Physical layer header for packet data

摘要

An approach for adapting to a variety of link propagation conditions is disclosed. A source terminal generates a packet data burst (200) that includes a header (203) and an optional payload (205). The header (203) is modulated using a default modulation scheme and is coded using a default coding scheme. A switch (107) is configured to receive and to forward the packet data burst (200). A destination terminal is configured to demodulate the header (203) using the default modulation scheme and the default coding scheme, and to examine the header (203) to determine a particular coding scheme and a particular modulation scheme associated with the payload (205). The protocol can be applied to any radio communication system, particularly, to a satellite communication system (100) with multiple satellite terminals (103, 105) (Fig. 2). <IMAGE>