Methods and systems for incremental freezing with multi-kernel polar codes

A method implemented by an encoding device, the method comprising:

• encoding data bits using a polar code associated with a first polar code kernel structure;
• sending an initial transmission to a receiver, the initial transmission comprising the polar coded data bits;
• receiving first feedback from the receiver for the initial transmission, wherein the first feedback indicates that at least a first subset of the polar coded data bits were not successfully decoded by the receiver;
• encoding at least the first subset of the polar coded data bits that were not successfully decoded by the receiver using a polar code associated with a second polar code kernel structure, wherein the first subset of the polar coded data bits are encoded using relatively higher reliability bit channels of the second polar code kernel structure than a reliability associated with one or more bit channels that were used for encoding the first subset of the polar coded data bits using the first polar code kernel structure of the initial transmission;
• and
• sending a first retransmission to the receiver, the first retransmission comprising the polar coded first subset of the polar coded data bits associated with the second polar code kernel structure.

An encoding device comprising:

• a processor, the processor configured to:
• encode data bits using a polar code associated with a first polar code kernel structure;
• send an initial transmission to a receiver, the initial transmission comprising the polar coded data bits;
• receive first feedback from the receiver for the initial transmission, wherein the first feedback indicates that at least a first subset of the polar coded data bits were not successfully decoded by the receiver;
• encode at least the first subset of the polar coded data bits that were not successfully decoded by the receiver using a polar code associated with a second polar code kernel structure, wherein the first subset of the polar coded data bits are encoded using relatively higher reliability bit channels of the second polar code kernel structure than a reliability associated with a one or more bit channels that were used for encoding the first subset of the polar coded data bits using the first polar code kernel structure of the initial transmission;
• and
• send a first retransmission to the receiver, the first retransmission comprising the polar coded first subset of the polar coded data bits associated with the second polar code kernel structure.