The Role of Forward

Error Correction in
Fiber-Optic System
Joe, Tsutung Chien Block Code
Christian Friesicke Convolutional Codes
Topics to be discussed
Why coding?
Motivation
2 classes of coding schemes will be discussed
Theory of Block code
Simulation results using block code in fiber-optic
system
Theory Convolutional code
Simulation results using convolutional code in
fiber-optic system
Social & Economic benefits of using coding
Why coding?
To reduce the sensitivity of the transmitted
message to noise present in the channel
2 types of commonly seen errors caused by the
channel:
Random errors
Burst errors
Block Code Encoder
Number of bits in a data word = k
Number of bits in a code word = n
Parity-check bits = m = n k
Block Code Encoder
Relationship between input and output
Block Code Encoder
Example 1: The generator matrix G for a (n = 7, k =
4) Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghen (BCH) code that is
capable of correcting up to t = 1 bit error is shown
below.
G=
i
k
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
1 0 0 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 0 0 1 1
0 0 1 0 1 1 1
0 0 0 1 1 0 1
y
{
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
= H I
4
PL
I
4
=
i
k
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1
y
{
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
P=
i
k
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
1 1 0
0 1 1
1 1 1
1 0 1
y
{
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
Block Code Decoder
Step 1: Recognize the modulo-2 sum of any
matrix (whose elements are binary) with itself
is zero. Therefore,
Step 2: Due to noise, the n-bit received word
is r = c e
Step 3: Calculate the syndrome matrix s
0= c
p
+c
p
= dP+c
p
=H
d c
p
L J
P
I
m
N = cJ
P
I
m
N = cH
T
where H=

H
P
T
I
m
L
s = r H
T
= c + e H
T
= c H
T
+ e H
T
= 0 + e H
T
Block Code Decoder
Step 4: Knowing r the syndrome matrix s can
be computed. Next, e matrix can be inferred
from the equation above. Once this is done,
the original code word c can be constructed
by performing the following operation:
c = r e
Step 5: The decoder then converts this code
word c to its corresponding data word d using
a look-up table similar to the one shown in
Slide 6.
Block Code - Decoder
Example 2: Let the received 7-bit (n = 7) word be r =
(1 1 0 1 1 0 1) and assume (n = 7, k = 4) BCH code is
used as in Example 1. The H matrix and the
syndrome matrix s can be computed as shown
below.
H= H
P
T
I
m=nk=74=3
L =
i
k
j
j
j
j
j
1 0 1 1 1 0 0
1 1 1 0 0 1 0
0 1 1 1 0 0 1
y
{
z
z
z
z
z
s= rH
T
= H 1 1 0 1 1 0 1L
i
k
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
1 1 0
0 1 1
1 1 1
1 0 1
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1
y
{
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
= H 1 0 1L
Block Code - Decoder
Example 2 (Continued): Now an attempt will be
made to calculate the error e matrix. The equation
that needs to be solved is:
However it is observed that both e = (0 0 0 1 0 0 0)
and e = (0 1 0 1 0 1 1) satisfy the equation above. In
general, the equation s = e H
T
can be satisfied by
exactly 2
k
distinct error matrices es.
So solution is NOT unique! What do we do?
H1 0 1L = s= rH
T
= eH
T
= H e
1
e
2
e
3
e
4
e
5
e
6
e
7
L
i
k
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
1 1 0
0 1 1
1 1 1
1 0 1
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1
y
{
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
Block Code - Decoder
Example 2 (Continued):
Out of the two possibilities e = (0 0 0 1 0 0 0)
and e = (0 1 0 1 0 1 1), we pick e = (0 0 0 1 0
0 0) because it is more probable!
Therefore, c = r e = (1 1 0 1 1 0 1) (0 0 0 1 0
0 0) = (1 1 0 0 1 0 1) .
Using the table shown in Example 1, the
decoder outputs the bit sequence (1 1 0 0)
which is the original data word!
Block Code Generator Matrix G
In Example 1 & 2, encoding and decoding
steps are fairly straightforward once
generator matrix G is given.
How to determine G matrix in the first place?
In this project, two popular methods known as
the Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghen (BCH)
code and Reed-Solomon (RS) code can be
used.
Built-functions are also available in MATLAB
communication tool box that can generate the G
matrix.
Block Code Coding Efficiency
Defined as k / n
Coding Efficiency [n/k] vs. # of Correctible Errors [t]
Coding Scheme = Block Code [BCH Method]
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
# of Correctible Errors [t]
C
o
d
i
n
g

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

[
n
/
k
]
n=7 n=15 n=31 n=63 n=127 n=255 n=511
Coding Efficiency [n/k] vs. # of Correctible Errors [t]
Coding Scheme = Block Code [RS Method]
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
0 50 100 150 200 250
# of Correctible Errors [t]
C
o
d
i
n
g

