Error Exponents for Sparse Communication

Communication over a discrete memoryless channel is addressed when codewords are transmitted in certain time intervals of arbitrary locations, at other times the channel outputs pure noise. The receiver has to locate and decode the codewords. Exponential error bounds are derived, jointly achievable via a semi-universal or universal decoder. Implications are discussed for the familiar model of communication under strong asynchronism when in exponentially long time only one codeword is transmitted.