Physical layer frame format for WLAN
First Claim
1. A method for generating a physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission via a communication channel, the PHY data unit conforming to a first communication protocol, the method comprising:
- generating, at a first communication device, a PHY preamble for the PHY data unit, including;
generating a first portion of the PHY preamble to include a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit,generating a second signal field,including in the PHY preamble the second signal field and a duplicate of the second signal field, andformatting the PHY preamble such that the first portion of the PHY preamble is decodable by any second communication device that conforms to a second communication protocol, but does not conform to the first communication protocol, to determine a duration of the PHY data unit based on the length subfield in the first portion of the PHY preamble; and
generating, at the first communication device, the PHY data unit to include the PHY preamble.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first communication device generates a physical layer (PHY) preamble for a PHY data unit that conforms to a first communication protocol. A first portion of the PHY preamble is generated to include a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit, A second signal field is generated, and the second signal field and a duplicate of the second signal field are included in the PHY preamble. The PHY preamble is formatted such that the first portion of the PHY preamble is decodable by any second communication device that conforms to a second communication protocol, but does not conform to the first communication protocol, to determine a duration of the PHY data unit based on the length subfield in the first portion of the PHY preamble. The first communication device generates the PHY data unit to include the PHY preamble.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for generating a physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission via a communication channel, the PHY data unit conforming to a first communication protocol, the method comprising:
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generating, at a first communication device, a PHY preamble for the PHY data unit, including; generating a first portion of the PHY preamble to include a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit, generating a second signal field, including in the PHY preamble the second signal field and a duplicate of the second signal field, and formatting the PHY preamble such that the first portion of the PHY preamble is decodable by any second communication device that conforms to a second communication protocol, but does not conform to the first communication protocol, to determine a duration of the PHY data unit based on the length subfield in the first portion of the PHY preamble; and generating, at the first communication device, the PHY data unit to include the PHY preamble. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A first communication device, comprising:
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a network interface device having one or more integrated circuits configured to generate a physical layer (PHY) preamble for a PHY data unit, including generating a first portion of the PHY preamble to include a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit, generating a second signal field, including in the PHY preamble the second signal field and a duplicate of the second signal field, and formatting the PHY preamble such that the first portion of the PHY preamble is decodable by any second communication device that conforms to a second communication protocol, but does not conform to the first communication protocol, to determine a duration of the PHY data unit based on the length subfield in the first portion of the PHY preamble; wherein the one or more integrated circuits are further configured to generate the PHY data unit to include the PHY preamble, and cause the network interface device to transmit the PHY data unit via a wireless communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for processing a physical layer (PHY) data unit received via a communication channel, the PHY data unit conforming to a first communication protocol, the method comprising:
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processing, at a communication device, a PHY preamble of the PHY data unit, including; detecting, in a first portion of the PHY preamble, a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit, detecting, in the PHY preamble, a second signal field, detecting, in the PHY preamble, a duplicate of the second signal field; and determining, at the communication device, that the PHY data unit conforms to a first communication protocol and does not conform to a second communication protocol that is a legacy communication protocol, based on detecting the second signal field and detecting the duplicate of the second signal field in the PHY preamble. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A communication device, comprising:
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a network interface device having one or more integrated circuits configured to process a PHY preamble of the PHY data unit, including; detecting, in a first portion of the PHY preamble, a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit, detecting, in the PHY preamble, a second signal field, and detecting, in the PHY preamble, a duplicate of the second signal field; wherein the one or more integrated circuits are further configured to determine that the PHY data unit conforms to a first communication protocol and does not conform to a second communication protocol that is a legacy communication protocol, based on detecting the second signal field and detecting the duplicate of the second signal field in the PHY preamble. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for processing a physical layer (PHY) data unit received via a communication channel, the PHY data unit conforming to a first communication protocol, the method comprising:
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processing, at a communication device, a PHY preamble of the PHY data unit, including; detecting, in a first portion of the PHY preamble, a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit, detecting, in the PHY preamble, a second signal field, detecting, in the PHY preamble, a duplicate of the second signal field, determining that the duplicate of the second signal field is modulated with a phase shift of 90 degrees with respect to the first signal field and the second signal field, and determining that the value of the length subfield is not a multiple of three, wherein a first communication protocol requires that the length subfield be set to a value specifying a number of bytes that is a multiple of three, and wherein the first communication protocol is a legacy protocol; and determining, at the communication device, that the PHY data unit conforms to a second communication protocol and does not conform to the first communication protocol, based on i) determining that the duplicate of the second signal field is modulated with the phase shift of 90 degrees with respect to the first signal field and the second signal field, and ii) determining that the value of the length subfield is not a multiple of three. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A communication device, comprising:
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a network interface device having one or more integrated circuits configured to process a PHY preamble of the PHY data unit, including; detecting, in a first portion of the PHY preamble, a first signal field having a length subfield that indicates a length of the PHY data unit, detecting, in the PHY preamble, a second signal field, detecting, in the PHY preamble, a duplicate of the second signal field, determining that the duplicate of the second signal field is modulated with a phase shift of 90 degrees with respect to the first signal field and the second signal field, and determining that the value of the length subfield is not a multiple of three, wherein a first communication protocol requires that the length subfield be set to a value specifying a number of bytes that is a multiple of three, and wherein the first communication protocol is a legacy protocol; and wherein the one or more integrated circuits are further configured to determine that the PHY data unit conforms to a second communication protocol and does not conform to the first communication protocol, based on i) determining that the duplicate of the second signal field is modulated with the phase shift of 90 degrees with respect to the first signal field and the second signal field, and ii) determining that the value of the length subfield is not a multiple of three. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification