We discuss and analyze a list-message-passing decoder with verification for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes on the q-ary symmetric channel (q-SC). Rather than passing messages consisting of symbol probabilities, this decoder passes lists of possible symbols and marks some lists as verified. The density evolution (DE) equations for this decoder are derived and used to compute decoding thresholds. If the maximum list size is unbounded, then we find that any capacity-achieving LDPC code for the binary erasure channel can be used to achieve capacity on the q-SC for large q. The decoding thresholds are also computed via DE for the case where each list is truncated to satisfy a maximum list size constraint. Simulation results are also presented to confirm the DE results. During the simulations, we observed differences between two verification-based decoding algorithms, introduced by Luby and Mitzenmacher, that were implicitly assumed to be identical. In this paper, we provide an analysis of the node-based algorithms from that paper and verify that it matches simulation results. The probability of false verification (FV) is also considered and techniques are discussed to mitigate the FV. Optimization of the degree distribution is also used to improve the threshold for a fixed maximum list size. Finally, the proposed algorithm is compared with a variety of other algorithms using both density evolution thresholds and simulation results.
q-ary lattices can be obtained from q-ary codes using the so-called Construction A. We investigate these lattices in the Lee metric and show how their decoding process can be related to the associated codes. For prime q we derive a Lee sphere decoding algorithm for q-ary lattices, present a brief discussion on its complexity and some comparisons with the classic sphere decoding.
In this paper, we propose a non-binary belief propagation approach (NB-BP) for detection of $M$-ary modulation symbols and decoding of $q$-ary LDPC codes in large-scale multiuser MIMO systems. We first propose a message passing based symbol detection algorithm which computes vector messages using a scalar Gaussian approximation of interference, which results in a total complexity of just $O(KN\sqrt{M})$, where $K$ is the number of uplink users and $N$ is the number of base station (BS) antennas. The proposed NB-BP detector does not need to do a matrix inversion, which gives a complexity advant…
In this paper, we introduce a new channel model we term the q-ary multi-bit channel (QMBC). This channel models a memory device, where q-ary symbols (q=2^s) are stored in the form of current/voltage levels. The symbols are read in a measurement process, which provides a symbol bit in each measurement step, starting from the most significant bit. An error event occurs when not all the symbol bits are known. To deal with such error events, we use GF(q) low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and analyze their decoding performance. We start with iterative-decoding threshold analysis, and derive opt…
In this paper we consider the generalization of binary spatially coupled low-density parity-check (SC-LDPC) codes to finite fields GF$(q)$, $q\geq 2$, and develop design rules for $q$-ary SC-LDPC code ensembles based on their iterative belief propagation (BP) decoding thresholds, with particular emphasis on low-latency windowed decoding (WD). We consider transmission over both the binary erasure channel (BEC) and the binary-input additive white Gaussian noise channel (BIAWGNC) and present results for a variety of $(J,K)$-regular SC-LDPC code ensembles constructed over GF$(q)$ using protographs…
In this paper, we develop a new channel model, which we name the $q$-ary partial erasure channel (QPEC). The QPEC has a $q$-ary input, and its output is either the input symbol or a set of $M$ ($2 \le M \le q$) symbols, containing the input symbol. This channel serves as a generalization to the binary erasure channel, and mimics situations when a symbol output from the channel is known only partially, that is, the output symbol contains some ambiguity, but is not fully erased. This type of channel is motivated by non-volatile memory multi-level read channels. In such channels the readout is ob…
We present a novel decoding algorithm for q-ary low-density parity-check codes, termed symbol message passing. The proposed algorithm can be seen as a generalization of Gallager B and the binary message passing algorithm by Lechner et al. to q-ary codes. We derive density evolution equations for the q-ary symmetric channel, compute thresholds for a number of regular low-density parity-check code ensembles, and verify those by Monte Carlo simulations of long channel codes. The proposed algorithm shows performance advantages with respect to an algorithm of comparable complexity from the literatu…
In this paper we implement an n-ary Huffman Encoding and Decoding application using different degrees of tree structures. Our goal is to compare the performance of the algorithm in terms of compression ratio, decompression speed and weighted path length when using higher degree trees, compared to the 2-ary Huffman Code. The Huffman tree degrees that we compare are 2-ary, 3-ary, 4-ary, 5-ary, 6-ary, 7-ary, 8-ary and 16-mal. We also present the impact that branch prediction has on the performance of the n-ary Huffman Decoding.
A decoding algorithm for $q$-ary low-density parity-check codes over the $q$-ary symmetric channel is introduced. The exchanged messages are lists of symbols from $\Fq$. A density evolution analysis for maximum list sizes $1$ and $2$ is developed. Thresholds for selected regular low-density parity-check code ensembles are computed showing gains with respect to a similar algorithm in the literature. Finite-length simulation results confirm the asymptotic analysis.
