Data retransmission request device, a data transmitter, and a data retransmission method for multi-tone systems

1. A data retransmission request device for use in a multi-tone data transmission system wherein data are modulated on a set of M tones for being transmitted between a transmitter and a receiver,

wherein said data retransmission request device is adapted to request to said transmitter retransmission of a data transmission unit that is hierarchically modulated at a particular hierarchical level and that is modulated on a particular group of N tones, N being a positive integer value greater than one and smaller than or equal to M.

2. A data retransmission request device according to claim 1 , wherein said group of N tones comprises a group of N successive tones out of said M tones ranked according to their bit loading capacity.

3. A data retransmission request device according to claim 1 , wherein said data transmission unit comprises data, a cyclic redundancy check, and a unique identification of said data transmission unit, and wherein said data retransmission request device is adapted to request retransmission of said data transmission unit when said cyclic redundancy check indicates that said data transmission unit is received erroneously.

4. A data retransmission request device according to claim 3 , further adapted to generate a retransmission request containing said unique identification of said data transmission unit.

5. A data retransmission request device according to claim 1 , wherein said data transmission unit comprises data, a forward error correction code, and a unique identification of said data transmission unit, and wherein said data retransmission request device is adapted to request retransmission of said data transmission unit when said forward error correction code fails to restore said data transmission unit.

6. A data retransmission request device according to claim 1 , further adapted to generate a retransmission request containing an identification of said particular group of N tones, an identification of said particular hierarchical level, and a multi-tone data symbol identification.

7. A data retransmission request device according to claim 1 , wherein said data transmission unit comprises b×N bits, b being a positive integer number of bits that is modulated at each hierarchical level on each tone within said group of N tones.

8. A data transmitter for use in a multi-tone data transmission system wherein data are modulated on a set of M tones for being transmitted between said data transmitter and a receiver,

wherein said data transmitter comprises:

a retransmission buffer adapted to temporarily memorize transmitted data transmission units;

a retransmission request receiving module adapted to receive and interpret a request for retransmission of a data transmission unit that is hierarchically modulated at a particular hierarchical level and that is modulated on a particular group of N tones, N being a positive integer value greater than one and smaller than or equal to M; and

a retransmission module adapted to retransmit said data transmission unit.

9. A data retransmission method in a multi-tone data transmission system wherein data are modulated on a set of M tones and transmitted between a transmitter and a receiver,

wherein said data retransmission method comprises:

temporarily memorizing transmitted data transmission units in said transmitter;

requesting to said transmitter retransmission of a data transmission unit that is hierarchically modulated at a particular hierarchical level and that is modulated on a particular group of N tones, N being a positive integer value greater than one and smaller than or equal to M; and

retransmitting said data transmission unit.