In-phase and quadrature (I/Q) encoding for variable data rates

A radio unit for communicating with a network node, the radio unit comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to:
• receive a transmission of an adjusted plurality of code words, the adjusted plurality of code words corresponding to in-phase and quadrature, I/Q, data that has been mapped to corresponding ones of a plurality of code words, each code word being associated with a respective region in an Argand plane having a plurality of polygonal regions and having a size in terms of bits that is a function of a radial distance from an origin of the Argand plane;
• and determine the I/Q data based at least in part on the adjusted plurality of code words, wherein the plurality of code words are adjusted to minimize the difference between the average size of the code words, generated by the mapping of I/Q data to corresponding ones of the plurality of code words, and the known bandwidth of the downstream channel and wherein at least one code characteristic of anon-linear grid that corresponds to the Argand plane having the plurality of polygonal regions corresponds to at least one of a plurality of bits per code word for the plurality of polygonal regions, a power threshold for the plurality of polygonal regions and a companding function.

A method implemented in a radio unit for communicating with a network node, the method comprising:

• receiving a transmission of an adjusted plurality of code words, the adjusted plurality of code words corresponding to in-phase and quadrature, I/Q, data that has been mapped to corresponding ones of a plurality of code words, each code word being associated with a respective region in an Argand plane having a plurality of polygonal regions and having a size in terms of bits that is a function of a radial distance from an origin of the Argand plane;
• and determining the I/Q data based at least in part on the adjusted plurality of code words, wherein the plurality of code words are adjusted to minimize the difference between the average size of the code words, generated by the mapping of I/Q data to corresponding ones of the plurality of code words, and the known bandwidth of the downstream channel and wherein at least one code frame characteristic of anon-linear grid that corresponds to the Argand plane having the plurality of polygonal regions corresponds to at least one of a plurality of bits per code word for the plurality of polygonal regions, a power threshold for the plurality of polygonal regions and a companding function.