Method and apparatus for determining the rate of received data in a variable rate communication system

In a communication system having a transmitter and a receiver, said transmitter transmitting a signal at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates, and wherein said receiver generates a plurality of error check values and error rate codes and at least one decoding code each based on whether said signal has one of said plurality of rates, a method for determining said current rate of said signal comprising the steps of:

• determining if only a first check value of a selected rate favorably checks, wherein said selected rate is one of said plurality of rates;
• determining if said selected rate corresponds to a predetermined rate;
• if said selected rate corresponds to said predetermined rate, comparing a selected decoding code to a selected value;
• if said selected rate does not correspond to said predetermined rate, comparing a selected error rate code to a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship, wherein said selected rate code corresponds to said selected rate;
• if said selected decoding code corresponds to said selected value, comparing said selected error rate code to a second value based on said predetermined operational relationship;
• if said selected decoding code does not correspond to said selected value, comparing said selected error rate code to a third value based on said predetermined operational relationship;
• and
• determining that said current rate of said signal is said selected rate if said selected error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said first, second or third value.

In a communication system having means for transmitting that transmits to a receiver each of a plurality of frames at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates, said receiver comprising:

• means for generating a plurality of error check values each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein only a first check value of a selected rate favorably checks, and wherein said selected rate is one of said plurality of rates;
• means for generating a plurality of error rate codes each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein a selected error rate code corresponds to said selected rate;
• means for generating at least one decoding code, each decoding code being based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein a selected decoding code corresponds to said selected rate;
• means, coupled to said means for generating a plurality of error rate codes, for determining if said selected rate of said selected error rate code corresponds to a predetermined rate;
• means, coupled to said means for generating a plurality of decoding codes, for comparing said selected decoding code to a selected value if said selected rate corresponds to said predetermined rate;
• means, coupled to said means for generating a plurality of error rate codes, for comparing said selected error rate code to a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship if said selected rate does not correspond to said predetermined rate for comparing said selected error rate code to a second value based on said predetermined operational relationship if said selected decoding code corresponds to said selected value, and for comparing said selected error rate code to a third value based on said predetermined operational relationship if said selected decoding code does not correspond to said selected value;
• and
• means, coupled to said means for comparing said first, second and third values, for determining that said current rate of said current frame is said selected rate if said selected error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said first, second or third value.

In a communication system having a transmitter that transmits a signal at a current rate, and wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates, a receiver comprising:

• an error check value generator configured to generate a plurality of error check values each based on whether said signal has one of said plurality of rates, wherein only a first check value of a selected rate favorably checks, and wherein said selected rate is one of said plurality of rates;
• an error rate code generator configured to generate a plurality of error rate codes each based on whether said signal has one of said plurality of rates, wherein a selected error rate code corresponds to said selected rate;
• a decoding code generator configured to generate at least a selected decoding code, based on whether said signal has said selected rate;
• and
• a decoder coupled to said error check value generator, error rate code generator and decoding code generator and configured to (a) determine if said selected rate of said selected error rate code corresponds to a predetermined rate, (b) compare said selected decoding code to a selected value if said selected rate corresponds to said predetermined rate, (c) compare said selected error rate code to a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship if said selected rate does not correspond to said predetermined rate, (d) compare said selected error rate code to a second value based on said predetermined operational relationship if said selected decoding code corresponds to said selected value, (e) compare said selected error rate code to a third value based on said predetermined operational relationship if said selected decoding code does not correspond to said selected value, (f) determine that said current rate of said signal is said selected rate if said selected error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said first, second or third value, and (g) decode said signal based on said selected rate.

