Time-Variant Decoding of Convolutional Network Codes

In this paper, a time-variant decoding model of a convolutional network code (CNC) is proposed. New necessary and sufficient conditions are established for the decodability of a CNC at a node r with delay L. They only involve the first L+1 terms in the power series expansion of the global encoding kernel matrix at r. Concomitantly, a time-variant decoding algorithm is proposed with a decoding matrix over the base symbol field. The present time-variant decoding model only deals with partial information of the global encoding kernel matrix, and hence potentially makes CNCs applicable in a decentralized manner.