All modern communications systems require strong error-correction to ensure reliable transmission of digital
data. As the industry drives towards fifth generation (5G) wireless standards, new and stronger error-correction
schemes will be required to achieve the desired data rates (gigabits-per-second). Huawei Technologies Canada
wishes to evaluate one of these new schemes, called "polar codes" for use in wireless systems.
Polar codes are recently introduced error-correcting codes that can achieve the channel capacity with
low-complexity encoding and decoding algorithms. Huawei Canada desires to evaluate the practical
applications of polar codes to wireless communications and would like to investigate techniques for
implementing high-speed decoders. Huawei Canada has identified a parallel algorithm that has the potential for
low-complexity and high-speed implementation. This proposed research project consists of realizing a
hardware implementation of a decoder for polar codes based on this parallel algorithm to compare with
Huawei's existing solutions and to guide them in the choice of architectures.
The applicant is an international leader in the design and implementation of signal processing systems. His
team is one of the leading research groups working on the implementation of polar decoders. The applicant
brings a unique interdisciplinary approach that places his team in a select number of groups worldwide able to
tackle this project. The applicant has demonstrated leadership in this area through a body of scientific
publications and a record of technology transfer to Canadian industry.