feat: add normalized min-sum CN update mode

Add cn_mode ('offset'/'normalized') and alpha parameters to
min_sum_cn_update() in ldpc_sim.py and generic_decode() in
ldpc_analysis.py. Normalized mode scales magnitudes by alpha
(default 0.75) instead of subtracting a fixed offset, which
is better suited for low-rate codes.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

model/ldpc_analysis.py

@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ def ira_encode(info, H_base, H_full, z=32):
     return codeword
 
 
-def generic_decode(llr_q, H_base, z=32, max_iter=30, early_term=True, q_bits=6):
+def generic_decode(llr_q, H_base, z=32, max_iter=30, early_term=True, q_bits=6,
+                   cn_mode='offset', alpha=0.75):
     """
     Parameterized layered min-sum decoder for any QC-LDPC base matrix.
 
@@ -166,6 +167,8 @@ def generic_decode(llr_q, H_base, z=32, max_iter=30, early_term=True, q_bits=6):
         max_iter: maximum iterations
         early_term: stop when syndrome is zero
         q_bits: quantization bits
+        cn_mode: 'offset' or 'normalized'
+        alpha: scaling factor for normalized mode (default 0.75)
 
     Returns:
         (decoded_info_bits, converged, iterations, syndrome_weight)
@@ -204,6 +207,9 @@ def generic_decode(llr_q, H_base, z=32, max_iter=30, early_term=True, q_bits=6):
         msgs_out = []
         for j in range(dc):
             mag = min2 if j == min1_idx else min1
+            if cn_mode == 'normalized':
+                mag = int(mag * alpha)
+            else:
                 mag = max(0, mag - offset)
             sgn = sign_xor ^ signs[j]
             val = -mag if sgn else mag

model/ldpc_sim.py

@@ -197,17 +197,21 @@ def sat_sub_q(a, b):
     return sat_add_q(a, -b)
 
 
-def min_sum_cn_update(msgs_in, offset=OFFSET):
+def min_sum_cn_update(msgs_in, offset=OFFSET, cn_mode='offset', alpha=0.75):
     """
-    Offset min-sum check node update.
+    Min-sum check node update with offset or normalized mode.
 
     For each output j:
       sign = XOR of all other input signs
-      magnitude = min of all other magnitudes - offset (clamp to 0)
+      magnitude = min of all other magnitudes, corrected by:
+        - offset mode: mag = max(0, mag - offset)
+        - normalized mode: mag = floor(mag * alpha)
 
     Args:
         msgs_in: list of DC signed integers (Q-bit)
-        offset: offset correction value
+        offset: offset correction value (used in offset mode)
+        cn_mode: 'offset' or 'normalized'
+        alpha: scaling factor for normalized mode (default 0.75)
 
     Returns:
         msgs_out: list of DC signed integers (Q-bit)
@@ -232,7 +236,10 @@ def min_sum_cn_update(msgs_in, offset=OFFSET):
     msgs_out = []
     for j in range(dc):
         mag = min2 if j == min1_idx else min1
-        mag = max(0, mag - offset)  # offset correction
+        if cn_mode == 'normalized':
+            mag = int(mag * alpha)
+        else:
+            mag = max(0, mag - offset)
         sgn = sign_xor ^ signs[j]   # extrinsic sign
         val = -mag if sgn else mag
         msgs_out.append(val)

model/test_density_evolution.py

@@ -199,3 +199,53 @@ class TestFERValidationAndCLI:
         )
         assert result.returncode == 0, f"CLI failed: {result.stderr}"
         assert 'threshold' in result.stdout.lower() or 'photon' in result.stdout.lower()
+
+
+class TestNormalizedMinSum:
+    """Tests for normalized min-sum CN update mode."""
+
+    def test_normalized_minsun_output_smaller(self):
+        """Normalized min-sum should scale magnitude by alpha, not subtract offset."""
+        from ldpc_sim import min_sum_cn_update
+        # Input: [10, -15, 20] -> min1=10 (idx0), min2=15
+        # Offset mode: output magnitudes = max(0, mag - 1)
+        #   idx0 gets min2=15, so mag=14; idx1,2 get min1=10, so mag=9
+        # Normalized mode (alpha=0.75): output magnitudes = floor(mag * 0.75)
+        #   idx0 gets min2=15, so mag=floor(15*0.75)=11; idx1,2 get min1=10, so mag=floor(10*0.75)=7
+        result_norm = min_sum_cn_update([10, -15, 20], cn_mode='normalized', alpha=0.75)
+        # idx0: min2=15, floor(15*0.75)=11, sign=XOR(1,0)^0=1^0=1 -> negative? No.
+        # signs = [0, 1, 0], sign_xor = 1
+        # idx0: ext_sign = 1^0 = 1 -> -11
+        # idx1: ext_sign = 1^1 = 0, mag=floor(10*0.75)=7 -> 7
+        # idx2: ext_sign = 1^0 = 1, mag=floor(10*0.75)=7 -> -7
+        assert result_norm[0] == -11, f"Expected -11, got {result_norm[0]}"
+        assert result_norm[1] == 7, f"Expected 7, got {result_norm[1]}"
+        assert result_norm[2] == -7, f"Expected -7, got {result_norm[2]}"
+
+    def test_normalized_decode_converges(self):
+        """Decode a known codeword at lam_s=5 with normalized min-sum."""
+        from ldpc_analysis import generic_decode, peg_encode, build_peg_matrix
+        from ldpc_sim import poisson_channel, quantize_llr
+        np.random.seed(42)
+        H_base, H_full = build_peg_matrix(z=32)
+        k = 32
+        info = np.zeros(k, dtype=np.int8)
+        codeword = peg_encode(info, H_base, H_full, z=32)
+        llr_float, _ = poisson_channel(codeword, lam_s=5.0, lam_b=0.1)
+        llr_q = quantize_llr(llr_float)
+        decoded, converged, iters, sw = generic_decode(
+            llr_q, H_base, z=32, max_iter=30, cn_mode='normalized', alpha=0.75
+        )
+        assert converged, f"Normalized min-sum should converge at lam_s=5, sw={sw}"
+        assert np.all(decoded == info), f"Decoded bits don't match"
+
+    def test_offset_mode_unchanged(self):
+        """Default offset mode should produce identical results to before."""
+        from ldpc_sim import min_sum_cn_update
+        # Test with explicit cn_mode='offset' and without (default)
+        msgs = [10, -15, 20, -5]
+        result_default = min_sum_cn_update(msgs)
+        result_explicit = min_sum_cn_update(msgs, cn_mode='offset')
+        assert result_default == result_explicit, (
+            f"Default and explicit offset should match: {result_default} vs {result_explicit}"
+        )