LP Decoding Corrects a Constant Fraction of Errors

We show that for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes whose Tanner graphs have sufficient expansion, the linear programming (LP) decoder of Feldman, Karger, and Wainwright can correct a constant fraction of errors. A random graph will have sufficient expansion with high probability, and recent work shows that such graphs can be constructed efficiently. A key element of our method is the use of a dual witness: a zero-valued dual solution to the decoding linear program whose existence proves decoding success. We show that as long as no more than a certain constant fraction of the bits are flipped by the channel, we can find a dual witness. This new method can be used for proving bounds on the performance of any LP decoder, even in a probabilistic setting. Our result implies that the word error rate of the LP decoder decreases exponentially in the code length under the binary-symmetric channel (BSC). This is the first such error bound for LDPC codes using an analysis based on "pseudocodewords." Recent work by Koetter and Vontobel shows that LP decoding and min-sum decoding of LDPC codes are closely related by the "graph cover" structure of their pseudocodewords; in their terminology, our result implies that that there exist families of LDPC codes where the minimum BSC pseudoweight grows linearly in the block length     

Verification-based decoding for packet-based low-density parity-check codes

We introduce and analyze verification-based decoding for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, an approach specifically designed to manipulate data in packet-sized units. Verification-based decoding requires only linear time for both encoding and decoding and succeeds with high probability under random errors. We describe how to utilize code scrambling to extend our results to channels with errors controlled by an oblivious adversary.     

Using linear programming to Decode Binary linear codes

A new method is given for performing approximate maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding of an arbitrary binary linear code based on observations received from any discrete memoryless symmetric channel. The decoding algorithm is based on a linear programming (LP) relaxation that is defined by a factor graph or parity-check representation of the code. The resulting "LP decoder" generalizes our previous work on turbo-like codes. A precise combinatorial characterization of when the LP decoder succeeds is provided, based on pseudocodewords associated with the factor graph. Our definition of a pseudocodeword unifies other such notions known for iterative algorithms, including "stopping sets," "irreducible closed walks," "trellis cycles," "deviation sets," and "graph covers." The fractional distance d/sub frac/ of a code is introduced, which is a lower bound on the classical distance. It is shown that the efficient LP decoder will correct up to /spl lceil/d/sub frac//2/spl rceil/-1 errors and that there are codes with d/sub frac/=/spl Omega/(n/sup 1-/spl epsi//). An efficient algorithm to compute the fractional distance is presented. Experimental evidence shows a similar performance on low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes between LP decoding and the min-sum and sum-product algorithms. Methods for tightening the LP relaxation to improve performance are also provided.     

Linear programming decoding: The ultimate decoding technique for low density parity check codes

Linear programming (LP) decoding is an alternative to iterative algorithms for decoding low density parity check (LDPC) codes. Although the practical performance of LP decoding is comparable to message-passing decoding, a significant advantage is its relative amenability to nonasymptotic analysis. Moreover, there turn out to be a number of important theoretical connections between the LP decoding and standard forms of iterative decoding. These connections allow theoretical insight from the LP decoding perspective to be transferred to iterative decoding algorithms. These advantages encouraged many researchers to work in this recent decoding technique for LDPC codes. In this paper, LP decoding for LDPC code is extensively reviewed and is discussed in different segmented areas.     

Nonlinear Programming Approaches to Decoding Low-Density Parity-Check Codes

We consider the decoding problem for low-density parity-check codes, and apply nonlinear programming methods. This extends previous work using linear programming (LP) to decode linear block codes. First, a multistage LP decoder based on the branch-and-bound method is proposed. This decoder makes use of the maximum-likelihood-certificate property of the LP decoder to refine the results when an error is reported. Second, we transform the original LP decoding formulation into a box-constrained quadratic programming form. Efficient linear-time parallel and serial decoding algorithms are proposed and their convergence properties are investigated. Extensive simulation studies are performed to assess the performance of the proposed decoders. It is seen that the proposed multistage LP decoder outperforms the conventional sum-product (SP) decoder considerably for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes with short to medium block length. The proposed box-constrained quadratic programming decoder has less complexity than the SP decoder and yields much better performance for LDPC codes with regular structure.     

