dense binary code

A binary code in which all possible bit patterns that can be made from a fixed number of bits are used to encode user information but no overhead information. Note: Examples of dense binary codes are (a) a pure binary representation for sexadecimal digits using all sixteen possible patterns and (b) an octal representation using all eight patterns. A binary representation of decimal numbers using four binary digits of which only 10 of the possible 16 patterns are used is not a dense binary code. If a binary code is not dense, the unused patterns can be used to detect errors inasmuch as they should only occur if there is an error. [From Weik '89]