In this paper, we present a low-complexity joint detection-decoding algorithm for nonbinary LDPC codedmodulation systems. The algorithm combines hard-decision decoding using the message-passing strategy with the signal detector in an iterative manner. It requires low computational complexity, offers good system performance and has a fast rate of decoding convergence. Compared to the q-ary sum-product algorithm (QSPA), it provides an attractive candidate for practical applications of q-ary LDPC codes.
We consider a list decoding algorithm recently proposed by Pellikaan-Wu \cite{PW2005} for $q$-ary Reed-Muller codes $\mathcal{RM}_q(\ell, m, n)$ of length $n \leq q^m$ when $\ell \leq q$. A simple and easily accessible correctness proof is given which shows that this algorithm achieves a relative error-correction radius of $τ\leq (1 - \sqrt{\ell q^{m-1}/{n}})$. This is an improvement over the proof using one-point Algebraic-Geometric codes given in \cite{PW2005}. The described algorithm can be adapted to decode Product-Reed-Solomon codes. We then propose a new low complexity recursive algebrai…
In this paper, we compare the finite-length performance of protograph-based spatially coupled low-density parity-check (SC-LDPC) codes and LDPC block codes (LDPC-BCs) over GF(q). In order to reduce computational complexity and latency, a sliding window decoder with a stopping rule based on a soft bit-error-rate (BER) estimate is used for the q-ary SC-LDPC codes. Two regimes are considered: one when the constraint length of q-ary SC-LDPC codes is equal to the block length of q-ary LDPC-BCs and the other when the two decoding latencies are equal. Simulation results confirm that, in both regimes,…
It has been shown that an extension of the basic binary polar transformation also polarizes over finite fields. With it the direct encoding of q-ary sources and channels is a process that can be implemented with simple and efficient algorithms. However, direct polar decoding of q-ary sources and channels is more involved. In this paper we obtain a recursive equation for the likelihood ratio expressed as a LR vector. With it successive cancellation (SC) decoding is applied in a straightforward way. The complexity is quadratic in the order of the field, but the use of the LR vector introduces fa…
We present an encoding and decoding scheme for constant weight sequences, that is, given an information sequence, the construction results in a sequence of specific weight within a certain range. The scheme uses a prefix design that is based on Gray codes. Furthermore, by adding redundant symbols we extend the range of weight values for output sequences, which is useful for some applications.
We study polarization for nonbinary channels with input alphabet of size q=2^r,r=2,3,... Using Arikan's polarizing kernel H_2, we prove that the virtual channels that arise in the process of polarization converge to q-ary channels with capacity 1,2,...,r bits, and that the total transmission rate approaches the symmetric capacity of the channel. This leads to an explicit transmission scheme for q-ary channels. The error probability of decoding using successive cancellation behaves as exp(-N^α), where N is the code length and α is any constant less than 0.5.
In this paper, we develop a new channel model, which we name the $q$-ary partial erasure channel (QPEC). QPEC has a $q$-ary input, and its output is either one symbol or a set of $M$ possible values. This channel mimics situations when current/voltage levels in measurement channels are only partially known, due to high read rates or imperfect current/voltage sensing. Our investigation is concentrated on the performance of low-density parity-pheck (LDPC) codes when used over this channel, due to their low decoding complexity with iterative-decoding algorithms. We give the density evolution equa…
We present a constraint-coding scheme to correct asymmetric magnitude-$1$ errors in multi-level non-volatile memories. For large numbers of such errors, the scheme is shown to deliver better correction capability compared to known alternatives, while admitting low-complexity of decoding. Our results include an algebraic formulation of the constraint, necessary and sufficient conditions for correctability, a maximum-likelihood decoder running in complexity linear in the alphabet size, and upper bounds on the probability of failing to correct $t$ errors. Besides the superior rate-correction trad…
This paper studies coding schemes for the $q$-ary symmetric channel based on binary low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes that work for any alphabet size $q=2^m$, $m\in\mathbb{N}$, thus complementing some recently proposed packet-based schemes requiring large $q$. First, theoretical optimality of a simple layered scheme is shown, then a practical coding scheme based on a simple modification of standard binary LDPC decoding is proposed. The decoder is derived from first principles and using a factor-graph representation of a front-end that maps $q$-ary symbols to groups of $m$ bits connected to…
Existing literature on source coding with side information (SCSI) mostly uses the state-of-the-art channel codes namely LDPC codes, turbo codes, and their variants and assume classical unique decoding. In this paper, we present an algebraic approach to SCSI based on the list decoding of the underlying channel codes. We show that the theoretical limit of SCSI can be achieved in the proposed list decoding based framework when the correlation between the source and side information is $q$-ary symmetric. We argue that, as opposed to channel coding, the correct sequence from the list produced by th…
A new lower bound on the minimum distance of q-ary cyclic codes is proposed. This bound improves upon the Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) bound and, for some codes, upon the Hartmann-Tzeng (HT) bound. Several Boston bounds are special cases of our bound. For some classes of codes the bound on the minimum distance is refined. Furthermore, a quadratic-time decoding algorithm up to this new bound is developed. The determination of the error locations is based on the Euclidean Algorithm and a modified Chien search. The error evaluation is done by solving a generalization of Forney's formula.
