Efficient FPGA-based LDPC Encoder Implementation for Optical Communication Systems
Yu Liu, Wenhua Gu, Zhen Xing Mei, Daying Sun · 2023
The low-density-parity-code (LDPC) code has been suggested as a forward error correction code in the ITU-T G975.1 protocol for optical communications. However, the traditional LDPC encoding method causes high latency or excessive resource usage, which may degrade the encoder’s throughput and performance. In this paper, we propose an efficient encoder implementation of the LDPC code in the ITU-T G975.1 protocol based on field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). Specifically, the Richardson-Urbanke (RU) algorithm is modified by incorporating the structural characteristics of the parity check matrix that corresponds to the ITU-T G975.1 protocol, along with specific preprocessing techniques. This approach not only simplifies the encoding process but also makes it more suitable for hardware implementation. Our implementation significantly reduces resource consumption and encoding delay compared with existing methods, achieving a throughput of 10Gbps rate.