Layered Approx-Regular LDPC: Code Construction and Encoder/Decoder Design

Layered approximately regular (LAR) low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are proposed, with which one single pair of encoder and decoder support various code lengths and code rates. The parity check matrices of LAR-LDPC codes have a "layer-block-cell" structure with some additional constraints. An encoder architecture is then designed for LAR-LDPC codes, by making two improvements to the Richardson-Urbanke approach: the forward substitution operation is entirely removed and the dense-matrix-vector multiplication is handled using feedback shift-registers. A partially parallel decoder architecture is also designed for LAR-LDPC codes, where a layered modified min-sum decoding algorithm is used to trade off among complexity, speed, and performance. More importantly, the interconnection network, which is inevitable for partially parallel decoders, has much lower hardware complexity compared with that for general LDPC codes. Both the encoder and decoder architectures are highly flexible in code length and code rate.     

Decoder Design for RS-Based LDPC Codes

This brief studies very large-scale integration (VLSI) decoder architectures for RS-based low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, which are a special class of LDPC codes based on Reed-Solomon codes. The considered code ensemble is well known for its excellent error-correcting performance and has been selected as the forward error correction coding scheme for 10GBase-T systems. By exploiting the shift-structured properties hidden in the algebraically generated parity-check matrices, novel decoder architectures are developed with significant advantages of high level of parallel decoding, efficient usage of memory, and low complexity of interconnection. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed techniques, we completed a high-speed decoder design for a (2048, 1723) regular RS-LDPC code, which achieves 10-Gb/s throughput with only 820 000 gates. Furthermore, to support all possible RS-LDPC codes, two special cases in code construction are considered, and the corresponding extensions of the decoder architecture are investigated.     

Code construction and FPGA implementation of a low-error-floor multi-rate low-density Parity-check code decoder

With the superior error correction capability, low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes have initiated wide scale interests in satellite communication, wireless communication, and storage fields. In the past, various structures of single code-rate LDPC decoders have been reported. However, to cover a wide range of service requirements and diverse interference conditions in wireless applications, LDPC decoders that can operate at both high and low code rates are desirable. In this paper, a 9-k code length multi-rate LDPC decoder architecture is presented and implemented on a Xilinx field-programmable gate array device. Using pin selection, three operating modes, namely, the irregular 1/2 code mode, the regular 5/8 code mode, and the regular 7/8 code mode, are supported. Furthermore, to suppress the error floor level, a characterization on the conditions for short cycles in a LDPC code matrix expanded from a small base matrix is presented, and a cycle elimination algorithm is developed to detect and break such short cycles. The effectiveness of the cycle elimination algorithm has been verified by both simulation and hardware measurements, which show that the error floor is suppressed to a much lower level without incurring any performance penalty. The implemented decoder is tested in an experimental LDPC orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system and achieves the superior measured performance of block error rate below 10/sup -7/ at signal-to-noise ratio of 1.8 dB.     

A Flexible LDPC/Turbo Decoder Architecture

Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and convolutional Turbo codes are two of the most powerful error correcting codes that are widely used in modern communication systems. In a multi-mode baseband receiver, both LDPC and Turbo decoders may be required. However, the different decoding approaches for LDPC and Turbo codes usually lead to different hardware architectures. In this paper we propose a unified message passing algorithm for LDPC and Turbo codes and introduce a flexible soft-input soft-output (SISO) module to handle LDPC/Turbo decoding. We employ the trellis-based maximum a posteriori (MAP) algorithm as a bridge between LDPC and Turbo codes decoding. We view the LDPC code as a concatenation of n super-codes where each super-code has a simpler trellis structure so that the MAP algorithm can be easily applied to it. We propose a flexible functional unit (FFU) for MAP processing of LDPC and Turbo codes with a low hardware overhead (about 15% area and timing overhead). Based on the FFU, we propose an area-efficient flexible SISO decoder architecture to support LDPC/Turbo codes decoding. Multiple such SISO modules can be embedded into a parallel decoder for higher decoding throughput. As a case study, a flexible LDPC/Turbo decoder has been synthesized on a TSMC 90 nm CMOS technology with a core area of 3.2 mm². The decoder can support IEEE 802.16e LDPC codes, IEEE 802.11n LDPC codes, and 3GPP LTE Turbo codes. Running at 500 MHz clock frequency, the decoder can sustain up to 600 Mbps LDPC decoding or 450 Mbps Turbo decoding.     