A communication system comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit a signal at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive said signal, said receiver including:
• an error check value generator configured to generate a plurality of error check values each based on whether said signal has one of said plurality of rates, wherein only a first check value of a selected rate favorably checks, and wherein said selected rate is one of said plurality of rates;
• an error rate code generator configured to generate a plurality of error rate codes each based on whether said signal has one of said plurality of rates, wherein a selected error rate code corresponds to said selected rate;
• a decoding code generator configured to generate a plurality of decoding codes each based on whether said signal has one of said plurality of rates, wherein a selected decoding code corresponds to said selected rate;
• and
• a decoder coupled to said error check value generator, error rate code generator and decoding code generator and configured to (a) determine if said s elected rate of said selected error rate code corresponds to a predetermined rate, (b) compare said selected decoding code to a selected value if said selected rate corresponds to said predetermined rate, (c) compare said selected error rate code to a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship if said selected rate does not correspond to said predetermined rate, (d) compare said selected error rate code to a second value based on said predetermined operational relationship if said selected decoding code corresponds to said selected value, (e) compare said selected error rate code to a third value based on said predetermined operational relationship if said selected decoding code does not correspond to said selected value, (f) determine that said current rate of said signal is said selected rate if said selected error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said first, second or third value, and (g) decode said signal based on said selected rate.

In a communication system having a transmitter that transmits to a receiver, said transmitter transmitting each of a plurality of frames at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds t o one of a plurality of rates, a method at said receiver for determining said current rate of a current frame comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of error check values each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein only first and second error check values of first and second rates favorably check, and wherein said first and second rates are from said plurality of rates;
• generating a plurality of error rate codes each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein first and second error rate codes correspond to said first and second rates;
• comparing said first error rate code to said second error rate code plus a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship;
• and
• determining that said current rate of said current frame is said second rate if said first error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said second error rate code plus a first value, and otherwise deter mining that said current rate is said first rate.

In a communication system having a transmitter and a receiver, said transmitter transmitting a signal at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates, and wherein said receiver generates a plurality of error check values and error rate codes each based on whether said signal has one of said plurality of rates, a method for determining said current rate of said signal comprising the steps of:

• determining that only first and second error check values of first and second rates favorably check, wherein said first and second rates are from said plurality of rates;
• comparing a first error rate code to a second error rate code plus a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship, wherein said first and second error rate codes correspond to said first and second rates;
• and
• determining that said current rate of said signal is said first rate if said second error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said second error rate code plus a first value, and otherwise determining that said current rate is said first rate.

In a communication system having means for transmitting that transmits each of a plurality of frames at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates, a receiver comprising:

• means for generating a plurality of error check values each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein only first and second check values of first and second rates favorably check, and wherein said plurality of rates includes said first and second rates;
• means for generating a plurality of error rate codes each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein first and second error rate codes correspond to said first and second rates;
• means, coupled to said means for generating a plurality of error check values and said means for generating a plurality of error rate codes, for comparing said first error rate code to said second error rate code plus a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship;
• and
• means, coupled to said means for comparing, for determining that said current rate of said current frame is said second rate if said first error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said second error rate code plus a first value, and otherwise determining that said current rate is said first rate.

In a communication system having a transmitter that transmits each of a signal at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates, a receiver comprising:

• an error check value generator configured to generate a plurality of error check values each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein only first and second check values of first and second rates favorably check, and wherein said first and second rates are from said plurality of rates;
• an error rate code generator configured to generate a plurality of error rate codes each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein first and second error rate codes correspond to said first and second rates;
• and
• a decoder coupled to said error check value generator and error rate code generator and configured to compare said first error rate code to said second error rate code plus a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship, determine that said current rate of said current frame is said second rate if said first error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said second error rate code plus a first value, and otherwise determine that said current rate is said first rate.

A communication system comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit a signal at a current rate, wherein said current rate corresponds to one of a plurality of rates;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive said signal, said receiver including:
• an error check value generator configured to generate a plurality of error check values each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein only first and second check values of first and second rates favorably check, and wherein said first and second rates are from said plurality of rates;
• an error rate code generator configured to generate a plurality of error rate codes each based on whether said current frame has one of said plurality of rates, wherein first and second error rate codes correspond to said first and second rates;
• and
• a decoder coupled to said error check value generator and error rate code generator and configured to compare said first error rate code to said second error rate code plus a first value based on a predetermined operational relationship, determine that said current rate of said current frame is said second rate if said first error rate code has said predetermined operational relationship to said second error rate code plus a first value, and otherwise determine that said current rate is said first rate.