Radio frequency communication network having adaptive communication parameters

Circuitry for use in a base station of a wireless communication network, where the wireless communication network is operable to communicate using spread spectrum communication, the circuitry comprising:

• one or more circuits that operate to, at least:
• receive a message from a mobile terminal of the wireless communication network indicative of a data rate selected by the mobile terminal from a plurality of selectable data rates for wireless transmissions from the base station to the mobile terminal, where at least a portion of the message is based on an evaluation by the mobile terminal of an RF communication channel between the base station and the mobile terminal, said evaluation based, at least in part, on signal strength of a signal received by the mobile terminal from the base station;
• determine whether to transmit to the mobile terminal at the data rate indicated by the received message;
• and
• if it is determined to transmit to the mobile terminal at the data rate indicated by the received message, then select one of a plurality of different types of modulation and a type or degree of error correction coding to utilize for future transmissions to the mobile terminal over an RF communication channel that is multiplexed between the mobile terminal and at least a second mobile terminal that need not utilize the same type of modulation as the mobile terminal,
• where the plurality of different types of modulation comprise at least a first type of multi-level modulation and a second type of multi-level modulation different from the first type of multi-level modulation.

Circuitry for use in a mobile terminal of a wireless communication network, where the wireless communication network is operable to communicate using spread spectrum communication, the circuitry comprising:

• at least one circuit that operates to, at least:
• evaluate, based at least in part on signal strength, an RF communication channel between a base station of the wireless communication network and the mobile terminal;
• select a desired data rate from a plurality of selectable data rates based on said evaluation of the RF communication channel
• generate a message to be communicated to the base station, the message indicative of the selected data rate;
• and
• cause the mobile terminal to transmit the generated message to the base station,
• where the message causes the base station to, at least:
• under first operating conditions determined at least in part by the base station, continue utilizing a current type of multi-level modulation and a current type or degree of error correction coding for a future transmission to the mobile terminal over an RF communication channel that is multiplexed between the mobile terminal and at least a second mobile terminal that need not utilize the same type of modulation as the mobile terminal;
• and
• under second operating conditions determined at least in part by the base station, select a second type of multi-level modulation, different from the current type of multi-level modulation, and a second type or degree of error correction coding, different from the current type or degree of error correction coding, to utilize for a future transmission to the mobile terminal over an RF communication channel that is multiplexed between the mobile terminal and at least a second mobile terminal that need not utilize the same type of modulation as the mobile terminal.

Circuitry for use in a mobile terminal of a wireless communication network, where the wireless communication network is operable to communicate utilizing spread spectrum communication, the circuitry comprising:

• at least one circuit that operates to, at least:
• evaluate, based at least in part on signal strength, an RF communication channel between a base station of the wireless communication network and the mobile terminal;
• select a desired data rate from a plurality of selectable data rates based on said evaluation of the RF communication channel;
• generate a message to be communicated to the base station, the message indicative of the selected data rate;
• and
• cause the mobile terminal to transmit the generated message to the base station,
• where the message comprises characteristics that, when considered by the base station in addition to information independent of the message, result in the base station selecting one of a plurality of different types of modulation to utilize for a future transmission to the mobile terminal over an RF communication channel that is multiplexed between the mobile terminal and at least a second mobile terminal that need not utilize the same type of modulation as the mobile terminal,
• the plurality of different types of modulation comprising at least a first type of multi-level modulation and a second type of multi-level modulation different from the first type of multi-level modulation.