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

[
n
/
k
]
n=7 n=15 n=31 n=63 n=127 n=255 n=511
BCH Block code scheme RS Block code scheme
Hamming Bound
Important relationship between n, k and t
When inequality sign becomes =, the code called
the Perfect Code.
BCH (n = 7, k = 4, t = 1) presented in example 1 and
2 is a Perfect Code!
Block Code - Interleaving
Interleave the bit sequence before transmission can
guard against burst error!
First three codes words to be transmitted are
(Assume burst errors have occurred in the boxes that
are shaded): x= H x
1
x
2
... x
15
L
y= H y
1
y
2
... y
15
L
z= H z
1
z
2
... z
15
L
Simulation Setups
Simulation Results
BER vs. SNR [dB] Coding Scheme = BCH
1.E-06
1.E-05
1.E-04
1.E-03
1.E-02
1.E-01
1.E+00
23 25 27 29 31 33 35
SNR [dB]
B
E
R
BER [BCH(7,4,1)] BER [BCH(15,7,2)]
BER [BCH(31,16,3)] BER [Uncoded]
BER vs. SNR [dB} Coding Scheme = RS
1.E-06
1.E-05
1.E-04
1.E-03
1.E-02
1.E-01
1.E+00
23 25 27 29 31 33 35
SNR [dB]
B
E
R
BER [RS(7,5,1)] BER [Uncoded]
BER [RS(7,3,2)] BER [RS(7,1,3)]
Simulation Results
BER vs. Fiber length [km] Coding Scheme = RS
0.E+00
5.E-03
1.E-02
2.E-02
2.E-02
3.E-02
3.E-02
0 20 40 60 80 100
Fiber Length [km]
B
E
R
BER [RS(7,5,1)] BER [Uncoded]
BER [RS(7,3,2)] BER [RS(7,1,3)]
BER vs. Fiber length [km] Coding Scheme = BCH
0.E+00
5.E-03
1.E-02
2.E-02
2.E-02
3.E-02
3.E-02
0 20 40 60 80 100
Fiber length [km]
B
E
R
BER [BCH(7,4,1)] BER [BCH(15,7,2)]
BER [BCH(31,16,3)] BER [Uncoded]
Simulation Results
BER vs. Data rate [Gbits/sec] Coding Scheme
= BCH
1.E-06
1.E-05
1.E-04
1.E-03
1.E-02
1.E-01
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Data rate [Gbits/sec]
B
E
R
BER [BCH(7,4,1)] BER [BCH(15,7,2)]
BER [BCH(31,16,3)] BER [Uncoded]
BER vs. Data rate [Gbits/sec] Coding Scheme = RS
1.0E-05
1.0E-04
1.0E-03
1.0E-02
1.0E-01
1.0E+00
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Data Rate [Gbits/sec]
B
E
R
BER [RS(7,5,1)] BER [Uncoded]
BER [RS(7,3,2)] BER [RS(7,1,3)]
Simulation Results
Simulation Results
Now, my partner
Christian will talk about
convolutional code.
A brief history of convolutional codes
Coding method invented by Elias (1955)
Effective decoding algorithm by Viterbi (1967)
Various applications in deep-space / satellite /
mobile communications
Now giving way to a new generation of
codes, Turbo Codes (1993)
However, this is not the end convolutional
codes and their concepts still remain
important as a part of Turbo Codes
Convolutional Codes vs. Block Codes
We do not have the notion of a block length
An input stream of bits is coded into an output
stream of bits
The output does not only depend on the
input, but also on the last m inputs.
Encoder is not stateless, it has memory.
A simple example, the encoder
Input bit together with two previous bits form new
output codeword by mod-2 addition.
Code rate is 1/2, for each input bit we get two output
bits.
After each clock cycle, we shift the bits to the right.
x
i-1
x
i-2
c
1i
c
2i
x
i
The encoder in action
0 0
1
1
1,0,0,1
The encoder in action
1 0
1
1
1,0,0
11,
The encoder in action
0 1
0
1
1,0
11,
11,
The encoder in action
0 0
1
1
1
11,
11,
01,
Encoder is a finite state machine
Memory cells capture
the state {00,01,10,11}
Transitions between
states are visualized
with arrows
x
i
/ c
1i
c
2i
at the edges of
the graph tell us input
and output bits
This is useful for
drawing the trellis
diagram
00
11
10 01
1/11
1/00
0/11
0/10
0/01
0/10
0/00
1/01
Trellis Diagram
Also describes state
machine, but focuses
on time domain
States are on horizontal
levels, transitions are
also arrows
Dotted / solid lines are
for input bit 0 / 1.
We always start in state
(00)
00 00 00 00
00 00 00
11 11 11 11
01 01
10 10
11 11 11
10 10
01 01
(00)
(01)
(10)
(11)
Transmission of sequence (1,0,0,1)
is printed in bold
How can we decode this stream?
We do not have separate code words, so we
cannot use translation tables
We need an algorithm that can deal with long
bit sequences
Trellis diagram will help
Mysterious
Black
Box
1,0,0,1,
11,11,01,11,
=??
?
Decoding: Viterbis Algorithm
