Patent ID: 7839819

Claim:
A method for communicating information in a communications system, the method comprising: in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system utilizing a plurality of modulation types and a plurality of spatial streams, determining an aggregate geometric mean signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) based upon SNRs of each said plurality of spatial streams; selecting a current modulation type for modulating a current spatial stream to be transmitted; selecting at least one subsequent modulation type based on said selected current modulation type, for modulating at least one subsequent spatial stream to be transmitted; communicating a message indicating said selected current modulation type, and said at least one selected subsequent modulation type via an radio frequency (RF) channel to a transmitter; and configuring a receiver to receive subsequent data based on one or both of: said selected current modulation type and said selected at least one subsequent modulation type, wherein said respective selected current modulation type and said selected at least one subsequent modulation type are based on said determined aggregate geometric mean SNR.