Rate adaptive XDSL communication system and method

A method for determining performance characteristics for XDSL equipment, comprising:

• training an XDSL link for XDSL equipment at a plurality of data rates;
• determining performance data for the XDSL link for each of the data rates;
• and
• storing the performance data for each of the data rates.

A device for maintaining rate adaptive performance data for XDSL equipment, comprising:

• a memory storing performance data describing bit error rates for associated data rates based on operating parameters;
• and
• an interface operable to:
• receive actual operating parameters and a desired bit error rate;
• access the performance data using the actual operating parameters and the desired bit error rate to determine a data rate for achieving the desired bit error rate;
• and
• output the data rate.

An apparatus for rate adaptive XDSL communication, comprising:

• an XDSL link;
• a memory storing performance data for the apparatus;
• and
• a processor operable to:
• train the XDSL link at a first data rate;
• determine whether the first data rate will provide a desired bit error rate based on parameters of the trained XDSL link and the performance data;
• select a second data rate if the first data rate will not provide the desired bit error rate;
• and
• train the XDSL link at the second data rate.

An apparatus for rate adaptive XDSL communication, comprising:

• an XDSL interface operable to couple to an XDSL link;
• a memory storing performance data for the apparatus;
• and
• a processor operable to:
• train the XDSL link at a first data rate;
• determine whether the first data rate will provide a desired bit error rate based on parameters of the trained XDSL link and the performance data;
• select a second data rate if the first data rate will not provide the desired bit error rate;
• and
• train the XDSL link at the second data rate.