Shared-Hardware LDPC Decoder for Multi-Rate Low-Latency Decoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems employing LDPC codes face challenges in reducing hardware complexity and latency, particularly in high data rate applications, due to the need for multiple hardware components and complex decoding processes.
Innovation Solution
The design of LDPC codes with shared characteristics allows for efficient hardware implementation by enabling the sharing of resources within communication devices, using a base LDPC matrix to construct various code rates, and employing a fully parallel decoding approach that selectively enables circuitry subsets based on the selected LDPC code, reducing latency and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple hardware components are used for LDPC code implementation, then code rate versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal LDPC decoder architecture that can handle multiple code rates (1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6) using the same hardware components. The base LDPC matrix is designed to support all these code rates, allowing a single hardware implementation to serve multiple functions without requiring separate decoders for each code rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic configuration of the LDPC decoder where the same hardware can be reconfigured to support different code rates. The base LDPC matrix structure allows dynamic selection of different code rates by selectively enabling or disabling certain rows and columns, making the hardware adaptable to different communication requirements without physical reconfiguration.
2Reliability
If complex decoding processes are implemented, then error correction performance is improved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the LDPC decoding process into multiple iterations, where each iteration performs a portion of the belief propagation algorithm. This segmentation allows the complex decoding to be distributed across multiple simpler steps, improving error correction performance while managing latency through iterative refinement rather than requiring a single complex processing stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through iterative decoding where the belief propagation algorithm is repeated multiple times with each iteration refining the error correction. This periodic execution of the decoding process allows the system to achieve high reliability through multiple passes while maintaining manageable latency by processing in regular iterative cycles rather than requiring a single lengthy operation.
3Reliability
If multiple hardware components are used for LDPC code implementation, then decoding performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple hardware components into a single integrated LDPC decoder that handles all code rates. Instead of having separate hardware for each code rate, the base LDPC matrix structure allows combining multiple code rate functionalities into one hardware unit, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining the ability to support multiple code rates through software or configuration control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal decoder that performs multiple code rate functions with a single hardware implementation. The base LDPC matrix is designed to support code rates of 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 5/6 using the same hardware resources, eliminating the need for multiple specialized decoders and thereby reducing total power consumption while maintaining versatile decoding performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Low complexity communication device employing in-place constructed LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) code. Intelligent design of LDPC codes having similar characteristics there between allows for a very efficient hardware implementation of a communication device that is operative to perform decoding of more than one type of LDPC coded signals. A common basis of decoder hardware (e.g., decoder circuitry) is employed when decoding all of the various types of LDPC coded signals that such a communication device can decode. However, all of the decoder hardware is only employed to decode signals corresponding to the lowest code rate LDPC code supported by the communication device. A first subset of the decoder hardware is employed to decode signals corresponding to the second to lowest code rate LDPC code, a second subset (being less than the first subset) is employed to decode signals corresponding to the third to lowest code rate LDPC code, etc.