Decision feedback equalizer utilizing symbol error rate biased adaptation function for highly spectrally efficient communications

A system comprising:

• circuitry that includes a decision feedback equalizer (DFE), wherein the circuitry is operable to:
• determine values of tap coefficients used by the DFE based on:
• an error signal that is based on an estimated inter-symbol-correlated (ISC) signal;
• and
• a set of error vector(s), where each error vector in the set represents a difference between estimated symbols generated in the receiver and expected symbols,
• wherein the determination of the values of the tap coefficients includes use of a symbol error rate function that provides an estimation for the actual symbol error rate in the receiver, and wherein the symbol error rate function receives as input the set of error vector(s).

A method comprising, in a transmitter:

• receiving information from a receiver, the information being based on a function that estimates symbol error rate (SER) in a receiver, wherein the function uses a set of error vector(s), where each error vector in the set represents a difference between estimated symbols generated in the receiver and expected symbols;
• generating an inter-symbol-correlated (ISC) signal based on the information;
• and
• sending the ISC signal to the receiver where the receiver processes the ISC signal using the function that estimates SER.