An efficient bit-flipping decoding algorithm for LDPC codes

In this paper, a new method for improving hard-decision bit-flipping (BF) decoding is proposed for low-density parity-check codes. The flipping criterion is derived theoretically from the soft-decision belief-propagation decoding algorithm. The proposed BF decoding algorithm is channel independent and is improved by introducing a more efficient method for computing the reliability of the parity checks. Extensive simulations are provided to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve about 1.5dB coding gain improvement at BER = 5×10^-6 while reducing up to 48% iterations for decoding and maintaining low decoding complexity, compared with the conventional weighted BF algorithm.