Rate adaptation for data communication

A method comprising:

• receiving, at a receiver of a first device via a channel of a communication medium, a data transmission having a number of symbols, wherein each guard interval of multiple guard intervals associated with a different set of multiple sets of the number of symbols, wherein the multiple guard intervals have different lengths;
• determining, based on signal characteristics of the multiple sets of the number of symbols, the set from among the multiple sets having a preferred physical data rate;
• and
• setting a length of an adjusted guard interval of the channel for subsequent data transmissions from a transmitter of a second device to the receiver of the first device via the communication medium, to a length of the guard interval associated with the set of symbols having the preferred physical data rate.

A method comprising:

• determining a delay spread of a multipath channel for data communication from a transmitter to a receiver via a communication medium;
• determining a noise level of the data transmission at the receiver;
• and
• in response to the noise level being above a low noise threshold, setting a length of a guard interval for subsequent data transmissions from the transmitter to the receiver via the communication medium, based on the delay spread and the noise level at the receiver.

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive, from a transmitter, multiple data transmissions via a channel in a communication medium, wherein each data transmission of the multiple data transmissions has a guard interval of multiple guard intervals, wherein the multiple guard intervals have different lengths;
• a PHY rate detection unit communicatively coupled to the network interface, the PHY rate detection unit configured to determine, based on signal characteristics of the multiple data transmissions, the data transmission from among the multiple data transmissions having a preferred physical data rate;
• and
• a guard interval selection unit configured to set a length of an adjusted guard interval for the channel for data communication from the transmitter to the apparatus via the communication media, to a length of the guard interval for the data transmission having the preferred physical data rate.

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive, from a transmitter via a communication medium, a data transmission having a number of symbols, wherein each guard interval of multiple guard intervals associated with a different set of multiple sets of the number of symbols, wherein the multiple guard intervals have different lengths;
• a PHY rate detection unit communicatively coupled to the network interface, the PHY rate detection unit configured to determine, based on signal characteristics of the multiple sets of the number of symbols, the set from among the multiple sets having a preferred physical data rate;
• and
• a guard interval selection unit configured to set a length of an adjusted guard interval for subsequent data transmissions from the transmitter to the apparatus via the communication medium, to a length of the guard interval associated with the set of symbols having the preferred physical data rate.

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive, from a transmitter via a multipath channel of a communication medium, a data transmission;
• a delay spread detection unit communicatively coupled to the network interface, the delay spread detection unit configured to determine a delay spread of the multipath channel;
• a noise detection unit communicatively coupled to the network interface, the noise detection unit configured to determine a noise level of the data transmission at the apparatus;
• and
• a guard interval selection unit configured to, in response to the noise level being above a low noise threshold, set a length of a guard interval for subsequent data transmissions from the transmitter to the receiver via the communication medium, based on the delay spread and the noise level at the receiver.

A computer program product for data transmission via a communication channel, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising a computer usable program code configured to:
• receive, at a receiver of a first device via a channel of a communication medium, multiple data transmissions, wherein each data transmission of the multiple data transmissions has a guard interval of multiple guard intervals, wherein the multiple guard intervals have different lengths;
• determine, based on signal characteristics of the multiple data transmissions, the data transmission from among the multiple data transmissions having a preferred physical data rate;
• and
• set a length of an adjusted guard interval for the channel for data communication from a transmitter of a second device to the receiver of the first device via the communication medium, to a length of the guard interval for the data transmission having the preferred physical data rate.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving, from a transmitter, multiple data transmissions via a channel in a communication medium, wherein each data transmission of the multiple data transmissions has a guard interval of multiple guard intervals, wherein the multiple guard intervals have different lengths;
• means for determining, based on signal characteristics of the multiple data transmissions, the data transmission from among the multiple data transmissions having a preferred physical data rate;
• and
• means for setting a length of an adjusted guard interval for the channel for data communication from the transmitter to the apparatus via the communication media, to a length of the guard interval for the data transmission having the preferred physical data rate.