Method and apparatus for transmitting wireless signals on multiple frequency channels in a frequency agile network

An apparatus comprising:

• a controller to generate a data unit;
• and
• a multi-channel wireless transmitter to transmit said data unit;
• wherein a first portion of said transmitted data unit includes first information that is coded over a single frequency channel and a second portion of said transmitted data unit includes second information that is coded across multiple frequency channels;
• wherein:
• said first information in said first portion of said transmitted data unit can be read by wireless client devices within a first class and wireless client devices within a second class;
• and said second information in said second portion of said transmitted data unit can be read by wireless client devices within said second class, but not by wireless client devices within said first class;
• wherein:
• said first information in said first portion of said transmitted data unit includes duration related information that can be used by a wireless client device within said first class to determine a duration for which said wireless client device is to remain quiet to avoid collision.

An article comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing platform, result in:

• generating a data unit;
• and
• wirelessly transmitting said data unit;
• wherein a first portion of said transmitted data unit includes first information that is coded over a single frequency channel and a second portion of said transmitted data unit includes second information that is coded across multiple frequency channels;
• wherein:
• said first information in said first portion of said transmitted data unit can be read by wireless client devices within a first class and wireless client devices within a second class;
• and said second information in said second portion of said transmitted data unit can be read by wireless client devices within said second class, but not by wireless client devices within said first class;
• wherein:
• said first information in said first portion of said transmitted data unit includes duration related information that can be used by a wireless client device within said first class to determine a duration for which said wireless client device is to remain quiet to avoid collision.

A system comprising:

• at least one dipole antenna
• a controller to generate a data unit;
• and
• a multi-channel wireless transmitter, coupled to said at least one dipole antenna, to transmit said data unit;
• wherein a first portion of said transmitted data unit includes first information that is coded over a single frequency channel and a second portion of said transmitted data unit includes second information that is coded across multiple frequency channels;
• wherein:
• said first information in said first portion of said transmitted data unit can be read by wireless client devices within a first class and wireless client devices within a second class;
• and said second information in said second portion of said transmitted data unit can be read by wireless client devices within said second class, but not by wireless client devices within said first class;
• wherein:
• said first information in said first portion of said transmitted data unit includes duration related information that can be used by a wireless client device within said first class to determine a duration for which said wireless client device is to remain quiet to avoid collision.

A wireless signal comprising:

• a first portion having first information that is coded over a single frequency channel;
• and
• a second portion having second information that is coded across multiple frequency channels;
• wherein:
• said first information in said first portion can be read by wireless client devices within a first class and wireless client devices within a second class;
• and said second information in said second portion can be read by wireless client devices within said second class, but not by wireless client devices within said first class;
• wherein:
• said first portion includes duration related information that can be used by a wireless client device within said first class to determine a duration for which said wireless client device is to remain quiet to avoid collision.

A method for avoiding a collision in a wireless network comprising:

• sensing a transmitted data unit within a first wireless client device that is operative within a single frequency channel;
• reading a first portion of the transmitted data unit to determine that the transmitted data unit is a mixed data unit that includes a second portion that is coded across multiple frequency channels and that cannot be read by the first wireless client device;
• reading duration related information from the first portion of the transmitted data unit to determine a duration for which the first wireless client device is to remain quiet;
• and
• remaining quiet for the indicated duration.