The result of a search for the world's second type II (doubly-even and self-dual) convolutional code is reported. A rate R=4/8, 16-state, time-invariant, convolutional code with free distance d/sub free/=8 was found to be type II. The initial part of its weight spectrum is better than that of the Golay convolutional code (GCC). Generator matrices and path weight enumerators for some other type II convolutional codes are given. By the "wrap-around" technique tail-biting versions of (32, 18, 8) Type II block codes are constructed.

For rate R=1/2 convolutional codes with 16 states there exists a gap between Heller's (1968) upper bound on the free distance and its optimal value. This article reports on the construction of 16-state, binary, rate R=2/4 nonlinear trellis and convolutional codes having d/sub free/=8; a free distance that meets the Heller upper bound. The nonlinear trellis code is constructed from a 16-state, rate R=1/2 convolutional code over Z/sub 4/ using the Gray map to obtain a binary code. Both convolutional codes are obtained by computer search. Systematic feedback encoders for both codes are potential candidates for use in combination with iterative decoding. Regarded as modulation codes for 4-PSK, these codes have free squared Euclidean distance d/sub E, free//sup 2/=16.

Convolutional codes over rings have been motivated by phase-modulated signals. Some structural properties of the generator matrices of such codes are presented. Successively stronger notions of the invertibility of generator matrices are studied, and a new condition for a convolutional code over a ring to be systematic is given and shown to be equivalent to a condition given by Massey and Mittelholzer (1990). It is shown that a generator matrix that can be decomposed into a direct sum is basic, minimal, and noncatastrophic if and only if all generator matrices for the constituent codes are basic, minimal, and noncatastrophic, respectively. It is also shown that if a systematic generator matrix can be decomposed into a direct sum, then all generator matrices of the constituent codes are systematic, but that the converse does not hold. Some results on convolutional codes over Z(p/sup e/) are obtained.