Improving the performance of underwater wireless optical communication links by channel coding

Area of Science:

• Optical Communications
• Information Theory
• Wireless Networking

Background:

• Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) systems face challenges in data transmission reliability.
• Error correcting codes (ECCs) are crucial for mitigating data corruption in communication systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of ECCs in enhancing UWOC system performance.
• To compare different coding schemes, including Reed-Solomon and low-density parity check (LDPC) codes.
• To analyze the impact of ECCs at both the physical (PHY) and upper protocol layers.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulations were conducted to assess coding scheme efficacy.
• The study focused on UWOC systems with negligible water turbulence.
• Performance was analyzed across different layers of the communication protocol stack.

Main Results:

• Both Reed-Solomon and LDPC codes demonstrated significant improvements in UWOC system performance.
• ECCs proved beneficial at both the PHY and upper layers, even in a non-fading channel scenario.
• The choice of coding scheme and the level of data protection were shown to be critical factors.

Conclusions:

• Implementing efficient ECCs is vital for robust underwater wireless optical communication.
• Optimizing coding schemes and data protection levels at multiple layers enhances UWOC reliability.
• Further research can explore ECC application in more challenging underwater environments.