We show how extra entanglement shared between sender and receiver reduces the
memory requirements for a general entanglement-assisted quantum convolutional
code. We construct quantum convolutional codes with good error-correcting
properties by exploiting the error-correcting properties of an arbitrary basic
set of Pauli generators. The main benefit of this particular construction is
that there is no need to increase the frame size of the code when extra shared
entanglement is available. Then there is no need to increase the memory
requirements or circuit complexity of the code because the frame size of the
code is directly related to these two code properties. Another benefit, similar
to results of previous work in entanglement-assisted convolutional coding, is
that we can import an arbitrary classical quaternary code for use as an
entanglement-assisted quantum convolutional code. The rate and error-correcting
properties of the imported classical code translate to the quantum code. We
provide an example that illustrates how to import a classical quaternary code
for use as an entanglement-assisted quantum convolutional code. We finally show
how to "piggyback" classical information to make use of the extra shared
entanglement in the code.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Physical Review