Current Research Project

Soft-decision decoding of  Reed-Solomon codes

Reed Solomon codes are a well known family of non-binary codes that are widely used for error control applications including deep space telecommunication systems, compact disks, digital broadcasting and frequency hopping spread spectrum systems. One of the appealing features of these codes is that it correct random errors and mixtures of both random and burst errors. 

Decoding algorithms for Reed Solomon codes have traditionally been based on algebraic hard-decision decoding. Soft decision decoding algorithms give significant improvement over hard decision decoding. The additional information provided by soft decision can enable between 2 and 3dB coding gain for Gaussian and in excess of 10dB on Rayleigh fading channels. However the high computational complexity of soft decision decoding algorithms have inhibited their widespread use in real systems

The main aim of this research project is to develop soft decision decoding algorithms for Reed Solomon (RS) codes to achieve optimal or suboptimal performance with drastically reduced decoding complexity.

Project supervisor: Dr. Alex Grant