Assume the encoders output was (11,11,01,11) but
one bit was corrupted by a very nasty nonlinearity.
(00)
(01)
(10)
(11)
2
0
00
11
11 10 01 11
We first receive (11)
But we do not believe that this is correct
we never know
The received (11) could as well be a (00)
that was corrupted by two errors!
Bookkeeping: We write the number of errors
next to the arrows
Decoding: Viterbis Algorithm
Now we receive the
erroneous (10).
We still keep track of
the errors, but we
take cumulative
errors for each path
00 00
00
11 11
11
(00)
(01)
(10)
(11)
3
1
3
1
11 10 01 11
Decoding: Viterbis Algorithm
In this step, we are facing
a new problem: Two
arrows arrive at one point
High number of errors is
rather unlikely, so:
We keep the arrows with
less error distance and
call them survivors
Result here: Only the
points that had error dist.
= 1 in the previous step
survived this competition
00 00
1
00
11 11
01
1
11
10
3
10
01
3
(00)
(01)
(10)
(11)
11 10 01 11
Decoding: Viterbis Algorithm
At the end, we only have four paths left that we consider likely enough
One of them is the path printed in bold The original sequence!
00
00
11 11
01 01
10
11
01
(00)
(01)
(10)
(11)
3
1
2
2
Our original sequence
also has minimum error,
so we choose it as the
final survivor
We walk back the path
and conclude from dotted
/ solid lines that the
decoded message is
(1,0,0,1)
The error during
transmission was
corrected!
11 10 01 11
Simulation Results
BER vs. SNR for convolutional codes
1.E-06
1.E-05
1.E-04
1.E-03
1.E-02
1.E-01
1.E+00
9 11 13 15 17 19 21
SNR [dB]
B
E
R
uncoded L=3 L=4 L=5 L=6 L=9
BER vs. Fiber length for convolutional codes
1.E-06
1.E-05
1.E-04
1.E-03
1.E-02
1.E-01
1.E+00
90 100 110 120 130 140 150
Fiber length [km]
B
E
R
uncoded L=3 L=4 L=5 L=6 L=9
Simulation Results
BER vs. bit rate for convolutional codes
1.E-06
1.E-05
1.E-04
1.E-03
1.E-02
1.E-01
1.E+00
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Bit rate [Gbit/s]
B
E
R
uncoded L=3 L=4 L=5 L=6 L=9
Social & Economic Benefits
Not necessary to change existing network infrastructure
since error correction can be performed at the receiver
side.
This can help save millions of dollars.
User on the receiver end does not have to request for re-
transmission from the sender.
Thus communication is made more robust.
As a consequence, several software programs out there
such as Skype that rely on robust communication are
becoming more popular among the general public as a
cheap way to keep in touch with family and friends. This
is a major social benefit that results from the use of FEC
in communication.
Conclusion
Two classes of error control schemes are
studied in this project and they are known as
the block code and the convolutional code.
Simulation performed using MATLAB and
RSoft Optsim demonstrates that these error-
schemes are very powerful tools to reduce
BER.
Bibliography
[1] B. P. Lathi, Modern Digital and Analog Communication Systems, Oxford University Press
1998
[2] W. W. Peterson and E. J. Weldon, Jr., Error Correcting Codes, 2nd ed., Wiley, New York,
1972
[3] S. Lin and D. Costello, Error Control Coding: Fundamentals and Applications, Prentice-
Hall, Englewood-Cliffs, NJ, 1983
[4] MATLAB communication toolbox -
http://www.mathworks.com/products/communications/functionlist.html
[5] P. Elias, Coding for noisy channels, in IRE Conv. Rec., Mar. 1955, vol. 3, pt. 4, pp. 37
46
[6] O. A. Sab and V. Lemarie, Block turbo code performances for long-haul DWDM optical
transmission systems, in Optical Fiber Communication Conf., vol. 3, 2000, pp. 280282.
[7] A. J. Viterbi, Error bounds for convolutional codes and an asymptotically optimum
decoding algorithm, IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. IT-13, pp. 260-269, Apr. 1967.
[8] Charan Langton, Signal Processing & Simulation Newsletter, Tutorial 12, Website:
http://www.complextoreal.com/convo.htm, accessed in May 2006
[9] Thierry Turletti, From Speech to Radio Waves, Website:
http://tnswww.lcs.mit.edu/~turletti/gsmoverview/node9.html, accessed in May 2006
~ The End ~