Graph theoretic q -ary codes (Corresp.)

This correspondence formulates GF(q) matrix descriptions for a class of weighted, directed graphs. As a result of this formulation, the concept of graph theoretic error-correcting codes is generalized to the q -ary case. It is shown that graph theoretic q -ary codes are completely orthogonalizable and, hence, one-step majority decodable. It is also seen that known techniques for the augmentation of circuit codes can he extended to the q -ary case. The resulting codes remain easily decodable.