“Successive Coding in Multiuser Information Theory”

In this correspondence, we show that solutions to the multiple description coding problem and the broadcast channel coding problem share a common encoding procedure: successive source encoding. We use this connection as the basis for establishing connections between the achievable multiple description rate region and Marton's region for broadcast channels. Specifically, we show that Marton's encoding scheme can be viewed as a multiple description coding procedure. We also explore the dual problem, namely, the relationship between successive channel decoding in multiple access communication and distributed source coding. By illuminating these connections to multiple description, we hope to motivate a solution to what remains a mostly unsolved problem.