Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT)

Linear programming bounds on the degree distributions of LDPC code ensembles

Igal Sason

Published Jun 1, 2009• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This work considers the behavior of the degree distributions of capacity-approaching low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles via linear programming (LP) bounds. These LP bounds are information-theoretic, and they apply to finite-length LDPC codes and to the asymptotic case of an infinite block length. Analytical solutions of these bounds are given in closed form, and the bounds are compared for the BEC with some specific degree distributions of capacity-achieving sequences of LDPC code ensembles. These LP bounds are shown to be informative and are easy to calculate. Due to space limitations, the derivation of the LP bounds is outlined, and the reader is referred to the full paper version for complete proofs and further discussions.

DOI
10.1109/isit.2009.5205866

Related papers

On Universal Properties of Capacity-Approaching LDPC Code Ensembles

Igal Sason

This paper is focused on the derivation of some universal properties of capacity-approaching low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles whose transmission takes place over memoryless binary-input output-symmetric (MBIOS) channels. Properties of the degree distributions, graphical complexity, and the number of fundamental cycles in the bipartite graphs are considered via the derivation of information-theoretic bounds. These bounds are expressed in terms of the target block/bit error probability and the gap (in rate) to capacity. Most of the bounds are general for any decoding algorithm, and some others are proved under belief propagation (BP) decoding. Proving these bounds under a certain decoding algorithm, validates them automatically also under any suboptimal decoding algorithm. A proper modification of these bounds makes them universal for the set of all MBIOS channels which exhibit a given capacity. Bounds on the degree distributions and graphical complexity apply to finite-length LDPC codes and to the asymptotic case of an infinite block length. The bounds are compared with capacity-approaching LDPC code ensembles under BP decoding, and they are shown to be informative and are easy to calculate. Finally, some interesting open problems are considered.

arXiv:0709.0599•IEEE Transactions on Information Theory•Jun 16, 2009•41 citations

Weight Distribution of Low-Density Parity-Check Codes

C. Di, Tom Richardson, Rudiger L. Urbanke

We derive the average weight distribution function and its asymptotic growth rate for low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles. We show that the growth rate of the minimum distance of LDPC codes depends only on the degree distribution pair. It turns out that capacity-achieving sequences of standard (unstructured) LDPC codes under iterative decoding over the binary erasure channel (BEC) known to date have sublinearly growing minimum distance in the block length

IEEE Transactions on Information Theory•Oct 30, 2006•176 citations

Enumeration of the Degree Distribution Space for Finite Block Length LDPC Codes

Spencer Giddens, Marco A. C. Gomes, João P. Vilela +2 more

Current methods for optimization of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes analyze the degree distribution pair asymptotically as block length approaches infinity. This effectively ignores the discrete nature of the space of valid degree distribution pairs for LDPC codes of finite block length. While large codes are likely to conform reasonably well to the infinite block length analysis, shorter codes have no such guarantee. We present and analyze an algorithm for completely enumerating the space of all valid degree distribution pairs for a given block length, code rate, maximum variable node degree, and maximum check node degree. We then demonstrate this algorithm on an example LDPC code of finite block length. Finally, we discuss how the result of this algorithm can be utilized by discrete optimization routines to form novel methods for the optimization of small block length LDPC codes.

