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Forward Error Correction: Steven Marx CSC457 12/04/2001

Forward error correction (FEC) is a technique that allows for error correction in transmitted data without requesting retransmission. It works by encoding k source packets into n encoded packets such that the original k packets can be recovered as long as any k of the n packets are received. FEC uses redundant encoded packets and techniques like Vandermonde matrices to reconstruct lost packets at the receiver. It is useful for applications involving multicast transmissions, streaming media, storage, and one-way communication over bandwidth-constrained or high latency paths.

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35 views21 pages

Forward Error Correction: Steven Marx CSC457 12/04/2001

Forward error correction (FEC) is a technique that allows for error correction in transmitted data without requesting retransmission. It works by encoding k source packets into n encoded packets such that the original k packets can be recovered as long as any k of the n packets are received. FEC uses redundant encoded packets and techniques like Vandermonde matrices to reconstruct lost packets at the receiver. It is useful for applications involving multicast transmissions, streaming media, storage, and one-way communication over bandwidth-constrained or high latency paths.

Uploaded by

Trần Văn Tùng
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Forward Error Correction

Steven Marx
CSC457
12/04/2001
Outline
What is FEC?

Why do we need it?

How does it work?

Where is it used?
What is FEC?
Send k packets
Reconstruct n packets
Such that we can tolerate k-n losses
Called an (n, k) FEC code

What is FEC? (2)
Why FEC?
Alternatives:
ARQ (Automatic Repeat reQuest)
requires feedback
bad for multicast
tolerance
only suitable for some applications
Why FEC? (2)
Advantages:
sometimes no feedback channel necessary
long delay path
one-way transmission
avoids multicast problems
Disadvantages:
computationally expensive
requires over-transmission
How is this possible?
An easy example:
(n, k) = (2, 3) FEC code
transmitting two numbers: a and b

Send three packets:
1. a
2. b
3. a + b
How is this possible? (2)
Could be represented as matrix multiplication

To encode:
|
|
.
|

\
|
(
(
(

=
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
b
a
y
y
y
1 1
1 0
0 1
3
2
1
To decode, use subset of rows.
How is this possible? (3)
More generally:

y = Gx, where G is a generator matrix

G is constructed in such a way that any
subset of rows is linearly independent.

A systematic generator matrix includes
the identity matrix.
A Problem
a and b are 8-bit numbers
a + b may require more bits
loss of precision means loss of data
A Solution
Finite fields:

field:
we can add, subtract, multiply, and divide
as with integers
closed over these operations

finite: finite number of elements
A Solution (2)
Specific example:
prime field or Galois Field - GF(p)
elements 0 to p-1
modulo p arithmetic

Problem:
with the exception of p = 2,
log(p)> log(p) bits required
requires modulo operations
Extension Fields
q = p
r
elements with p prime, r > 1
extension field, or GF(p
r
)
elements can be considered polynomials of
degree r - 1
sum just sum modulo p
extra simple with p = 2:
exactly r bits needed
sums and differences just XORs
Multiplication and Division
Exists an whose powers generate all non-
zero elements.
In GF(5), = 2, whose powers are
(1,2,4,3,1,).
Powers of repeat with period q - 1, so
q-1

=
0
= 1
Multiplication and Division (2)
x
y x
l q
q l l
x
xy

+
=
=
1
1 mod
1
o
o
for all x, x =
l
l is xs logarithm
Multiplication and Division (3)
An example: GF(5) -> = 2

3 = 2
3
mod 5
4 = 2
2
mod 5
3 * 4 = 2
3+2
mod 5
= 32 mod 5
= 2 mod 5
3 * 4 = 12 mod 5
= 2 mod 5
Vandermonde Matrices
g
i,j
= x
i
j-1

x
i
s are elements of GF(p
r
)
called Vandermonde Matrices
invertible if all x
i
s different
y = Gx
G
-1
y = G
-1
Gx = x
can be extended with the identity matrix for
systematic codes
Swarmcast - a real example
for media distribution
reduces bandwidth requirements of the server
server transmits to a small number of clients
while downloading, those clients also
transmit packets to other clients
FEC used to maximize chances of getting
useful packets
Swarmcast (2)
Star Wars:
Episode Two
Trailer
300Mb/s
100Mb/s
100Mb/s
100Mb/s
100Mb/s
100Mb/s
50Mb/s
100Mb/s
50Mb/s
50Mb/s
Other useful applications
multicast
streaming media: less I frames in MPEGS
one-way communication
high delay pathways
storage
Conclusion
FEC:

allows error correction without retransmission
requires redundancy in transmission
useful for multicast
not extensively used at the packet level
more important with high bandwidth,
high latency, as is the trend

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