A new frame error estimation criterion for digital communication links

In digital communication links, data is transmitted in blocks referred to as frames and the frame error status is the most important link parameter which determines the throughput. In this paper, a real-time method for estimating the reliability of data frames is presented. Attention is given to those methods that use only the decoder metrics of the coded-modulation scheme which is employed by the link. It is shown that improved accuracy in estimation can be obtained by processing properly modified decoder metrics. The methods are applicable for both block-coded and convolutionally-coded modulation schemes.