Maximal prefix products (Q1821877)

M. P. Schützenberger has proved that two finite subsets of words the product of which is a maximal prefix code, are also maximal prefix codes, provided this product is finite and unambiguous. The finiteness condition is necessary, however, this question is unsolved for the unambiguity hypothesis. We show in four particular cases that a product of two subsets of words which forms a finite maximal prefix code, is necessarily unambiguous. Remark: After the submission of the paper, we pursued the study of the problem and we were able to give a complete answer to the open problem, by constructing an example of a finite maximal prefix and ambiguous product of which the two factors are not maximal prefix codes [submitted to Theor. Comput. Sci.].