Iterative network-channel decoding with cooperative space-time transmission

TL;DR

This paper proposes an iterative joint network-channel decoding scheme for cooperative space-time transmission using distributed space-time coding and convolutional network coding, enhancing decoding efficiency in wireless relay networks.

Contribution

It introduces a convolutional code based network coding method combined with iterative decoding, improving upon traditional XOR-based network coding in cooperative space-time communication.

Findings

EXIT chart analysis shows good convergence properties.

The proposed scheme enhances decoding performance.

It effectively combines space-time coding with network coding.

Abstract

One of the most efficient methods of exploiting space diversity for portable wireless devices is cooperative communication utilizing space-time block codes. In cooperative communication, users besides communicating their own information, also relay the information of other users. In this paper we investigate a scheme where cooperation is achieved using two methods, namely, distributed space-time coding and network coding. Two cooperating users utilize Alamouti space time code for inter-user cooperation and in addition utilize a third relay which performs network coding. The third relay does not have any of its information to be sent. In this paper we propose a scheme utilizing convolutional code based network coding, instead of conventional XOR based network code and utilize iterative joint network-channel decoder for efficient decoding. Extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart analysis is performed to investigate the convergence property of the proposed decoder.