Length 3 Check Digit Codes with Grouped Tags and Disjoint Coding Applications

Abstract: In 1969 J. Verhoeff provided the first examples of a decimal error detecting code using a single check digit to provide protection against all single, transposition, and adjacent twin errors. The three codes he presented are length 3-digit codes with 2 information digits. To date, the existence of a length 4-digit code with 3 information digits having these properties remains an open question. Existence of a 4-digit code would imply the existence of 10 disjoint 3-digit codes. Apparently, no pair of such disjoint 3-digit codes is known. Phonetic errors, where 2-digit pairs of the forms X0 and 1X are interchanged, are language dependent, but can often be eliminated. Alternate 3-digit codes are developed here which enhance the level of protection beyond Verhoeff's codes while still optionally providing protection against phonetic errors. Through almost-disjoint coding schemes, it is shown how copies of these new codes can fill in the gap between such 3 and 4-digit codes. The results are extended to other useful alphabet sizes such as 26 and 36 with stronger permutation of digits error detection, and to "tag codes" where digits are grouped.