Abstract
Maximum-distance separable (MDS) convolutional codes are characterized by the property that their free distance reaches the generalized Singleton bound. In this paper, new criteria to construct MDS convolutional codes are presented. These codes also possess optimal first (reverse) column distances. The new criteria allow to relate the construction of MDS convolutional codes to those of reverse superregular Toeplitz matrices. Moreover, using the new criteria as well as the help of computer search, examples for MDS convolutional codes over small finite fields are given.
Abreu, Zita