Adaptive rate error control through the use of diversity combining and majority-logic decoding in a hybrid-ARQ protocol

Diversity combining and majority-logic decoding are combined to create a simple but powerful hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) error control scheme. Forward-error-correcting (FEC) majority-logic decoders are modified for use in type-I hybrid-ARQ protocols through the identification of reliability information within the decoding process. Diversity combining is then added to reduce the number of retransmissions and their consequent impact on throughput performance. Packet combining has the added benefit of adapting the effective code rate to channel conditions. Excellent reliability performance coupled with a simple high-speed implementation makes the majority-logic system and ideal choice for high-data-rate error control over both stationary and nonstationary channels