Stream-oriented turbo codes

Abstract

This work considers the design and performance of a stream-oriented approach to turbo codes which avoids the need for data framing. The stream paradigm applies to both serial and parallel turbo codes using continuous, free-running constituent encoders along with continuous, periodic interleavers. A stream-oriented turbo code based on parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCC) is considered and interleaver design criteria are developed for both block and nonblock periodic interleavers. Specifically, several nonblock interleavers, including convolutional interleavers, are considered. Interleaver design rules are verified using simulations where it is shown that nonblock interleavers with small-to-moderate delay and small synchronization ambiguity can outperform block interleavers of comparable delay. For large-delay designs, nonblock interleavers are found which perform within 0.8 dB of the capacity limit with a synchronization ambiguity of N=11.