Syllabus

Course Title: Error Control Coding

Instructor: Todd K. Moon

Prerequisite: A background in probability, linear algebra, and communications, or Instructor sufferance.

Textbook: Error Correction Coding: Mathematical Methods and Algorithms, by Todd Moon. (Available from copy center on campus.)

Homework: There will be assignments approximately weekly. It is your responsibility to make sure that you do it and understand the concepts.

Programming: A great deal of learning can be accomplished by programming algorithms and testing them for yourself. To reinforce this type of learning, two or three programming assignments will be assigned. There is also a term project which will also probably involve some programming. The programs can be written in any language on any machine you choose. Students should write their own programs.

Course Summary: We will explore the theoretical and historical motivation behind modern error control coding, particularly algebraic block coding. Linear codes, both block and convolutional, will be introduced, followed by a description of the algebraic tools necessary to describe and implement Reed-Solomon codes. Modern algrebraic concepts including Galois fields will be presented, along with circuit implementations. Also, convolutional codes and trellis-coded modulation will be covered, along with the Viterbi algorithm for decoding. Low-density parity check codes and Turbo codes will be covered, as time permits. Much of the learning will be expressed in formal (theorem/proof) format to develop rigor.

Exams: A take-home final exam.