Progressive Source Transmissions Using Joint Source-Channel Coding and Hierarchical Modulation in Packetized Networks

With Unequal Error Protection (UEP), more important symbols are given greater protection against channel errors than are less important symbols. The protection can be accomplished by various methods, including joint source-channel coding (JSCC) and hierarchical modulation. In this paper, a robust progressive source transmission system using forward error correction (FEC) and a bits-to-symbol assignment methodology that provides UEP is proposed. UEP is not only provided by hierarchical modulation but also by the packetization methodology combined with channel coding. It is demonstrated by simulation that our system improves performance compared to an Equal Error Protection (EEP) technique and to a baseline JSCC-only mechanism.