The Extended Invariant Factor Algorithm with Application to the Forney Analysis of Convolutional Codes
Robert J. McEliece, I. Onyszchuk · 2005
In his celebrated paper on the algebraic structure of convolutional codes, Forney showed that by using the invariant-factor theorem, one can transform an arbitrary polynomial generator matrix for an (n, k) convolutional code C into a basic (and ultimately a minimal) generator matrix for C. He also showed how to find a polynomial inverse for a basic generator matrix for C, and a basic generator matrix for the dual code C^⊥. In this paper, we will discuss efficient ways to do all these things. Our main tool is the “entended invariant factor algorithm,” which we introduce here.