Iterative Approximate Linear Programming Decoding of LDPC Codes With Linear Complexity

The problem of low complexity linear programming (LP) decoding of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes is considered. An iterative algorithm, similar to min-sum and belief propagation, for efficient approximate solution of this problem was proposed by Vontobel and Koetter. In this paper, the convergence rate and computational complexity of this algorithm are studied using a scheduling scheme that we propose. In particular, we are interested in obtaining a feasible vector in the LP decoding problem that is close to optimal in the following sense. The distance, normalized by the block length, between the minimum and the objective function value of this approximate solution can be made arbitrarily small. It is shown that such a feasible vector can be obtained with a computational complexity which scales linearly with the block length. Combined with previous results that have shown that the LP decoder can correct some fixed fraction of errors we conclude that this error correction can be achieved with linear computational complexity. This is achieved by first applying the iterative LP decoder that decodes the correct transmitted codeword up to an arbitrarily small fraction of erroneous bits, and then correcting the remaining errors using some standard method. These conclusions are also extended to generalized LDPC codes.      

A more accurate one-dimensional analysis and design of irregular LDPC codes

We introduce a new one-dimensional (1-D) analysis of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes on additive white Gaussian noise channels which is significantly more accurate than similar 1-D methods. Our method assumes a Gaussian distribution in message-passing decoding only for messages from variable nodes to check nodes. Compared to existing work, which makes a Gaussian assumption both for messages from check nodes and from variable nodes, our method offers a significantly more accurate estimate of convergence behavior and threshold of convergence. Similar to previous work, the problem of designing irregular LDPC codes reduces to a linear programming problem. However, our method allows irregular code design in a wider range of rates without any limit on the maximum variable-node degree. We use our method to design irregular LDPC codes with rates greater than 1/4 that perform within a few hundredths of a decibel from the Shannon limit. The designed codes perform almost as well as codes designed by density evolution.     

Pseudo-Codeword Analysis of Tanner Graphs From Projective and Euclidean Planes

We consider coded data transmission over a binary-input output-symmetric memoryless channel using a binary linear code. In order to understand the performance of maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding, one studies the codewords, in particular the minimal codewords, and their Hamming weights. In the context of linear programming (LP) decoding, one's attention needs to be shifted to the pseudo-codewords, in particular, to the minimal pseudo-codewords and their pseudo-weights. In this paper, we investigate some families of codes that have good properties under LP decoding, namely certain families of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes that are derived from projective and Euclidean planes: we study the structure of their minimal pseudo-codewords and give lower bounds on their pseudo-weight. Besides this main focus, we also present some results that hold for pseudo-codewords and minimal pseudo-codewords of any Tanner graph, and we highlight how the importance of minimal pseudo-codewords under LP decoding varies depending on which binary-input output-symmetric memoryless channel is used.     

Instanton-based techniques for analysis and reduction of error floors of LDPC codes

We describe a family of instanton-based optimization methods developed recently for the analysis of the error floors of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. Instantons are the most probable configurations of the channel noise which result in decoding failures. We show that the general idea and the respective optimization technique are applicable broadly to a variety of channels, discrete or continuous, and variety of sub-optimal decoders. Specifically, we consider: iterative belief propagation (BP) decoders, Gallager type decoders, and linear programming (LP) decoders performing over the additive white Gaussian noise channel (AWGNC) and the binary symmetric channel (BSC). The instanton analysis suggests that the underlying topological structures of the most probable instanton of the same code but different channels and decoders are related to each other. Armed with this understanding of the graphical structure of the instanton and its relation to the decoding failures, we suggest a method to construct codes whose Tanner graphs are free of these structures, and thus have less significant error floors.     

On the minimum pseudo-codewords of LDPC codes

In this letter, we study the minimum pseudo-codewords of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes under linear programming (LP) decoding. We show that a lower bound of Chaichanavong and Siegel on the pseudo-weight of a pseudo-codeword is tight if and only if this pseudo-codeword is a real multiple of a codeword. Using this result we further show that for some LDPC codes, e.g., Euclidean plane and projective plane LDPC codes, there are no other minimum pseudo-codewords except the real multiples of minimum codewords.     

