On the structure of generalized toric codes (Q1012139)

Toric codes are algebraic geometry codes over toric varieties. These codes were introduced by \textit{J. P. Hansen} [Coding theory, cryptography and related areas. Springer, 132--142 (2000; Zbl 1010.94014)]. Let \(M\) be an integral lattice and \(P\) be a convex polygon in \(M\otimes R\). The toric code \(C_P\) over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) associated to \(P\) is the evaluation code generated by the monomials \(x^{\alpha}\) where \(\alpha\in P\cap M\) at the points of the algebraic torus \(T=(\mathbb{F}_q^*)^r\). The author introduces a natural generalization of this family, the so called generalized toric codes, which consist of the evaluation of any polynomial algebra in the algebraic torus. More precisely, one may consider any subset \(U\subseteq \{0,\ldots,q-2\}^{r}\) and the corresponding monomial algebra \(\mathbb{F}_q[U]=\langle\{x^{u}=x_1^{u_1}\cdots x_r^{u_r}\mid u=(u_1,\ldots,u_r)\in U\}\rangle\subset \mathbb{F}_q[x_1,\ldots,x_r]\), thus the generalized toric code, \(C_U\), is the image under the \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-linear map, \(ev:\mathbb{F}_q[U] \rightarrow \mathbb{F}_q^n\), \(ev(f)=(f(t))_{t\in T}\). It is clear from his construction that any toric code is a generalized toric code. A multicyclic code is an ideal in the ring \(A=\mathbb{F}_q[x_1,\ldots,x_r]/(x_1^{N_1}-1,\ldots,x_r^{N_r}-1)\). In the present work, it is shown that generalized toric codes are equivalent to multicyclic codes with \(N_1=q-1,\ldots,N_r=q-1\). Moreover, the metric structure of the generalized toric codes is used to prove that the dual code of a generalized toric code is a generalized toric code and to provide a generator matrix (resp control matrix) in terms of the points in \(U\) (resp \(U^{\perp}\)). He also uses the dual code to compute a lower bound for the minimum distance of \(C_U\).