The 3D MIMO code is a robust and efficient space-time coding scheme for the distributed MIMO broadcasting. However, it suffers from the high computational complexity if the optimal maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding is used. In this paper we first investigate the unique properties of the 3D MIMO code and consequently propose a simplified decoding algorithm without sacrificing the ML optimality. Analysis shows that the decoding complexity is reduced from O(M^8) to O(M^{4.5}) in quasi-static channels when M-ary square QAM constellation is used. Moreover, we propose an efficient implementation of t…
In this paper, a new approach for decoding low-rate Reed-Solomon codes beyond half the minimum distance is considered and analyzed. Unlike the Sudan algorithm published in 1997, this new approach is based on multi-sequence shift-register synthesis, which makes it easy to understand and simple to implement. The computational complexity of this shift-register based algorithm is of the same order as the complexity of the well-known Berlekamp-Massey algorithm. Moreover, the error correcting radius coincides with the error correcting radius of the original Sudan algorithm, and the practical decodin…
The golden code is a full-rate full-diversity space-time code for two transmit antennas that has a maximal coding gain. Because each codeword conveys four information symbols from an M-ary quadrature-amplitude modulation alphabet, the complexity of an exhaustive search decoder is proportional to M^2. In this paper we present a new fast algorithm for maximum-likelihood decoding of the golden code that has a worst-case complexity of only O(2M^2.5). We also present an efficient implementation of the fast decoder that exhibits a low average complexity. Finally, in contrast to the overlaid Alamouti…
We study LDPC codes for the channel with input ${x}\in \mathbb{F}_q^m$ and output ${y}={x}+{z}\in \mathbb{F}_q^m$. The aim of this paper is to evaluate decoding performance of $q^m$-ary non-binary LDPC codes for large $m$. We give density evolution and decoding performance evaluation for regular non-binary LDPC codes and spatially-coupled (SC) codes. We show the regular codes do not achieve the capacity of the channel while SC codes do.
In this paper q-ary Raptor codes under ML decoding are considered. An upper bound on the probability of decoding failure is derived using the weight enumerator of the outer code, or its expected weight enumerator if the outer code is drawn randomly from some ensemble of codes. The bound is shown to be tight by means of simulations. This bound provides a new insight into Raptor codes since it shows how Raptor codes can be analyzed similarly to a classical fixed-rate serial concatenation.
We study the list-decoding problem of alternant codes, with the notable case of classical Goppa codes. The major consideration here is to take into account the size of the alphabet, which shows great influence on the list-decoding radius. This amounts to compare the \emph{generic} Johnson bound to the \emph{$q$-ary} Johnson bound. This difference is important when $q$ is very small. Essentially, the most favourable case is $q=2$, for which the decoding radius is greatly improved, notably when the relative minimum distance gets close to 1/2. Even though the announced result, which is the list-d…
This paper considers the performance of $(j,k)$-regular low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes with message-passing (MP) decoding algorithms in the high-rate regime. In particular, we derive the high-rate scaling law for MP decoding of LDPC codes on the binary erasure channel (BEC) and the $q$-ary symmetric channel ($q$-SC). For the BEC, the density evolution (DE) threshold of iterative decoding scales like $Θ(k^{-1})$ and the critical stopping ratio scales like $Θ(k^{-j/(j-2)})$. For the $q$-SC, the DE threshold of verification decoding depends on the details of the decoder and scales like $Θ(…
In this work we consider the list-decodability and list-recoverability of arbitrary $q$-ary codes, for all integer values of $q\geq 2$. A code is called $(p,L)_q$-list-decodable if every radius $pn$ Hamming ball contains less than $L$ codewords; $(p,\ell,L)_q$-list-recoverability is a generalization where we place radius $pn$ Hamming balls on every point of a combinatorial rectangle with side length $\ell$ and again stipulate that there be less than $L$ codewords. Our main contribution is to precisely calculate the maximum value of $p$ for which there exist infinite families of positive rate $…
In this work, we study the problem of list decoding of insertions and deletions. We present a Johnson-type upper bound on the maximum list size. The bound is meaningful only when insertions occur. Our bound implies that there are binary codes of rate $Ω(1)$ that are list-decodable from a $0.707$-fraction of insertions. For any $τ_\mathsf{I} \geq 0$ and $τ_\mathsf{D} \in [0,1)$, there exist $q$-ary codes of rate $Ω(1)$ that are list-decodable from a $τ_\mathsf{I}$-fraction of insertions and $τ_\mathsf{D}$-fraction of deletions, where $q$ depends only on $τ_\mathsf{I}$ and $τ_\mathsf{D}$. We als…