A new concatenated matrix code with cluster,burst and random error correcting abilities

A class of linear matrix codes for compound channels with memory (i.e. channels on which burst, cluster and random errors occur) ia given. Explicit formulas are given for the number of burst, cluster and random errors that can be corrected with tlicso codes. Decoding nchcmes and analysis techniques to study error propagation in the proposed codoa are given. In particular, a new decoding algorithm for a concatenated matrix codo is given. The algorithm utilizes the decoding algorithm for the corresponding concatenated matrix code. A coding–decoding procedure is first, followed. The codes can bo used to transmit information from fixed–rate sources through fixed–rate compound channels. Tho channel probabilities are related to channel error propagation.     

浅海水声信道中原模图LDPC码的设计及性能分析

原模图低密度奇偶校验码相较于传统LDPC码,具有结构简单、迭代译码门限低、易于扩展及线性编译码复杂度等优点。针对强多途、长时延、窄带宽的浅海水声信道,该文研究了PG-LDPC码的设计及性能特征,提出一种码型设计方案,并采用基于原模图度分布的外部信息转移图算法,对所设计PG-LDPC码的纠错性能进行分析及预测。仿真与实验结果表明,与(3,6)随机规则LDPC码相比,所提的PG-LDPC码在低、高信噪比区域均有良好的纠错性能。     

Joint iterative decoding of LDPC codes for channels with memory and erasure noise

This paper investigates the joint iterative decoding of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and channels with memory. Sequences of irregular LDPC codes are presented that achieve, under joint iterative decoding, the symmetric information rate of a class of channels with memory and erasure noise. This gives proof, for the first time, that joint iterative decoding can be information rate lossless with respect to maximum-likelihood decoding. These results build on previous capacity-achieving code constructions for the binary erasure channel. A two state intersymbol-interference channel with erasure noise, known as the dicode erasure channel, is used as a concrete example throughout the paper.     

Correcting capabilities of binary irregular LDPC code under low-complexity iterative decoding algorithm

This paper deals with the irregular binary low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and two iterative low-complexity decoding algorithms. The first one is the majority error-correcting decoding algorithm, and the second one is iterative erasure-correcting decoding algorithm. The lower bounds on correcting capabilities (the guaranteed corrected error and erasure fraction respectively) of irregular LDPC code under decoding (error and erasure correcting respectively) algorithms with low-complexity were represented. These lower bounds were obtained as a result of analysis of Tanner graph representation of irregular LDPC code. The numerical results, obtained at the end of the paper for proposed lower-bounds achieved similar results for the previously known best lower-bounds for regular LDPC codes and were represented for the first time for the irregular LDPC codes.     

On the application of LDPC codes to arbitrary discrete-memoryless channels

We discuss three structures of modified low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles designed for transmission over arbitrary discrete memoryless channels. The first structure is based on the well-known binary LDPC codes following constructions proposed by Gallager and McEliece, the second is based on LDPC codes of arbitrary (q-ary) alphabets employing modulo-q addition, as presented by Gallager, and the third is based on LDPC codes defined over the field GF(q). All structures are obtained by applying a quantization mapping on a coset LDPC ensemble. We present tools for the analysis of nonbinary codes and show that all configurations, under maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding, are capable of reliable communication at rates arbitrarily close to the capacity of any discrete memoryless channel. We discuss practical iterative decoding of our structures and present simulation results for the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel confirming the effectiveness of the codes.     

纠正随机错误与长突发删除的多进制乘积码研究

考虑多进制LDPC码的符号特性，以及对其残留错误和删除的分析，本文采用多进制LDPC码作为内码，相同Galois域下的高码率RS码作为外码来构造多进制乘积码；并提出了一种低复杂度的迭代译码方案，减少信息传输的各类错误。在译码时，只对前一次迭代中译码失败的码字执行译码，并对译码正确码字所对应的比特初始概率信息进行修正，增强下一次迭代多进制LDPC译码符号先验信息的准确性，减少内码译码后的判决错误，从而充分利用外码的纠错能力。仿真结果显示，多进制乘积码相较于二进制LDPC乘积码有较大的编码增益，并通过迭代进一步改善了性能，高效纠正了信道中的随机错误和突发删除。对于包含2%突发删除的高斯信道，在误比特率为10-6时，迭代一次有0.4 dB左右的增益。      

