On the expected duration of a search for a fixed pattern in random data (Corresp.)

An expression is obtained for the expected duration of a search to find a given
L
-ary sequence in a semi-infinite stream of random
L
-ary data. The search time is found to be an increasing function of the lengths of the "bifices" of the pattern, where the term bifix denotes a sequence which is both a prefix and a suffix.