Turbo Decoder Applications

This website gives an overview of all standards that apply turbo codes. Just click on the standard you want to know more about. Let us know if anything is missing!

Satellite

DVB-RCS2 is the 2nd generation standard defining a return channel via satellite. It achieves better performance by using the more advanced 16-states double-binary turbo codes compared to the 8-states counterparts of its predecessor DVB-RCS. Thus far it is the only standard that uses 16-states double-binary turbo codes. Due to the support of new mappings (8-PSK, 16-QAM) it offers higher data rates and an improved spectral efficiency.

 

Standard DVB-RCS2
Second Generation DVB Interactive Satellite System
Organization ETSI
Publication 2014
Documents EN301 545-2
Applications Satellite Communication
IP Cores Creonic DVB-RCS2 Turbo Decoder and Encoder IP Core
Turbo Codes Double-binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 16 states, code rates 1/3 - 7/8, tailbiting


In 2005 DVB-RCS was defined as the standard for return channel via satellite and complemented the DVB-S2 standard. It followed DVB-RCT and WiMax in using double binary turbo codes that outperform their binary counterpart. The successor DVB-RCS2 uses 16-states double binary turbo codes resulting in even better error correction performance.

 

Standard DVB-RCS
Interaction channel for satellite distribution systems
Organization ETSI
Publication 2005
Documents ETSI EN 301 790
Applications Satellite Communication
IP Cores Creonic DVB-RCS Turbo Encoder and Decoder IP Core
Turbo Codes Double-binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 8 states, code rates 1/3 - 6/7, tailbiting


In 2011 CCSDS (The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems)  adopted turbo codes by a blue book as "recommended standard".

 

Standard TM Synchronization and Channel Coding, Blue Book, Issue 2, Recommended Standard.
Organization CCSDS (The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems)
Publication 2011 (Blue Book)
Documents CCSDS 131.0-B-2
Applications Near-Earth and deep space communication
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Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCC), 16 states, code rates 1/6, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, tail bits, block sizes 1784 bits, 3568 bits, 7136 bits, 8920 bits.


The Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) is a global satellite network with telephony using portable terminals, operated by Inmarsat. It allows for data rates of hundreds of kbit/s.

 

Standard Inmarsat BGAN
Organization Inmarsat
Publication 1999
Documents
Applications Satellite communication
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Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolutional code, 16 states, code rates 1/5 to 1/2, block sizes up to 22.524 payload bits, tail bits


GEO-Mobile Radio (GMR) is a standard for satellite telephony that follows the GSM standard in many ways. Only the three lower layers of the OSI model differ between GMR and GSM (for GMPRS only the two lowest layers).

Two versions of the standard exist: GMR-1 (ETSI TS 101 376) and GMR-2 (ETSI TS 101 377). For GMR-1 three releases exist. Release 3 of GMR-1 adopted turbo codes in 2009. The standard is characterized by low throughput requirements of less than 1 Mbit/s.

 

Standard GMR-1 Release 3 (GMR-3G or GMR-1 3G)
Organization ETSI
Publication 2009 (GMR-3G)
Documents ETSI TS 101 376-5-3 V3.1.1 (GMR-3G)
Applications Satellite telephony
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Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 8 states, base code rate 1/5, block lengths 200 to 6,000 bits, tail bits.


DVB-SH is a physical layer standard for delivering IP based media content and data to handheld terminals such as mobile phones or PDAs. It uses the same turbo codes as defined by 3GPP2 within the CDMA2000 standard.

 

Standard DVB-SH
Digital Video Broadcasting–Satellite services to Handheld
Organization ETSI
Publication 2007 (DVB), 2011 (ETSI)
Documents ETSI EN 302 583
Applications Satellite broadcast to handheld devices
IP Core Contact us!
Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 8 states, tail bits, code rates 1/5 ... 1/2, block size up to 20730 payload bits


Mobile Phones

LTE (Long Term Evolution) and LTE-A (LTE-Advanced) from the foundation for current 4G networks. Compared to UMTS, the turbo code interleaver was redesigned to simplify the hardware design for high throughput. While LTE offers data rates of up to 150 Mbit/s, LTE-A offers up to 1 Gbit/s.

 

Standard 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE-Advanced)
Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network;
Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA)
Organization 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)
Publication 2008 (LTE)
2010 (LTE-A)
Documents Release 8 (LTE)
Release 10 (LTE-A)
Applications High-speed wireless communication for mobile phones and data terminals
IP Core Creonic LTE-Advanced Turbo Decoder IP Core
Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCC), 8 states, tail bits, code rates 0.33 to 0.95, payload block sizes 40 to 6144 bits


In 1999 UMTS became the first standard to incorporate turbo codes after their invention in 1993. It offers throughputs of 384 kbit/s, which is much more compared to what GSM-based 2G networks can provide. UMTS was later extended to support higher throughputs for downlink (HSDPA) and uplink (HSUPA), commonly referred to as HSPA. Another evolution (Evolved HSPA or HSPA+) increases the data rates even further.

