Flexible implicit modulation and coding scheme indication

A method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• receiving, from a network entity, an indication of a modulation and coding scheme index to be applied to encoding or decoding of a transport block, the modulation and coding scheme index indicating at least two differential indication values in a modulation and coding scheme index table, wherein a differential indication value of the at least two differential indication values is to be applied to a prior modulation order;
• comparing, based at least in part on receiving the indication of the modulation and coding scheme index that indicates the at least two differential indication values in the modulation and coding scheme index table, a prior modulation order associated with a prior transmission of the transport block to a modulation order threshold;
• determining a modulation order for encoding or decoding the transport block based at least in part on the differential indication value of the at least two differential indication values indicated by the modulation and coding scheme index in the modulation and coding scheme index table and the prior modulation order associated with a prior transmission of the transport block, the differential indication value determined as a result of the comparing;
• and
• processing the transport block by encoding or decoding the transport block based at least in part on the determined modulation order.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a processor,
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• receive, from a network entity, an indication of a modulation and coding scheme index to be applied to encoding or decoding of a transport block, the modulation and coding scheme index indicating at least two modulation orders in a modulation and coding scheme index table;
• compare, based at least in part on receiving the indication of the modulation and coding scheme index that indicates the at least two modulation orders in the modulation and coding scheme index table, a prior modulation order associated with a prior transmission of the transport block to a modulation order threshold;
• determine a modulation order of the at least two modulation orders indicated by the modulation and coding scheme index in the modulation and coding scheme index table based at least in part on the comparing;
• and
• process the transport block by encoding or decoding the transport block based at least in part on the determined modulation order.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a processor,
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• receive, from a network entity, an indication of a modulation and coding scheme index to be applied to encoding or decoding of a transport block, the modulation and coding scheme index indicating at least two differential indication values in a modulation and coding scheme index table, wherein a differential indication value of the at least two differential indication values is to be applied to a prior modulation order;
• compare, based at least in part on receiving the indication of the modulation and coding scheme index that indicates the at least two differential indication values in the modulation and coding scheme index table, a prior modulation order associated with a prior transmission of the transport block to a modulation order threshold;
• determine a modulation order for encoding or decoding the transport block based at least in part on the differential indication value of the at least two differential indication values indicated by the modulation and coding scheme index in the modulation and coding scheme index table and the prior modulation order associated with a prior transmission of the transport block, the differential indication value determined as a result of the comparing;
• and
• process the transport block by encoding or decoding the transport block based at least in part on the determined modulation order.