Optimal Overlapped Message Passing Decoding of Quasi-Cyclic LDPC Codes

Efficient hardware implementation of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes is of great interest since LDPC codes are being considered for a wide range of applications. Recently, overlapped message passing (OMP) decoding has been proposed to improve the throughput and hardware utilization efficiency (HUE) of decoder architectures for LDPC codes. In this paper, we first study the scheduling for the OMP decoding of LDPC codes, and show that maximizing the throughput gain amounts to minimizing the intra- and inter-iteration waiting times. We then focus on the OMP decoding of quasi-cyclic (QC) LDPC codes. We propose a partly parallel OMP decoder architecture and implement it using FPGA. For any QC LDPC code, our OMP decoder achieves the maximum throughput gain and HUE due to overlapping, hence has higher throughput and HUE than previously proposed OMP decoders while maintaining the same hardware requirements. We also show that the maximum throughput gain and HUE achieved by our OMP decoder are ultimately determined by the given code. Thus, we propose a coset-based construction method, which results in QC LDPC codes that allow our optimal OMP decoder to achieve higher throughput and HUE.     

Quasi-cyclic LDPC codes using overlapping matrices and their layered decoders

Quasi-cyclic (QC) low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes have the parity-check matrices consisting of circulant matrices. Since QC LDPC codes whose parity-check matrices consist of only circulant permutation matrices are difficult to support layered decoding and, at the same time, have a good degree distribution with respect to error correcting performance, adopting multi-weight circulant matrices to parity-check matrices is useful but it has not been much researched. In this paper, we propose a new code structure for QC LDPC codes with multi-weight circulant matrices by introducing overlapping matrices. This structure enables a system to operate on dual mode in an efficient manner, that is, a standard QC LDPC code is used when the channel is relatively good and an enhanced QC LDPC code adopting an overlapping matrix is used otherwise. We also propose a new dual mode parallel decoder which supports the layered decoding both for the standard QC LDPC codes and the enhanced QC LDPC codes. Simulation results show that QC LDPC codes with the proposed structure have considerably improved error correcting performance and decoding throughput.     

Low-floor decoders for LDPC codes

One of the most significant impediments to the use of LDPC codes in many communication and storage systems is the error-rate floor phenomenon associated with their iterative decoders. The error floor has been attributed to certain subgraphs of an LDPC code?s Tanner graph induced by so-called trapping sets. We show in this paper that once we identify the trapping sets of an LDPC code of interest, a sum-product algorithm (SPA) decoder can be custom-designed to yield floors that are orders of magnitude lower than floors of the the conventional SPA decoder. We present three classes of such decoders: (1) a bi-mode decoder, (2) a bit-pinning decoder which utilizes one or more outer algebraic codes, and (3) three generalized-LDPC decoders. We demonstrate the effectiveness of these decoders for two codes, the rate-1/2 (2640,1320) Margulis code which is notorious for its floors and a rate-0.3 (640,192) quasi-cyclic code which has been devised for this study. Although the paper focuses on these two codes, the decoder design techniques presented are fully generalizable to any LDPC code.     

Quasi‐regular rate‐compatible LDPC codes with a novel diagonal‐tailed encoding on noisy channels

It is well known that conventional rate‐compatible (RC) codes, such as Raptor codes, only perform well at long code lengths. However, we propose a class of RC codes with short code lengths in this paper. Particularly, we develop a computational approach to design online‐generated RC low‐density parity‐check (LDPC) codes available on noisy channels. We first propose a diagonal‐tailed encoding to generate Quasi‐regular low‐density generator matrix codes. Then, an optimal encoding profile for RC codes is achieved with a linear interpolation approach that is based on the fixed‐rate quasi‐regular LDPC codes. Finally, we evaluate the rateless and fixed‐rate performances of the proposed RC codes by extensive simulation results on various code rates with different modulations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High Rate APPS and Bi-APPS LDPC Codes Design with Low Error Floor and Large Girth

In this paper, two new methods to construct low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes with low error floor and large girth are proposed. The first one is APPS-LDPC codes based on Arithmetic Progression theory and cycle classification, whose girth is at least eight. Based on the designed APPS-LDPC codes, we further construct Bi-diagonal APPS-LDPC codes with column degree 4, whose circulant permutation matrix is combined by two shifted identity matrix. The designed APPS-LDPC code has 0.25 and 0.2 dB coding gain compared to partition-and-shift (PS)-LDPC code and progressive-edge-growth (PEG)-LDPC code. And the Bi-APPS-LDPC code has similar performance to T2 LDPC code in CCSDS standard, but its effective structure is more suitable for high throughput decoder implementation on FPGA. Both codes have less construction complexity than PS-LDPC code and PEG-LDPC code.     

