Multi-rate overlay mode in wireless communication systems

A wireless communication device configured with a legacy wireless communication protocol (legacy protocol) and a multiple data rate (multi-rate) extension mechanism to the legacy protocol, comprising:

• a physical layer (PHY) module configured to transmit frames to and receive frames from a neighboring wireless communication device;
• and
• a communication stack module configured to:
• exchange rate information with the neighboring wireless communication device via frames transmitted and received by the PHY module in response to a determination that the neighboring wireless communication device is also configured with the multi-rate extension mechanism, wherein the rate information indicates that the wireless communication device and the neighboring wireless communication device support two or more different data transfer rates that are faster or slower than a legacy data transfer rate specified by the legacy protocol, wherein the legacy data transfer rate is achieved by a legacy modulation scheme specified by the legacy protocol,
• determine an appropriate data transfer rate from a group comprising the two or more different data transfer rates and the legacy data transfer rate, wherein the appropriate data transfer rate is determined based on the rate information and link quality information regarding a communication link between the wireless communication device and the neighboring wireless communication device, and
• communicate the appropriate data transfer rate to the neighboring wireless communication device via the PHY module, wherein the appropriate data transfer rate is utilized during communication between the wireless communication device and the neighboring wireless communication device,
• wherein the two or more different data transfer rates are associated with non-legacy modulation schemes;
• selecting a non-legacy modulation scheme based on the appropriate data transfer rate;
• performing modulation of the non-legacy header structure according to the legacy modulation scheme to produce a modulated data payload;
• forming a non-legacy header structure comprising a non-legacy start-of-frame delimiter (SFD) and an identifier of the selected non-legacy modulation scheme;
• performing modulation of the non-legacy header structure according to the legacy modulation scheme to produce a modulated non-legacy header structure;
• and
• assembling the modulated non-legacy header structure and the modulated data payload into a non-legacy frame having a structure that is different from a legacy frame structure specified by the legacy protocol.