Shaped hybrid forward error correction
Next-generation optical and wireless communications require high-performance, high-speed, and low-power consumption error decoding structures. These requirements cannot be satisfied by VLSI-implemented soft-decision or hard-decision forward error correction (FEC), as both bear crucial limitations. The entire telecommunication network value chain is in distress. Designers, device manufacturers and system level integrators are trying to find solutions via costly and time-consuming approaches that only result in incremental improvements. Error correction algorithms need to be replaced with completely new methods to cater for the ever-increasing data rates in future high-speed communication systems.

Recently, we made a breakthrough innovation in tackling the challenges above and developed Shaped Hybrid Forward Error Correction (SHY-FEC) that combines hybrid channel coding and low-complexity constellation shaping. With such an algorithm-based approach, we have been able to achieve low complexity, high-throughput and low energy consumption making it a very attractive solution to high-speed communication systems, both for wireless systems and for short/medium-haul fibre optics.

The environmental footprint of the ICT sector is estimated to be 5–9% of the world’s total electricity use, of which a large proportion is due to data centres cloud services and connectivity. For connectivity, 15% of the overall receiver energy consumption is attributed to FEC. Therefore, our approach can create also a significant positive environmental impact. Our ultimate goal is to use SHY-FEC to obtain performance levels similar to those of state-of-the-art soft-decision FEC, but with at least one order of magnitude lower energy consumption. In addition to establishing the technology feasibility in this PoC, we will also carry out pre-commercialisation activities.