基于FPGA的LDPC码编译码器联合设计

该文通过对低密度校验(LDPC)码的编译码过程进行分析,提出了一种基于FPGA的LDPC码编译码器联合设计方法,该方法使编码器和译码器共用同一校验计算电路和复用相同的RAM存储块,有效减少了硬件资源的消耗量。该方法适合于采用校验矩阵进行编码和译码的情况,不仅适用于全并行的编译码器结构,同时也适用于目前广泛采用的部分并行结构,且能够使用和积、最小和等多种译码算法。采用该方法对两组不同的LDPC码进行部分并行结构的编译码器联合设计,在Xilinx XC4VLX80 FPGA上的实现结果表明,设计得到的编码器和译码器可并行工作,且仅占用略多于单个译码器的硬件资源,提出的设计方法能够在不降低吞吐量的同时有效减少系统对硬件资源的需求。     

A Reconfigurable TDMP Decoder for Raptor Codes

A Raptor code is a concatenation of a fixed rate precode and a Luby-Transform (LT) code that can be used as a rateless error-correcting code over communication channels. By definition, Raptor codes are characterized by irregularity features such as dynamic rate, check-degree variability, and joint coding, which make the design of hardware-efficient decoders a challenging task. In this paper, serial turbo decoding of architecture-aware Raptor codes is mapped into sequential row processing of a regular matrix by using a combination of code enhancements and architectural optimizations. The proposed mapping approach is based on three basic steps: (1) applying systematic permutations on the source matrix of the Raptor code, (2) confining LT random encoding to pseudo-random permutation of messages and periodic selection of row-splitting scenarios, and (3) developing a reconfigurable parallel check-node processor that attains a constant throughput while processing LT- and LDPC-nodes of varying degrees and count. The decoder scheduling is, thus, made simple and uniform across both LDPC and LT decoding. A serial decoder implementing the proposed approach was synthesized in 65 nm, 1.2 V CMOS technology. Hardware simulations show that the decoder, decoding a rate-0.4 code instance, achieves a throughput of 36 Mb/s at SNR of 1.5 dB, dissipates an average power of 27 mW and occupies an area of 0.55 mm².     

一种兼容Turbo码的LDPC解码器

提出了一种兼容Turbo码的低密度校验码(LDPC)解码器,它可以将Turbo码完全转化为LDPC码来进行解码,由于采用了校验分裂方法来处理由Turbo码转化而来的LDPC码中所存在的短环,从而使其解码性能优于联合校验置信度传递(JCBP)算法0.8 dB,仅仅比Turbo码专用的BCJR算法损失约为1dB.本文提出的通用解码器,为多系统兼容通信设备的应用提供了一种新的、灵活方便的实现途径.     

应用于无线传感器网络的LDPC码研究

在系统分析LDPC码编译码技术的基础上,根据无线传感器网络的应用特点,提出了LDPC码在无线传感器网络节点中的设计方案,方案采用(n,3,6)规则LDPC码,校验矩阵采用PEG-QC构造法,编码采用RU算法,译码采用Log-BP算法,并对该方案进行了MATLAB仿真,仿真结果表明了该方案的有效性.     

A 690-mW 1-Gb/s 1024-b, rate-1/2 low-density parity-check codedecoder

A 1024-b, rate-1/2, soft decision low-density parity-check (LDPC) code decoder has been implemented that matches the coding gain of equivalent turbo codes. The decoder features a parallel architecture that supports a maximum throughput of 1 Gb/s while performing 64 decoder iterations. The parallel architecture enables rapid convergence in the decoding algorithm to be translated into low decoder switching activity resulting in a power dissipation of only 690 mW from a 1.5-V supply     

Resolvable 2-designs for regular low-density parity-check codes

This paper extends the class of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes that can be algebraically constructed. We present regular LDPC codes based on resolvable Steiner 2-designs which have Tanner graphs free of four-cycles. The resulting codes are (3, /spl rho/)-regular or (4, /spl rho/)-regular for any value of /spl rho/ and for a flexible choice of code lengths.     

