On LDPC codes over channels with memory

The problem of detection and decoding of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes transmitted over channels with memory is addressed. A new general method to build a factor graph which takes into account both the code constraints and the channel behavior is proposed and the a posteriori probabilities of the information symbols, necessary to implement maximum a posteriori (MAP) symbol detection, are derived by using the sum-product algorithm. With respect to the case of a LDPC code transmitted on a memoryless channel, the derived factor graphs have additional factor nodes taking into account the channel behavior and not the code constraints. It is shown that the function associated to the generic factor node modeling the channel is related to the basic branch metric used in the Viterbi algorithm when MAP sequence detection is applied or in the BCJR algorithm implementing MAP symbol detection. This fact suggests that all the previously proposed solutions for those algorithms can be systematically extended to LDPC codes and graph-based detection. When the sum-product algorithm works on the derived factor graphs, the most demanding computation is in general that performed at factor nodes modeling the channel. In fact, the complexity of the computation at these factor nodes is in general exponential in a suitably defined channel memory parameter. In these cases, a technique for complexity reduction is illustrated. In some particular cases of practical relevance, the above mentioned complexity becomes linear in the channel memory. This does not happen in the same cases when detection is performed by using the Viterbi algorithm or the BCJR algorithm, suggesting that the use of factor graphs and the sum-product algorithm might be computationally more appealing. As an example of application of the described framework, the cases of noncoherent and flat fading channels are considered.