A novel adaptive coding scheme for throughput maximization over Rayleigh fading channels based on the use of Markov chains

Adaptive coding techniques have been proposed in the literature as a method of increasing the throughput obtained by each user in wireless communication systems. Some of these schemes, along with adaptive modulation, have been adopted as part of the next generation mobile communications systems standards including GPRS and EDGE. These systems aim at providing users with high data rates reaching approximately 400 Kbps. In this paper, we present a novel adaptive coding technique for Rayleigh fading channels based on the use of Markov chains. A complete mathematical analysis of the system is presented and the performance of the system is compared, in terms of throughput, to other nonadaptive schemes pointing out its efficiency in obtaining the maximum throughput.