International Conference on Communications•Jun 1, 2021•2 citations

Asymptotic and finite-length analysis of low-density parity-check codes

Di, Changyan

This thesis addresses the topic of Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) code analysis, both asymptotically and for finite block lengths. Since in general it is a difficult problem to analyze individual code instances, ensemble averages are studied by following Gallager's original idea and results of Luby et al. Often, one can relate the insights gained by studying ensemble averages to statements regarding individual codes by proving that most elements in the ensemble behave "close" to the average. One important such average is the average weight distribution, another is the average pseudo-codeword distribution, where pseudo-codewords play the same role under iterative decoding as codewords do for maximum likelihood decoding. One of the main contributions of this thesis is the calculation of such averages for fully irregular LDPC code ensembles. Much of classical coding theory is aimed at the construction of codes with large minimum distance. This is so since away from capacity accurate bounds on the performance of a code can be given in terms of its minimum distance (or more generally, in terms of its weight distribution). Therefore, it is of interest to investigate what role the minimum distance plays for iteratively decoded LDPC code ensembles. In particular, sequences of capacity-achieving LDPC code ensembles of increasing length when transmission takes place over the Binary Erasure Channel (BEC) are investigated. It is shown that, under certain technical conditions, the minimum distance of such ensembles grows sub-linearly in the block length, a result which is somewhat surprising from a classical point of view. Specific attention is also given to the design of LDPC code ensembles, where an inherent trade-off is observed between achieving large minimum distance (which is relevant for the so called error-floor regime) and achieving a large threshold (which in the limit of long block lengths determines the worst channel on which transmission can be accomplished reliably). Most results on iterative coding systems to date address their asymptotic performance, i.e., their performance when the block length tends to infinity. For small and moderate block lengths the behavior of a code can deviate significantly from its asymptotic limit. It is therefore of high practical value to be able to analyze the finite-length performance of LDPC code ensembles. In this thesis, an exact such analysis is presented for iteratively decoded LDPC code ensembles over the BEC. In particular, expressions for the exact average bit and block erasure probabilities are computed by solving a set of recursions. Such an analysis is the starting point for a finite-length optimization, a topic which is slated for future work. The methods used in this thesis include a combinatorial approach (familiar to the coding society) as well as the powerful techniques developed in the statistical physics community, for example, the replica method or the mean-field approximation. Although the statistical physics techniques are ideally suited for the analysis of iterative coding systems, they are to date only accessible to a relatively small community. Therefore, an overview of these techniques is first presented using a language familiar to the coding theory community. Next, in order to highlight the differences and common points between the combinatorial and the statistical physics approaches, both techniques are applied to the weight distribution problem. It turns out that for regular ensembles, both methods yield the same result, while for irregular ensembles, they do differ in general.

•Jan 1, 2004•13 citations

On the universality of LDPC code ensembles under belief propagation and ML decoding

Boaz Shuval, Igal Sason

A universal design of low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles which enables to operate reliably over various channels is of great interest. This paper considers the universality of LDPC code ensembles over sets of memoryless binary-input output-symmetric (MBIOS) channels, addressing their universality under belief-propagation (BP) and maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding. Based on the density evolution approach, closed-form, easy-to-calculate, analytical results related to the universality of LDPC code ensembles under BP decoding are derived. LP Bounds on the achievable rate of LDPC code ensembles over a set of equi-capacity channels are also derived. This paper considers the universality under ML decoding of properly selected regular LDPC code ensembles for the set of equi-capacity MBIOS channels. The full paper version related to this work [13] provides further results, full proofs, and additional discussions on the theorems.

IEEE Convention of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in Israel•Nov 1, 2010•10 citations

On the fundamental system of cycles in the bipartite graphs of LDPC code ensembles

Igal Sason

This work introduces an information-theoretic lower bound on the number of fundamental cycles for bipartite graphs of low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles. This information-theoretic bound is expressed in terms of the achievable gap to capacity when the transmission of the code ensemble takes place over a memoryless binary-input output-symmetric (MBIOS) channel. The bound shows quantitatively the necessity of cycles in bipartite graphs which represent good LDPC code ensembles. More explicitly, it shows that the number of fundamental cycles should grow at least like log 1/epsiv where epsiv designates the gap in rate to capacity, hence, it is unbounded as the gap to capacity vanishes. For the derivation of this bound, a new information-theoretic lower bound on the average right degree, which also behaves like log 1/epsiv, is derived. The interested reader is referred to the full paper version.

IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT)•Jun 1, 2009•1 citation
This work considers the behavior of the degree distributions of capacity-approaching low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles via linear programming (LP) bounds. These LP bounds are information-theoretic, and they apply to finite-length LDPC codes and to the asymptotic case of an infinite block length. Analytical solutions of these bounds are given in closed form, and the bounds are compared for the BEC with some specific degree distributions of capacity-achieving sequences of LDPC code ensembles. These LP bounds are shown to be informative and are easy to calculate. Due to space limitations, the derivation of the LP bounds is outlined, and the reader is referred to the full paper version for complete proofs and further discussions.
This paper is focused on the derivation of some universal properties of capacity-approaching low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles whose transmission takes place over memoryless binary-input output-symmetric (MBIOS) channels. Properties of the degree distributions, graphical complexity, and the number of fundamental cycles in the bipartite graphs are considered via the derivation of information-theoretic bounds. These bounds are expressed in terms of the target block/bit error probability and the gap (in rate) to capacity. Most of the bounds are general for any decoding algorithm, and some others are proved under belief propagation (BP) decoding. Proving these bounds under a certain decoding algorithm, validates them automatically also under any suboptimal decoding algorithm. A proper modification of these bounds makes them universal for the set of all MBIOS channels which exhibit a given capacity. Bounds on the degree distributions and graphical complexity apply to finite-length LDPC codes and to the asymptotic case of an infinite block length. The bounds are compared with capacity-approaching LDPC code ensembles under BP decoding, and they are shown to be informative and are easy to calculate. Finally, some interesting open problems are considered.
Current methods for optimization of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes analyze the degree distribution pair asymptotically as block length approaches infinity. This effectively ignores the discrete nature of the space of valid degree distribution pairs for LDPC codes of finite block length. While large codes are likely to conform reasonably well to the infinite block length analysis, shorter codes have no such guarantee. We present and analyze an algorithm for completely enumerating the space of all valid degree distribution pairs for a given block length, code rate, maximum variable node degree, and maximum check node degree. We then demonstrate this algorithm on an example LDPC code of finite block length. Finally, we discuss how the result of this algorithm can be utilized by discrete optimization routines to form novel methods for the optimization of small block length LDPC codes.
This thesis addresses the topic of Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) code analysis, both asymptotically and for finite block lengths. Since in general it is a difficult problem to analyze individual code instances, ensemble averages are studied by following Gallager's original idea and results of Luby et al. Often, one can relate the insights gained by studying ensemble averages to statements regarding individual codes by proving that most elements in the ensemble behave "close" to the average. One important such average is the average weight distribution, another is the average pseudo-codeword distribution, where pseudo-codewords play the same role under iterative decoding as codewords do for maximum likelihood decoding. One of the main contributions of this thesis is the calculation of such averages for fully irregular LDPC code ensembles. Much of classical coding theory is aimed at the construction of codes with large minimum distance. This is so since away from capacity accurate bounds on the performance of a code can be given in terms of its minimum distance (or more generally, in terms of its weight distribution). Therefore, it is of interest to investigate what role the minimum distance plays for iteratively decoded LDPC code ensembles. In particular, sequences of capacity-achieving LDPC code ensembles of increasing length when transmission takes place over the Binary Erasure Channel (BEC) are investigated. It is shown that, under certain technical conditions, the minimum distance of such ensembles grows sub-linearly in the block length, a result which is somewhat surprising from a classical point of view. Specific attention is also given to the design of LDPC code ensembles, where an inherent trade-off is observed between achieving large minimum distance (which is relevant for the so called error-floor regime) and achieving a large threshold (which in the limit of long block lengths determines the worst channel on which transmission can be accomplished reliably). Most results on iterative coding systems to date address their asymptotic performance, i.e., their performance when the block length tends to infinity. For small and moderate block lengths the behavior of a code can deviate significantly from its asymptotic limit. It is therefore of high practical value to be able to analyze the finite-length performance of LDPC code ensembles. In this thesis, an exact such analysis is presented for iteratively decoded LDPC code ensembles over the BEC. In particular, expressions for the exact average bit and block erasure probabilities are computed by solving a set of recursions. Such an analysis is the starting point for a finite-length optimization, a topic which is slated for future work. The methods used in this thesis include a combinatorial approach (familiar to the coding society) as well as the powerful techniques developed in the statistical physics community, for example, the replica method or the mean-field approximation. Although the statistical physics techniques are ideally suited for the analysis of iterative coding systems, they are to date only accessible to a relatively small community. Therefore, an overview of these techniques is first presented using a language familiar to the coding theory community. Next, in order to highlight the differences and common points between the combinatorial and the statistical physics approaches, both techniques are applied to the weight distribution problem. It turns out that for regular ensembles, both methods yield the same result, while for irregular ensembles, they do differ in general.
A universal design of low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles which enables to operate reliably over various channels is of great interest. This paper considers the universality of LDPC code ensembles over sets of memoryless binary-input output-symmetric (MBIOS) channels, addressing their universality under belief-propagation (BP) and maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding. Based on the density evolution approach, closed-form, easy-to-calculate, analytical results related to the universality of LDPC code ensembles under BP decoding are derived. LP Bounds on the achievable rate of LDPC code ensembles over a set of equi-capacity channels are also derived. This paper considers the universality under ML decoding of properly selected regular LDPC code ensembles for the set of equi-capacity MBIOS channels. The full paper version related to this work [13] provides further results, full proofs, and additional discussions on the theorems.
This work introduces an information-theoretic lower bound on the number of fundamental cycles for bipartite graphs of low-density parity-check (LDPC) code ensembles. This information-theoretic bound is expressed in terms of the achievable gap to capacity when the transmission of the code ensemble takes place over a memoryless binary-input output-symmetric (MBIOS) channel. The bound shows quantitatively the necessity of cycles in bipartite graphs which represent good LDPC code ensembles. More explicitly, it shows that the number of fundamental cycles should grow at least like log 1/epsiv where epsiv designates the gap in rate to capacity, hence, it is unbounded as the gap to capacity vanishes. For the derivation of this bound, a new information-theoretic lower bound on the average right degree, which also behaves like log 1/epsiv, is derived. The interested reader is referred to the full paper version.