi decoder of any size greater than or equal to the size of the module

A long constraint length VLSI Viterbi decoder for the DSN

A Viterbi decoder, capable of decoding convolutional codes with constraint lengths up to 15, is under development for the Deep Space Network (DSN). The objective is to complete a prototype of this decoder by late 1990, and demonstrate its performance using the (15, 1/4) encoder in Galileo. The decoder is expected to provide 1 to 2 dB improvement in bit SNR, compared to the present (7, 1/2) code and existing Maximum Likelihood Convolutional Decoder (MCD). The decoder will be fully programmable for any code up to constraint length 15, and code rate 1/2 to 1/6. The decoder architecture and top-level design are described

Variability of reflectance measurements with sensor altitude and canopy type

Data were acquired on canopies of mature corn planted in 76 cm rows, mature soybeans planted in 96 cm rows with 71 percent soil cover, and mature soybeans planed in 76 cm rows with 100 percent soil cover. A LANDSAT band radiometer with a 15 degree field of view was used at ten altitudes ranging from 0.2 m to 10 m above the canopy. At each altitude, measurements were taken at 15 cm intervals also a 2.0 m transect perpendicular to the crop row direction. Reflectance data were plotted as a function of altitude and horizontal position to verify that the variance of measurements at low altitudes was attributable to row effects which disappear at higher altitudes where the sensor integrate across several rows. The coefficient of variation of reflectance decreased exponentially as the sensor was elevated. Systematic sampling (at odd multiples of 0.5 times the row spacing interval) required fewer measurements than simple random sampling over row crop canopies

Serial turbo trellis coded modulation using a serially concatenated coder

Serial concatenated trellis coded modulation (SCTCM) includes an outer coder, an interleaver, a recursive inner coder and a mapping element. The outer coder receives data to be coded and produces outer coded data. The interleaver permutes the outer coded data to produce interleaved data. The recursive inner coder codes the interleaved data to produce inner coded data. The mapping element maps the inner coded data to a symbol. The recursive inner coder has a structure which facilitates iterative decoding of the symbols at a decoder system. The recursive inner coder and the mapping element are selected to maximize the effective free Euclidean distance of a trellis coded modulator formed from the recursive inner coder and the mapping element. The decoder system includes a demodulation unit, an inner SISO (soft-input soft-output) decoder, a deinterleaver, an outer SISO decoder, and an interleaver

Intercontinental antenna arraying by symbol stream combining at ICE Giacobini-Zinner encounter

Deep space tracking stations on different continents were arrayed during the encounter of the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) spacecraft with the comet Giacobini-Zinner during September 9 through 12, 1985. This is the first time that telemetry signals received on different continents have been combined to enhance signal to noise ratio. The arraying was done in non-real time using the method of symbol stream combining. The improvement in signal to noise ratio was typically 2 dB over the stronger of the two stations in each array

Recent advances in coding theory for near error-free communications

Channel and source coding theories are discussed. The following subject areas are covered: large constraint length convolutional codes (the Galileo code); decoder design (the big Viterbi decoder); Voyager's and Galileo's data compression scheme; current research in data compression for images; neural networks for soft decoding; neural networks for source decoding; finite-state codes; and fractals for data compression