A new upper bound on nonbinary block codes (Q920930)

The author uses a linear programming approach in the non-binary Johnson scheme to obtain new upper bounds on the information rate of nonbinary block codes. He thus obtains the best presently known asymptotic bound in the non-binary case. His results are analogues of the bounds in the binary case obtained by \textit{R. J. McEliece}, \textit{E. R. Rodemich}, \textit{H. Rumsey} jun. and \textit{L. R. Welsh} [IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory IT-23, 157-166 (1977; Zbl 0361.94016)]. The improvements over the previous bounds (in particular, the Elias bound) are greatest in the case of ternary codes.