Combating Performance Degradation in Highly Mobile Networks Using Rate Control

Abstract

We examine a simple technique for combating performance degradation by, adjusting the rate of the received signal. Using adaptive demodulation, the receiver can respond to deteriorating conditions trading BER for rate and vice-versa, without involving the transmitter. This way the receiver has more control on the tolerated distortion. The implementation of this technique does not require modifications of the hardware of neither the transmitter nor the receiver, and its application can be very practical. The performance degradation which occurs by receiving a degraded version reliably versus receiving a non-degraded version unreliably, depends on the service and can be very subjective, making this technique very attractive for voice and video communication. This technique, independently or jointly with slow power control, can be a useful tool in network control and resource allocation.<P> <ul><i> A copy of this report has been published in the proceedings of <br> The 1st Annual Advanced Telecommunications/Information Distribution Research Program Conference, January 21-22, 1997. </i></ul>