Efficient Image Transmission Through Analog Error Correction

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel analog error correction code for image transmission that outperforms digital turbo codes, leveraging chaotic systems to improve efficiency and quality without quantization.

Contribution

It proposes a new analog coding scheme using chaotic systems, specifically a triple-branch baker's map code, for more efficient image transmission.

Findings

Analog code outperforms digital turbo code in simulations

Chaotic systems enable effective analog error correction

Potential for improved transmission efficiency and quality

Abstract

This paper presents a new paradigm for image transmission through analog error correction codes. Conventional schemes rely on digitizing images through quantization (which inevitably causes significant bandwidth expansion) and transmitting binary bit-streams through digital error correction codes (which do not automatically differentiate the different levels of significance among the bits). To strike a better overall performance in terms of transmission efficiency and quality, we propose to use a single analog error correction code in lieu of digital quantization, digital code and digital modulation. The key is to get analog coding right. We show that this can be achieved by cleverly exploiting an elegant "butterfly" property of chaotic systems. Specifically, we demonstrate a tail-biting triple-branch baker's map code and its maximum-likelihood decoding algorithm. Simulations show that the proposed analog code can actually outperform digital turbo code, one of the best codes known to date. The results and findings discussed in this paper speak volume for the promising potential of analog codes, in spite of their rather short history.