UMTS and its evolutions apply the same kind of turbo codes.

 

Standard 3GPP Release 99 (UMTS, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)
3GPP Release 5 (HSDPA), 3GPP Release 6 (HSUPA)
3GPP Release 7 (Evolved HSPA, HSPA+)
Organization 3GPP
Publication 2000 (UMTS), 2002 - 2004 (HSPA: HSDPA/HSUPA), 2007 (HSPA+)
Documents Release 99
Release 5
Release 6
Release 7
Applications 3G networks
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Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCC), 8 states, code rates >= 1/3, block sizes <= 5114 bits payload, tail bits.


CDMA2000 is the competitor to UMTS that was developed by the 3GPP2 consortium.

 

Standard 3GPP2 CDMA2000
Organization 3GPP2
Publication 2000
Documents
Applications 3G Mobile networks
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Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 8 states, tail bits, code rates 1/5, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, block size up to 20730 payload bits.


Miscellaneous

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) was the first standard to adopt double-binary turbo codes for forward error correction. The codes were introduced in IEEE 802.16-2004, and later support was extended in IEEE 802.16-2009. The throughputs of WiMAX systems are typically much less than 100 Mbit/s. Usage of the turbo codes is optional.

 

Standard IEEE 802.16-2004,

IEEE 802.16-2009

Local and metropolitan area networks
Part 16: Air Interface for Fixed and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access Systems
Organization IEEE
Publication 2004 (IEEE 802.16-2004),
2009 (IEEE 802.16-2009)
Documents IEEE 802.16-2004,
IEEE 802.16-2009,
Applications Local and Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WLAN/WMAN)
Turbo Codes Double-binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 8 states, tail-biting, code rates 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, payload block sizes 64 - 2048 bits (IEEE 802.16-2004) and 64 - 8192 bits (IEEE 802.16-2009)


IEEE 802.22 is a standard for wireless broadband access that uses the so-called white spaces between occupied channels in the TV frequency spectrum. The aim of the standard is to bring broadband access to low population density areas. The maximum data rate is about 20 Mbit/s. Due to its cognitive radio techniques, it has the potential to be applied in many regions worldwide.

The standard uses the WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) double binary turbo codes with different interleaver parameters and block sizes. Turbo coding is optional, only support for convolutional coding is mandatory.

 

Standard IEEE 802.22-2011
Wireless Regional Area Networks (WRAN)—Specific requirements

Part 22: Cognitive Wireless RAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications: Policies and Procedures for Operation in the TV Bands

Organization IEEE
Publication 2011
Documents IEEE 802.22-2011
Applications Wireless Regional Area Networks (WRAN)
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Turbo Codes Double binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 8 states, code rates 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6, tail-biting, payload block sizes 48 - 1920 bits.


TETRA is a professional mobile radio and two-way transceiver specification. TETRA was specifically designed for use by government agencies, emergency services, (police forces, fire departments, ambulance) for public safety networks, rail transport staff for train radios, transport services and the military.

 

Standard TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio)
Voice plus Data (V+D); Part 2: Air Interface (AI)
Organization ETSI
Publication 2006
Documents EN 300 392-2, V3.1.1 and up
Applications Mobile Radio
IP Core Contact us!
Turbo Codes Binary parallel concatenated convolution code (PCCC), 8 states, tail bits, code rates 1/2, 2/3


DVB-RCT was designed to extend DVB-T systems with a return channel. The data rate is in the range of a few kbit/s only. Due to the limited usability it was never deployed. DVB-RCT was the first standard to adopt double-binary turbo codes. Multiple standards followed using the double-binary version (WiMax, DVB-RCS, DVB-RCS2).

 

Standard Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB)
Interaction channel for Digital Terrestrial Television (RCT) incorporating Multiple Access OFDM
Organization ETSI
Publication 2002
Documents ETSI EN 301 958
Applications Digital TV
IP Core Contact us!
Turbo Codes Double binary parallel concatenated convolutional code (PCCC), 8 states, tail-biting, code rates 1/2, 3/4, payload block sizes 144 - 648 bits


IEEE 1901 is a standard for high-speed data transmission via electric power lines. It uses frequencies below 100 MHz and achieves throughputs of hundreds of Mbit/s. The FFT OFDM physical layer was derived from the HomePlug AV standard and uses double binary turbo codes.

 

Standard IEEE Standard for Broadband over Power Line Networks: Medium Access Control and Physical Layer Specifications
Organization IEEE
Publication 2010 (IEEE 1901-2010), 2005 (Homeplug AV)
Documents IEEE 1901-2010
Applications Power Line Communication
IP Core Contact us!
Turbo Codes Double binary parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCC), 8 states, tail-biting, code rates 1/2, 16/21, 16/18, payload block sizes 128, 1088, 4160 bits.


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