Joint source-channel decoding

Treats joint source and channel decoding in an integrated way Gives a clear description of the problems in the field together with the mathematical tools for their solution Contains many detailed examples useful for practical applications of the theory to video broadcasting over mobile and wireless networks Traditionally, cross-layer and joint source-channel coding were seen as incompatible with classically structured networks but recent advances in theory changed this situation. Joint source-channel decoding is now seen as a viable alternative to separate decoding of source and channel codes, if the protocol layers are taken into account. A joint source/protocol/channel approach is thus addressed in this book: all levels of the protocol stack are considered, showing how the information in each layer influences the others.^ This book provides the tools to show how cross-layer and joint source-channel coding and decoding are now compatible with present-day mobile and wireless networks, with a particular application to the key area of video transmission to mobiles. Typical applications are broadcasting, or point-to-point delivery of multimedia contents, which are very timely in the c