Improved Algorithms for the Determination of Turbo-Code Weight Distributions

Abstract

We discuss algorithms for determining exactly the lower terms of the weight distribution of a turbo code. Several improvements on the recently introduced algorithm by Garello et al. are outlined. The techniques presented in this letter improve the observed asymptotic complexity by a factor proportional to the information length. As an example, the improved algorithm is applied to the determination of the minimum distance of all universal mobile telecommunications system turbo codes. We further apply the improved algorithm to high-rate turbo codes using high-rate nonpunctured constituent codes. To reduce complexity, the constituent codes are represented by a minimal information bit-oriented trellis.