LDPC FEC code extension for unequal error protection in 2nd generation DVB systems

One of the envisioned advantages of scalable video coding is its inherent suitability for achieving unequal error protection (UEP). UEP can be effectively used for graceful quality degradation under harsh network conditions. The Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) organization recently introduced second generations of broadcast transmission technologies like DVB-T2 and DVB-S2. These technologies, due to the newly introduced and advanced tools, ensure better quality of service compared to their respective first generation counterparts. Among the important tools that directly affect the quality of service positively in these emerging technologies is the new physical layer-chained forward error correction coding. In both cases, the chained codes comprise of a Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) code, which functions as the outer code, followed by a Low-Density Parity Check (LDPC) code as the inner code. To allow for improved graceful quality degradation in the second generation DVB broadcast technologies, this article proposes a novel method to extend deployed LDPC codes. This code extension enables the implementation of UEP schemes in an effective manner in these DVB broadcast systems. Furthermore, the proposed solution is backward compatible to legacy receivers. The performance evaluation of the proposed method is supported by results, obtained through simulations.