Method and apparatus for maximizing a data rate of a wireless data communication system

A first transceiver in a wireless data communication system that sends data to a second transceiver at a data rate through a plurality of sub-carriers at once, the first transceiver maximizing the data rate without requiring the second transceiver to measure and communicate a signal quality estimate (SQE) for each of the plurality of sub-carriers, the first transceiver comprising:

• a processor for controlling the first transceiver;
• a multi-carrier generator coupled to the processor for generating the plurality of sub-carriers;
• a multi-format modulator coupled to the processor and coupled to the multi-carrier generator for modulating the plurality of sub-carriers to send the data at the data rate;
• a transmitter coupled to the processor and coupled to the multi-format modulator for sending a predetermined number of blocks of data to the second transceiver;
• a memory coupled to the processor for recording on which of the plurality of sub-carriers each of the blocks of data is sent;
• a receiver coupled to the processor for receiving from the second transceiver a list of the blocks of data that were received with errors, wherein the processor is programmed to:
• calculate from said list a plurality of error rates corresponding to the plurality of sub-carriers;
• determine the SQE for each of the plurality of sub-carriers from the plurality of error rates;
• and
• adjust the data rate in accordance with the SQE determined for each of the plurality of sub-carriers.

A software program that when installed and executing on a processor causes the processor to control a first transceiver in a wireless data communication system to send data to a second transceiver at a data rate through a plurality of sub-carriers at once, the software program controlling the first transceiver to maximize the data rate without requiring the second transceiver to measure and communicate a signal quality estimate (SQE) for each of the plurality of sub-carriers, the software program further controlling the first transceiver to:

• send a predetermined number of blocks of data to the second transceiver;
• record on which of the plurality of sub-carriers each of the blocks of data is sent;
• receive from the second transceiver a list of the blocks of data that were received with errors,
• calculate from said list a plurality of error rates corresponding to the plurality of sub-carriers;
• determine the SQE for each of the plurality of sub-carriers from the plurality of error rates;
• and
• adjust the data rate in accordance with the SQE determined for each of the plurality of sub-carriers.