Patent ID: 7469013

Claim:
A method of adaptive modulation in a wireless communications system, the wireless communications system including first and second transceivers operable to transmit and receive signals over a plurality of communications channels using a plurality of modulation modes, comprising the steps of: transmitting at least one first signal over a selected channel using a first modulation mode by the first transceiver, the first modulation mode having a level of distortion associated therewith resulting from operating the system at a predetermined maximum power output level; measuring a level of signal-to-noise and distortion (SINAD) on the first channel by the second transceiver; subtracting the level of distortion associated with the first modulation mode from the measured SINAD level to obtain a first noise level; and in the event the first noise level is less than a noise level required to achieve an acceptable error rate in a next modulation mode, transmitting at least one second signal over the selected channel using the next modulation mode by the first transceiver.