Convolutional precoding and decoding of polar codes

A device for improving an error correction capability of an encoder, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory memory including instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions upon execution by the processor cause the processor to:
• receive a plurality of information symbols;
• generate a plurality of convolutionally encoded symbols by performing a convolutional encoding operation on the plurality of information symbols, wherein the convolutional encoding operation is based on a time-varying trellis;
• generate a plurality of polar encoded symbols by performing a polar encoding operation on the plurality of convolutionally encoded symbols;
• and
• provide the plurality of polar encoded symbols for transmission or storage.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon for improving an error correction capability of an encoder, comprising:

• instructions for receiving a plurality of information symbols;
• instructions for generating a plurality of convolutionally encoded symbols by performing a convolutional encoding operation on the plurality of information symbols, wherein the convolutional encoding operation is based on a time-varying trellis;
• instructions for generating a plurality of polar encoded symbols by performing a polar encoding operation on the plurality of convolutionally encoded symbols;
• and
• instructions for providing the plurality of polar encoded symbols for transmission or storage.