Exit chart analysis of parallel data convolutional codes

We recently proposed a new class of turbo-like codes called parallel data convolutional codes (PDCCs). The distinct characteristics of PDCCs include parallel data input bits and a self-iterative soft-in/soft-out a posteriori probability (APP) decoder. In this paper, we analyse this turbo-like code by means of the extrinsic information transfer chart (EXIT chart). Our results show that the threshold E/sub b//N/sub 0/ point for a rate 1/2 8-state PDCC is 0.6 dB, which is the same as the threshold point for a punctured rate 1/2 16-state parallel concatenated convolutional code (turbo code).