On the expected duration of a search for a fixed pattern in random data (Corresp.)
P. Nielsen · IEEE Transactions on Information Theory · 1973
An expression is obtained for the expected duration of a search to find a givenL-ary sequence in a semi-infinite stream of randomL-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.