Quaternary Convolutional Codes From Linear Block Codes Over Galois Rings

From a linear block code B over the Galois ring GR(4, m) with a k times n generator matrix and minimum Hamming distance d, a rate-k/n convolutional code over the ring Z 4 with squared Euclidean free distance at least 2d and a nonrecursive encoder with memory at most m - 1 is constructed. When the generator matrix of B is systematic, the convolutional encoder is systematic, basic, noncatastrophic and minimal. Long codes constructed in this manner are shown to satisfy a Gilbert-Varshnmov bound.