Updating of bit allocations in a multicarrier modulation transmission system

Abstract

Allocations of bits per transmission symbol to subchannels in a transmission system using multicarrier modulation are updated in response to requests from a receiver to a transmitter of the system, each request identifying a carrier whose bit allocation can be increased and a carrier whose bit allocation can be decreased, so that the total number of bits per symbol can be increased, decreased, or be unchanged. In order to synchronize bit allocation changes, a transmitted symbol counter at the transmitter and a received symbol counter at the receiver maintain synchronized symbol counts. In response to a request for a change in bit allocations, the transmitter sends a future symbol count value to the receiver, and the transmitter and the receiver implement the change when their respective counters match this count value.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.