Nonequivalent cascaded convolutional codes obtained from equivalent constituent convolutional encoders (Q1290829)

In the paper nonequivalent cascaded convolutional codes are discussed. The authors define convolutional codes and encoders, the concept of equivalent encoders and describe cascaded convolutional codes. They consider the problem with given outer and inner constituent convolutional codes and show that if the inner constituent encoder is replaced by an equivalent one, then the effect on the cascaded convolutional code can be dramatic. They also study systematic cascaded convolutional encoders. In order to obtain a general construction the authors use minimal systematic encoding matrices. Using some examples they show that, if outer and inner code matrices are minimal, then a minimal realisation of the systematic cascaded encoding matrix has at most the same number of delay elements as the cascaded encoder has, when realised as a cascade of two minimal encoders.