Wireless local area network system using space-time block coding (stbc) having backward compatibility with prior standards

A method of communicating data from N transmitting antennas, where N is an integer, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing by at least one computing device:
• determining whether a legacy transmission mode has been selected, wherein N equals 1 when the legacy transmission mode has been selected and N is greater than 1 when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected;
• producing N data streams from outbound data;
• applying the N data streams to a space/time encoder to produce N encoded signals;
• and
• transmitting the N encoded signals from N transmitting antennas;
• wherein when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected, the step of applying the N data streams to the space/time encoder comprises encoding the N data streams so that channel estimates can be performed by the receivers according to:
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• where ri(t) and ci(t) are the received and transmitted signals, respectively, ni represents noise terms and hi represents relationships between signals sent from the N transmitting antennas.

A transmitter for communicating data from N transmitting antennas, where N is an integer, comprising:

• determining means for determining whether a legacy transmission mode has been selected, wherein N equals 1 when the legacy transmission mode has been selected and N is greater than 1 when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected;
• producing means for producing N data streams from outbound data;
• encoding means for space/time encoding the N data streams to produce N encoded signals;
• and
• N transmitting antenna means for transmitting the N encoded signals;
• wherein when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected, the encoding means is configured to encode the N data streams so that channel estimates can be performed by the receivers according to:
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• where ri(t) and ci(t) are the received and transmitted signals, respectively, ni represents noise terms and hi represents relationships between signals sent from the N transmitting antennas.

A transmitter for communicating data from N transmitting antennas, where N is an integer, comprising:

• a legacy switch indicator, configured to determine whether a legacy transmission mode has been selected, wherein N equals 1 when the legacy transmission mode has been selected and N is greater than 1 when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected;
• a demultiplexer, configured to produce N data streams from outbound data;
• a space/time encoder, configured to encode the N data streams to produce N encoded signals;
• and
• N transmit antennas, configured to transmit the N encoded signals;
• wherein when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected, the space/time encoder is configured to encode the N data streams so that channel estimates can be performed by the receivers according to:
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• where ri(t) and ci(t) are the received and transmitted signals, respectively, ni represents noise terms and hi represents relationships between signals sent from the N transmitting antennas.

A transmitter for communicating data from N transmitting antennas, where N is an integer, comprising:

• one or more circuit operable to determine whether a legacy transmission mode has been selected, wherein N equals 1 when the legacy transmission mode has been selected and N is greater than 1 when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected;
• the one or more circuits operable to produce N data streams from outbound data;
• the one or more circuits operable to space/time encode the N data streams to produce N encoded signals;
• and
• the one or more circuits operable to transmit the N encoded signals via N transmitting antennas;
• wherein when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected, the one or more circuits is configured to encode the N data streams so that channel estimates can be performed by the receivers according to:
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• where ri(t) and ci(t) are the received and transmitted signals, respectively, ni represents noise terms and hi represents relationships between signals sent from the N transmitting antennas.

A transmitter for communicating data from N transmitting antennas, where N is an integer, comprising:

• determining means for determining whether a legacy transmission mode has been selected, wherein N equals 1 when the legacy transmission mode has been selected and N is greater than 1 when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected;
• producing means for producing N data streams from outbound data;
• encoding means for space/time encoding the N data streams to produce N encoded signals;
• and
• transmitting means for transmitting the N encoded signals via N transmitting antennas;
• wherein when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected, the encoding means is configured to encode the N data streams so that channel estimates can be performed by the receivers according to:
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• where ri(t) and ci(t) are the received and transmitted signals, respectively, ni represents noise terms and hi represents relationships between signals sent from the N transmitting antennas.

A transmitter for communicating data from N transmitting antennas, where N is an integer, comprising:

• a legacy switch indicator, configured to determine whether a legacy transmission mode has been selected, wherein N equals 1 when the legacy transmission mode has been selected and N is greater than 1 when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected;
• a demultiplexer, configured to produce N data streams from outbound data;
• a space/time encoder, configured to encode the N data streams to produce N encoded signals;
• and
• a transmitter circuit, configured to transmit the N encoded signals via N transmit antennas;
• wherein when the legacy transmission mode has not been selected, the space/time encoder is configured to encode the N data streams so that channel estimates can be performed by the receivers according to:
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• where ri(t) and ci(t) are the received and transmitted signals, respectively, ni represents noise terms and hi represents relationships between signals sent from the N transmitting antennas.