Bit loading and power allocation for BICM-ID with convolutional codes

This paper deals with the joint optimal design of the power allocation and modulation stages for a convolutionally encoded bit interleaved coded modulation with iterative decoding (BICM-ID). The design optimizes the spectral efficiency subject constraints in the average power and the BER at the decoder output. The proposed approach is based on the use of the extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart between the demodulator and the decoder. The simulation results evidence the performance gain of this design with respect to other policies that do not take into account the convergence of the iterative receiver (e.g. waterfilling).