A General Rate K/N Convolutional Decoder Based on Neural Networks with Stopping Criterion

A novel algorithm for decoding a general rate K/Nconvolutional code based on recurrent neural network (RNN) is described and analysed. The algorithm is introduced by outlining the mathematical models of the encoder and decoder. A number of strategies for optimising the iterative decoding process are proposed, and a simulator was also designed in order to compare the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance of the RNN decoder with the conventional decoder that is based on Viterbi Algorithm (VA). The simulation results show that this novel algorithm can achieve the same bit error rate and has a lower decoding complexity. Most importantly this algorithm allows parallel signal processing, which increases the decoding speed and accommodates higher data rate transmission. These characteristics are inherited from a neural network structure of the decoder and the iterative nature of the algorithm, that outperform the conventional VA algorithm.