An Efficient Pseudocodeword Search Algorithm for Linear Programming Decoding of LDPC Codes

In linear programming (LP) decoding of a low-density parity-check (LDPC) code one minimizes a linear functional, with coefficients related to log-likelihood ratios, over a relaxation of the polytope spanned by the codewords. In order to quantify LP decoding it is important to study vertexes of the relaxed polytope, so-called pseudocodewords. We propose a technique to heuristcally create a list of pseudocodewords close to the zero codeword and their distances. Our pseudocodeword-search algorithm starts by randomly choosing configuration of the noise. The configuration is modified through a discrete number of steps. Each step consists of two substeps: one applies an LP decoder to the noise-configuration deriving a pseudocodeword, and then finds configuration of the noise equidistant from the pseudocodeword and the zero codeword. The resulting noise configuration is used as an entry for the next step. The iterations converge rapidly to a pseudocodeword neighboring the zero codeword. Repeated many times, this procedure is characterized by the distribution function of the pseudocodeword effective distance. The efficiency of the procedure is demonstrated on examples of the Tanner code and Margulis codes operating over an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel.     

Matched information rate codes for Partial response channels

In this paper, we design capacity-approaching codes for partial response channels. The codes are constructed as concatenations of inner trellis codes and outer low-density parity- check (LDPC) codes. Unlike previous constructions of trellis codes for partial response channels, we disregard any algebraic properties (e.g., the minimum distance or the run-length limit) in our design of the trellis code. Our design is purely probabilistic in that we construct the inner trellis code to mimic the transition probabilities of a Markov process that achieves a high (capacity-approaching) information rate. Hence, we name it a matched information rate (MIR) design. We provide a set of five design rules for constructions of capacity-approaching MIR inner trellis codes. We optimize the outer LDPC code using density evolution tools specially modified to fit the superchannel consisting of the inner MIR trellis code concatenated with the partial response channel. Using this strategy, we design degree sequences of irregular LDPC codes whose noise tolerance thresholds are only fractions of a decibel away from the capacity. Examples of code constructions are shown for channels both with and without spectral nulls.     

Guessing Facets: Polytope Structure and Improved LP Decoder

We investigate the structure of the polytope underlying the linear programming (LP) decoder introduced by Feldman, Karger, and Wainwright. We first show that for expander codes, every fractional pseudocodeword always has at least a constant fraction of nonintegral bits. We then prove that for expander codes, the active set of any fractional pseudocodeword is smaller by a constant fraction than that of any codeword. We further exploit these geometrical properties to devise an improved decoding algorithm with the same order of complexity as LP decoding that provably performs better. The method is very simple: it first applies ordinary LP decoding, and when it fails, it proceeds by guessing facets of the polytope, and then resolving the linear program on these facets. While the LP decoder succeeds only if the ML codeword has the highest likelihood over all pseudocodewords, we prove that the proposed algorithm, when applied to suitable expander codes, succeeds unless there exists a certain number of pseudocodewords, all adjacent to the ML codeword on the LP decoding polytope, and with higher likelihood than the ML codeword. We then describe an extended algorithm, still with polynomial complexity, that succeeds as long as there are at most polynomially many pseudocodewords above the ML codeword.     

基于二分图的乘积码迭代译码算法

该文给出了由汉明分量乘积码构造广义低密度(GLD)码的一般方法。基于所得稀疏矩阵的二分图,并结合分组码与低密度校验(LDPC)码的译码算法,设计出一种新颖的可用于乘积码迭代译码的Chase-MP算法。由于所得二分图中不含有长度为4和6的小环,因而大大减少图上迭代时外信息之间的相关性,进而提高译码性能。对加性高斯白噪声(AWGN)及瑞利(Rayleigh)衰落信道下,汉明分量 (63,57,3)2 乘积码的模拟仿真显示,该算法能够获得很好的译码性能。与传统的串行迭代Chase-2算法相比,Chase-MP算法适合用于全并行译码处理,便于硬件实现,而且译码性能优于串行迭代Chase-2算法。