Maximum transition run codes for data storage systems

A new code is presented which improves the minimum distance properties of sequence detectors operating at high linear densities. This code, which is called the maximum transition run code, eliminates data patterns producing three or more consecutive transitions while imposing the usual k-constraint necessary for timing recovery. The code possesses the similar distance-gaining property of the (1,k) code, but can be implemented with considerably higher rates. Bit error rate simulations on fixed delay tree search with decision feedback and high order partial response maximum likelihood detectors confirm large coding gains over the conventional (0,k) code.