According to the invention, for the transmission of sequences of information items referred to as "code words", among which sequences referred to as "operative words" are selected, on reception of a signal representing received words, each formed from a sequence of numbers having one of at least three values, and representing a code word, the following are implemented: a function of combining two sequences, one of which is an operative word, the said combination providing a so-called "resultant" sequence; a measurement whereby there is made to correspond to each sequence a real number representing the degree of coherence of the sequence; and, for each word received; at least one sequence resulting from the said received word and from an operative word is calculated iteratively and the said received word is replaced by the said resultant sequence from the moment when the measurement of the degree of coherence of the latter indicates a coherence less than that of the received word, this resultant sequence being referred to as a "replacement sequence", until no new combination of the last replacement sequence with any operative word exhibits a degree of coherence whose measurement is less than that of the said last replacement sequence,; the said last replacement sequence then being considered as representing the difference between the word received and the code word which it represents.