Correction to ´A heuristic algorithm for the construction of a code with limited word length´

In the above-named work (see ibid., vol.IT-33, p.438-43, May 1987), a method was presented for the construction of a variable length code with maximum word-length constraint. The algorithm is partially based on the algorithm of A.H. Murakami et al. (1984), and is extended with heuristic choices for the bifurcations. C.H. Lu (1988) explains why step (1) taken by Murakami, which is used in De Lameillieure´s contribution as condition (6), does not guarantee an optimum code when a word-length restriction is imposed. This step (1), or condition (6), does not take the bounded maximum word length into account. Therefore, in the present contribution the author rectifies this difficulty by proposing an adaptation of condition (6) into a composite condition for the case when there is a word-length constraint. Proofs of the components of this composite condition are presented together with numerical results.<>