Optimized Coding and Protocols for Free-Space Optical Communications Links

TrellisWare proposes a coding and protocol solution for free-space optical communication links comprising a hybrid-ARQ inspired protocol built around TrellisWare's Flexible Low-Density Parity-Check (F-LDPC) FEC technology. The F-LDPC code family supports incremental redundancy and offers excellent performance across an unparalleled range of rates, block sizes, modulation types, and channel conditions. Furthermore, the F-LDPC family supports highly flexible, low complexity encoding/decoding architectures. This effort will be supported by a partnership with Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST) that will allow us access to their optical communications analysis and systems engineering expertise, optical channel models and statistics libraries, and laser communications transmitter and receiver development expertise.