Linear-time decoding from a constant fraction of errors for irregular expander codes

In this paper, we present a linear-time decoding algorithm for expander codes based on irregular graphs of any positive vertex expansion factor [Formula: see text] and inner codes with a minimum distance of at least [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the maximum right degree. The algorithm corrects a constant fraction of errors. It builds on two thrusts. The first is a series of works starting with that of Sipser and Spielman [Expander codes, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 42(6) (1996) 1710–1722] demonstrating that an asymptotically good family of error-correcting codes that can be decoded in linear time even from a constant fraction of errors in a received word provided [Formula: see text] is at least [Formula: see text] and continuing to the results of Gao and Dowling [Fast decoding of expander codes, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 64(2) (2018) 972–978], which only require [Formula: see text] provided the inner code minimum distance is sufficiently large. The second is the improved performance of LDPC codes based on irregular graphs demonstrated by Luby et al. [Improved low- density parity-check codes using irregular graphs, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 47(2) (2001) 585–598] and Richardson et al. [Design of capacity- approaching irregular low-density parity-check codes, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 47(2) (2001) 619–637]. The algorithm presented in this paper allows for irregular or regular graph-based constructions and uses inner codes of appropriate lengths as checks rather than simple parity-checks.