A 0.18-$muhbox m$CMOS Analog Min-Sum Iterative Decoder for a (32,8) Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) Code

Current-mode circuits are presented for implementing analog min-sum (MS) iterative decoders. These decoders are used to efficiently decode the best known error correcting codes such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and turbo codes. The proposed circuits are devised based on current mirrors, and thus, in any fabrication technology that accurate current mirrors can be designed, analog MS decoders can be implemented. The functionality of the proposed circuits is verified by implementing an analog MS decoder for a (32,8) LDPC code in a 0.18-mum CMOS technology. This decoder is the first reported analog MS decoder. For low signal to noise ratios where the circuit imperfections are dominated by the noise of the channel, the measured error correcting performance of this chip in steady-state condition surpasses that of the conventional floating-point discrete-time synchronous MS decoder. When data throughput is 6 Mb/s, loss in the coding gain compared to the conventional MS decoder at BER of 10^-3 is about 0.3 dB and power consumption is about 5 mW. This is the first time that an analog decoder has been successfully tested for an LDPC code, though a short one     

多码率LDPC码高速译码器的设计与实现

低密度奇偶校验码(LDPC码)以其接近香浓极限的性能得到了广泛的应用.如何在.FPGA上实现多码率LDPC码的高速译码,则是LDPC码应用的一个焦点.本文介绍了一种多码率LDPC码及其简化的和积译码算法;设计了这种多码率LDPC码的高速译码器,该译码器拥有半并行的运算结构和不同码率码共用相同的存储单元的存储资源利用结构,并以和算法与积算法功能单元同时工作的机制交替完成对两个码字的译码,提高了资源利用率和译码速率.最后,本文采用该结构在FPGA平台上实现了码长8064比特码率7/8、6/8、5/8、4/8、3/8五个码率的多码率LDPC码译码器.测试结果表明,译码器的有效符号速率达到200Mbps.     

A fast LDPC encoder/decoder for small/medium codes

Although Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes perform admirably for large block sizes — being mostly resilient to low levels of channel SNR and errors in channel equalization — real time operation and low computational effort require small and medium sized codes, which tend to be affected by these two factors. For these small to medium codes, a method for designing efficient regular codes is presented and a new technique for reducing the dependency of correct channel equalization, without much change in the inner workings or architecture of existing LDPC decoders is proposed. This goal is achieved by an improved intrinsic Log-Likelihood Ratio (LLR) estimator in the LDPC decoder — the ILE-Decoder, which only uses LDPC decoder-side information gathered during standard LDPC decoding. This information is used to improve the channel parameters estimation, thus improving the reliability of the code correction, while reducing the number of required iterations for a successful decoding. Methods for fast encoding and decoding of LDPC codes are presented, highlighting the importance of assuring low encoding/decoding latency with maintaining high throughput. The assumptions and rules that govern the estimation process via subcarrier corrected-bit accounting are presented, and the Bayesian inference estimation process is detailed. This scheme is suitable for application to multicarrier communications, such as OFDM. Simulation results in a PLC-like environment that confirm the good performance of the proposed LDPC coder/decoder are presented.     

基于矩阵分块的LDPC码快速编码结构研究

低密度奇偶校验(LDPC)码由于具有接近香农限的性能和高速并行的译码结构而成为研究热点。然而,当码长很长时,编译码器的硬件实现变得很困难。文章从编译码实际实现的角度出发,提出一种基于分块的LDPC码下三角形校验矩阵结构,降低了编译码复杂度,不仅可以实现线性时间编码,同时还可以实现部分并行译码。仿真结果表明,具有这种结构的LDPC码和随机构造的LDPC码相比具有同样好的纠错性能。     

Construction of nonbinary cyclic, quasi-cyclic and regular LDPC codes: a finite geometry approach

This paper presents five methods for constructing nonbinary LDPC codes based on finite geometries. These methods result in five classes of nonbinary LDPC codes, one class of cyclic LDPC codes, three classes of quasi-cyclic LDPC codes and one class of structured regular LDPC codes. Experimental results show that constructed codes in these classes decoded with iterative decoding based on belief propagation perform very well over the AWGN channel and they achieve significant coding gains over Reed-Solomon codes of the same lengths and rates with either algebraic hard-decision decoding or Kotter-Vardy algebraic soft-decision decoding at the expense of a larger decoding computational complexity.