Optimal and perfect difference systems of sets from \(q\)-ary sequences with difference-balanced property (Q2638428)

A difference system of sets (DSS) with parameters \((n,\{\tau_0,\ldots,\tau_{q-1}\},\rho)\) is a collection of \(q\) disjoint subsets \(Q_i \subset \mathbb Z_n\), \(|Q_i|=\tau_i\), \(0\leq i<q\), such that the multi-set \(\{(a-b)\bmod n\;:\;a\in Q_i, b\in Q_j, i\neq j, 0\leq i,j,\leq q-1\}\) contains every nonzero element of \(\mathbb Z_n\) at least \(\rho\) times. A DSS is called perfect if this multi-set contains every nonzero element of \(\mathbb Z_n\) precisely \(\rho\) times. An \(n\)-periodic sequence \(s_0,s_1,\ldots\) over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) is said to have difference-balanced property if for any \(1\leq \tau \leq n-1\) the cardinality of the set \(\{0\leq t\leq n-1\;:\;s_{t+\tau}-s_t = i\}\) is \((n+1)/q\) when \(i\neq 0\), and \((n+1)/q-1\) for \(i=0\) (this concept is strongly related with the ideal autocorrelation property). The authors obtain perfect DSSs from sequences over finite fields \(\mathbb{F}_q\) with period \(n \equiv -1 \bmod q\) and difference-balanced property, and some more using decimations of certain sequences over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) with period \(n = q^m-1\) and difference-balanced property. This generalizes two constructions in [\textit{C. Ding}, J. Comb. Theory (A) 116, 109--119 (2009; Zbl 1173.05010)].