Channel coding

This book deals with the subject of channel coding and forward error correction techniques, providing a complete, but introductory, overview on modern coding/decoding techniques, as well as on the theoretical bases on which they lay. It is meant for master degree students with a background in both probability and communication techniques. The book is designed to present the material in an accessible but rigorous manner. It comprehensively covers both practical and theoretical aspects, and aims at explaining the link existing between coding concepts and the underlying communication channel. However, it is not fully organized as a standard textbook, but, rather, it is a collection of records corresponding to well defined concepts in channel coding, in such a way to constitute a blueprint for a course. A number of suggested further readings are provided along the book, for the interested reader who wishes to delve into a specific subject. The book is organized in five parts. The first three parts are devoted to coding and decoding criteria and techniques. The final two parts are instead devoted to assessing the theoretical limits of coding.