A Class of Generalized Quasi-Cyclic LDPC Codes: High-Rate and Low-Complexity Encoder for Data Storage Devices

In this paper, we study no 4-cycle, high-rate LDPC codes based on finite geometries for use in data storage devices and prove that these codes cannot be classified as quasi-cyclic (QC) codes but should be considered as broader generalized quasi-cyclic (GQC) codes. Because of the GQC structure of such codes, they can be systematically encoded using Groebner bases and their encoder can be implemented using simple feedback-shift registers. In order to demonstrate the efficiency of the encoder, we show that the hardware complexity of the serial-in serial-out encoder architecture of these codes is of linear order O(n). To encode a binary codeword of length n, less than 2n adders and 3n memory elements are required. Furthermore, we evaluated the error performances of these codes with sum product algorithm (SPA) decoding over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. At a bit error rate (BER) of 10^-5, they perform 1-dB away from the Shannon limit after 10 decoding iterations.