Sliding-block coding for input-restricted channels

Work on coding arbitrary sequences into a constrained system of sequences (called a sofic system) is presented. Such systems model the input constraints for input-restricted channels (e.g., run-length limits and spectral constraints for the magnetic recording channel). In this context it is important that the code be noncatastrophic to ensure that the decoder has limited error propagation. A constructive proof is given of the existence of finite-state invertible noncatastrophic codes from arbitrary n-ary sequences to a sofic system S at constant rate p:q provided only that Shannon's condition (p/q)>