State-assignment technique for synchronous sequential machines

The letter presents a new state-assignment technique for synchronous sequential machines. The method makes use of the shortest clearing sequence of each state in assigning a binary code for that state. A clearing sequence is defined as a sequence of inputs which will bring a sequential machine to the same predefined state, no matter which state the sequential machine starts from. The method of state assignment described in the letter shows the shift-register properties of the sequential machine. The stronger these properties are, the simpler the realisation.