Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method, and computer program

A wireless communication apparatus that operates in a wireless communication environment in which a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol are used, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit a wireless signal;
• a receiver configured to receive a wireless signal;
• a packet generator configured to generate a packet that is to be transmitted, the packet generator providing a rate field and a length field representing a transmission rate and a packet length of the packet in a first signal field compliant with the first communication protocol;
• a packet analyzer configured to analyze a packet that is received;
• and
• a communication controller configured to control communications carried out by the transmitter and the receiver according to a result of analyzing the received packet by the packet analyzer;
• wherein the packet generator attaches the first signal field and a second signal field compliant with the second communication protocol to a header of a packet that is transmitted according to the second communication protocol, the first signal field including a parity bit, and
• wherein the packet analyzer performs a parity check on the first signal field of the received packet, and when no parity error is detected, the packet analyzer further checks whether the rate field in the first signal field of the packet includes a bit sequence representing one predetermined specific value.

A wireless communication method for carrying out communications in a wireless communication environment in which a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol are used, the wireless communication method comprising the steps of:

• generating a packet having a header to which a first signal field according to the first communication protocol is attached, the first signal field including a parity bit, and transmitting the packet according to the first communication protocol;
• generating a packet having a header to which a first signal field according to the first communication protocol and a second signal field according to the second communication protocol are attached, the first signal field including a parity bit, and transmitting the packet according to the second communication protocol;
• receiving a packet from another communication station;
• performing a parity check on the first signal field of the received packet, and when no parity error is detected, further checking whether a rate field in the first signal field of the packet includes a bit sequence representing one predetermined specific value;
• detecting whether a valid second signal field exists subsequently to the first signal field of the received packet;
• and
• receiving a frame subsequent to a signal field according to either the first communication protocol or the second communication protocol in accordance with a result of checking the first signal field of the received packet or a result of detecting whether a valid second signal field exists.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a computer program written in a computer-readable form so that a computer is allowed to execute processing for carrying out communications in a wireless communication environment in which a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol are used, the computer program allowing the computer to execute the steps of:

• generating a packet having a header to which a first signal field according to the first communication protocol is attached, the first signal field including a parity bit, and transmitting the packet according to the first communication protocol;
• generating a packet having a header to which a first signal field according to the first communication protocol and a second signal field according to the second communication protocol are attached, the first signal field including a parity bit, and transmitting the packet according to the second communication protocol;
• receiving a packet from another communication station;
• performing a parity check on the first signal field of the received packet, and when no parity error is detected, further checking whether a rate field in the first signal field of the packet includes a bit sequence representing one predetermined specific value;
• detecting whether a valid second signal field exists subsequently to the first signal field of the received packet;
• and
• receiving a frame subsequent to a signal field according to either the first communication protocol or the second communication protocol in accordance with a result of checking the first signal field of the received packet or a result of detecting whether a valid second signal field exists.

A wireless communication apparatus that operates in a wireless communication environment in which a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol are used, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit a wireless signal;
• a receiver configured to receive a wireless signal;
• a packet generator configured to generate a packet that is to be transmitted;
• a packet analyzer configured to analyze a packet that is received;
• and
• a communication controller configured to control communications carried out by the transmitter and the receiver according to a result of analyzing the received packet by the packet analyzer;
• wherein the packet generator attaches a first signal field compliant with the first communication protocol and a second signal field compliant with the second communication protocol to a header of a packet that is transmitted according to the second communication protocol, the first signal field including a parity bit, and
• wherein the packet analyzer performs a parity check on the first signal field of the received packet, and when no parity error is detected, the packet analyzer further checks whether a rate field in the first signal field of the packet includes a bit sequence representing one predetermined specific value.