This paper investigates the problem of finding an optimal nonbinary index assignment from (M) quantization levels of a maximum entropy scalar quantizer to (M)-PSK symbols transmitted over a symmetric memoryless channel with additive noise following decreasing probability density function (such as the AWGN channel) so as to minimize the channel mean-squared distortion. The so-called zigzag mapping under maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding was known to be asymptotically optimal, but the problem of determining the optimal index assignment for any given signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is still open. Base…
This paper studies the problem of reconstructing a word given several of its noisy copies. This setup is motivated by several applications, among them is reconstructing strands in DNA-based storage systems. Under this paradigm, a word is transmitted over some fixed number of identical independent channels and the goal of the decoder is to output the transmitted word or some close approximation. The main focus of this paper is the case of two deletion channels and studying the error probability of the maximum-likelihood (ML) decoder under this setup. First, it is discussed how the ML decoder op…
We study LDPC codes for the channel with $2^m$-ary input $\underline{x}\in \mathbb{F}_2^m$ and output $\underline{y}=\underline{x}+\underline{z}\in \mathbb{F}_2^m$. The receiver knows a subspace $V\subset \mathbb{F}_2^m$ from which $\underline{z}=\underline{y}-\underline{x}$ is uniformly chosen. Or equivalently, the receiver receives an affine subspace $\underline{y}-V$ where $\underline{x}$ lies. We consider a joint iterative decoder involving the channel detector and the LDPC decoder. The decoding system considered in this paper can be viewed as a simplified model of the joint iterative deco…
Insdel errors occur in communication systems caused by the loss of positional information of the message. Since the work by Guruswami and Wang, there have been some further investigations on the list decoding of insertion codes, deletion codes and insdel codes. However, unlike classical Hamming metric or even rank-metric, there are still many unsolved problems on list decoding of insdel codes. The contributions of this paper mainly consist of two parts. Firstly, we analyze the list decodability of random insdel codes. We show that list decoding of random insdel codes surpasses the Singleton bo…
This paper proposes a verification-based decoding approach for reconstruction of a sparse signal with incremental sparse measurements. In its first step, the verification-based decoding algorithm is employed to reconstruct the signal with a fixed number of sparse measurements. Often, it may fail as the number of sparse measurements may be not enough, possibly due to an underestimate of the signal sparsity. However, we observe that even if this first recovery fails, many component samples of the sparse signal have been identified. Hence, it is natural to further employ incremental measurements …
In this paper, soft-decision (SD) decoders of permutation trellis code (PTC) with $M$-ary frequency shift keying are designed using three optimization algorithms and presented in four decoding schemes. In a concatenated code such as PTC, the Viterbi decoder for the outer convolutional code provides maximum likelihood decoding. Hence, the error correction performance is dependent on the decoding scheme used for the inner code. Due to the structure of the encoder with the modulation scheme, the channel output can be interpreted as an assignment problem. SD decoding can then be designed according…
The so-called improved soft-aided bit-marking algorithm was recently proposed for staircase codes (SCCs) in the context of fiber optical communications. This algorithm is known as iSABM-SCC. With the help of channel soft information, the iSABM-SCC decoder marks bits via thresholds to deal with both miscorrections and failures of hard-decision (HD) decoding. In this paper, we study iSABM-SCC focusing on the parameter optimization of the algorithm and its performance analysis, in terms of the gap to the achievable information rates (AIRs) of HD codes and the fiber reach enhancement. We show in t…
The 3D MIMO code is a robust and efficient space-time block code (STBC) for the distributed MIMO broadcasting but suffers from high maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding complexity. In this paper, we first analyze some properties of the 3D MIMO code to show that the 3D MIMO code is fast-decodable. It is proved that the ML decoding performance can be achieved with a complexity of O(M^{4.5}) instead of O(M^8) in quasi static channel with M-ary square QAM modulations. Consequently, we propose a simplified ML decoder exploiting the unique properties of 3D MIMO code. Simulation results show that the pro…
