# A Multistage Method for SCMA Codebook Design Based on MDS Codes

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel SCMA codebook design method leveraging MDS codes to maximize signal diversity and maintain low complexity, simplifying the multistage design process for future wireless standards.

## Contribution

It proposes a new SCMA codebook design approach using MDS codes, enhancing signal diversity with small alphabets and low complexity detection.

## Key findings

- Maximized signal-space diversity using MDS codes
- Achieved low peak-to-average power ratio
- Reduced detection complexity

## Abstract

Sparse Code Multiple Access (SCMA) has been recently proposed for the future generation of wireless communication standards. SCMA system design involves specifying several parameters. In order to simplify the procedure, most works consider a multistage design approach. Two main stages are usually emphasized in these methods: sparse signatures design (equivalently, resource allocation) and codebook design. In this paper, we present a novel SCMA codebook design method. The proposed method considers SCMA codebooks structured with an underlying vector space obtained from classical block codes. In particular, when using maximum distance separable (MDS) codes, our proposed design provides maximum signal-space diversity with a relatively small alphabet. The use of small alphabets also helps to maintain desired properties in the codebooks, such as low peak-to-average power ratio and low-complexity detection.