On the analysis of the performance of coded modulation schemes for unequal error protection

A method of analysis for comparing the performance of time-division-coded modulation and superposition-coded modulation schemes with unequal error protection has been proposed. The performance of practical channel codes was modeled heuristically by using a signal-to-noise ratio loss factor /spl lambda/ and it was shown that the superiority of superposition-coded modulation depends on the degree of inequality in protection prescribed. A different approach, using the channel cutoff rate R/sub 0/ instead of /spl lambda/, is proposed here. Results of the analysis of the performance of both approaches are compared, and they are also compared to those results obtained from practical design examples.