Punctured turbo-codes for BPSK/QPSK channels

We discuss a procedure for designing high-rate turbo-codes via puncturing, with applications to BPSK/QPSK channels. Rates in the form k/(k+1), 2/spl les/k/spl les/16, are considered for constituent encoders with memory sizes m=3 and 4. The algorithm includes the selection of constituent encoder generator polynomials, puncture patterns, and interleavers with the goal of maximizing the minimum codeword weight for weight-two and weight-three inputs. The performance of the proposed codes are found via computer simulation and are observed in each case to be less than 0.9 dB (m=3), and 0.75 dB (m=4), from their respective channel capacity limits at a bit-error rate of 10/sup -5/. We consider two applications of punctured turbo-codes.