Hybrid ARQ using serial concatenated convolutional codes over fading channels

In this paper, we propose and analyze a new hybrid FEC/ARQ scheme using rate compatible punctured serial concatenated convolutional codes (SCCCs) which is suitable for flat-fading channels. Puncturing increases the transmitted code rate, and the rate compatibility criterion allows incremental redundancy to be transmitted after each decoding failure according to a code-combining type-II hybrid ARQ scheme. Performance curves of throughput and BER vs E/sub s//N/sub o/ are generated for AWGN and Rayleigh flat-fading channels for the proposed SCCC-based technique and compared against curves for a similar system based on parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCCs).