The present invention relates to
link adaptation in
wireless communication, and in particular though not exclusively to
wireless local area networks (WLAN). The present invention provides a
link adaptation system for communication systems using multiple but separate transmission parameter options. This equates to a “double
list” approach compared with the known “single
list” approach. The data can be transmitted according to two or more series of predetermined transmission
modes, each mode series having a
common base transmission parameter such as its space time coding, and one or more rate transmission parameters such as modulation or channel coding rate. Examples of different space time coding include a more robust Alamouti ST code and a
spatial multiplexing code such as BLAST. The base and rate transmission parameters can be changed independent of each other thus providing a “2D”
adaptation path network of up-rating and down-rating paths. This arrangement provides great flexibility because no explicit, reliable or continuous
estimation of certain channel parameters is needed (e.g. on SNR, interference,
channel correlation, factors that can vary with time and is difficult to reliably estimate).