Network Coding Based on Soft Feedback

A method operative in a communications system comprising a plurality of transceivers, including a first transceiver operative to transmit data packets to at least a second and a third transceiver in the system, comprising, at least at said second transceiver:

• storing a representation of the received data packets;
• transmitting to the first transceiver a quality value representative of the reception quality of one or more data packets received by the second transceiver, for use by the first transceiver to modify its data transmissions;
• listening for data packets intended both for itself and for said third transmitter;
• wherein the quality value transmitted by the second transceiver is representative of the reception quality of one or more said data packets, and wherein said reception quality value is expressed as one of a plurality of possible values.

A transceiver operative in a communications system comprising a plurality of transceivers, including a sender operative to transmit data packets to a plurality of transceivers in the system, comprising:

• memory operative to store a representation of the received data packets;
• a transmitter operative to transmit to the sender a quality value representative of the reception quality of one or more received data packets;
• and
• a module operative to listen for data packets intended both for itself and for at least one other transceiver;
• wherein the quality value is representative of the reception quality of one or more said data packets;
• and
• wherein said reception quality value is expressed as one of a plurality of possible values.

A transceiver operative in a communications system comprising a plurality of receiving transceivers, comprising:

• a first transceiver operative to transmit data packets to at least a second and a third receiving transceiver in the system;
• wherein the first transceiver is further operative to receive from at least one of said receiving transceivers a quality value representative of the reception quality of one or more data packets which have been received by said receiving transceiver;
• wherein the first transceiver is further operative to modify its data transmissions based on the quality value;
• wherein said reception quality value is expressed as one of a plurality of possible values;
• and
• wherein the first transceiver is further operative to transmit data as composite packets, in which one or more data packets intended for one or more receiving transceivers in the system are combined by coding.