Mode selection for data transmission in wireless communication channels based on statistical parameters

A method for selecting a mode from a set of modes for encoding data for transmission in a wireless communication channel between a transmit unit and a receive unit, said method comprising:

• a) transmitting said data encoded in an initial mode selected from said set of modes from said transmit unit to said receive unit;
• b) sampling a short-term quality parameter of said data received by said receive unit;
• c) computing a statistical parameter of said short-term quality parameter;
• d) selecting a subsequent mode from said set of modes for encoding said data based on said short-term statistical parameter;
• e) sampling a long-term quality parameter of said data received by said receive unit;
• and
• f) adjusting said subsequent mode selection in step d) based on said long-term quality parameter.

A system for assigning a subsequent mode for encoding data for transmission in a wireless communication channel, said system comprising:

• a) a transmit unit having a transmit processing block for encoding said data in a mode;
• b) a receive unit for receiving said data transmitted from said transmit unit, said receive unit having:
• 1) a statistics computation block for sampling at least one quality parameter of said data and computing a first-order statistical parameter of said at least one quality parameter and a second-order statistical parameter of said at least one quality parameter;
• 2) a mode selection block for assigning said subsequent mode based on said first-order statistical parameter and said second-order statistical parameter.

A method comprising:

• sampling at least one quality parameter of data received via a wireless communication channel from a remote transmitter, said data encoded according to initial mode;
• computing at least a first-order and second-order statistical parameter of said at least one quality parameter;
• and
• selecting a subsequent mode for encoding said data based, at least in part, on the computed at least first-order and said second-order statistical parameters.