Application of complex-network theories to the design of short-length low-density-parity-check codes

• Published in: IET communications Vol. 3; no. 10; pp. 1569 - 1577
• Main Authors: ZHENG, X, LAU, F. C. M, TSE, C. K, HE, Y, HAU, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stevenage Institution of Engineering and Technology 01.10.2009; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological; Business and industry local networks; Coding, codes; Communications engineering; Computer simulation; Error correcting codes; Errors; Exact sciences and technology; Information, signal and communications theory; Mathematical models; Networks; Networks and services in france and abroad; Signal and communications theory; Social networks; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Teleprocessing networks. Isdn; Valuation and optimization of characteristics. Simulation; Peer to peer; Error estimation; Computer network; Simulation; Shortest path; Social network; Parity check codes; Error correcting code; Resource sharing; Local network; Parity check
• ISSN: 1751-8628; 1751-8636
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-com.2008.0503

Study of complex networks has been conducted across many fields of science, including computer networks, biological networks and social networks. Characteristics of different types of complex networks such as random networks, regular-coupled networks, small-world networks and scale-free networks have been discovered by researchers. Application of such network properties is to solve engineering problems, however, is still at the infancy stage. In this study, the authors make one of the first attempts in applying complex network theories to communications engineering. In particular, inspired by the shortest-average-path-length property of scale-free networks, they design short-length low-density-parity-check (LDPC) codes with an aim to shortening the average distance between any two variable nodes. They will also compare the error performance, both theoretically and by simulations, of the proposed codes with those of other well-known LDPC codes.