Modern Coding Theory

Iterative techniques have revolutionized the theory and practice of coding and have been adopted in the majority of next generation communication standards. Modern Coding Theory summarizes the state-of-the-art in iterative coding, with particular emphasis on the underlying theory. Starting with Gallager's original ensemble of low-density parity-check codes as a representative example, focus is placed on the techniques to analyse and design practical iterative coding systems. The basic concepts are then extended for several general codes, including the practically important class of turbo codes. The book takes the advantage of the simplicity of the binary erasure channel to develop analytical techniques and intuition, which are then applied to general channel models. A chapter on factor graphs helps to unify the important topics of information theory, coding and communication theory. Covering the most recent advances in the field, this book is a valuable resource for graduate students in electrical engineering and computer science, as well as practitioners who need to decide which coding scheme to employ, how to design a new scheme, or how to improve an existing system.