Method and apparatus for generating a PHY data unit
AssigneeMarvell International Ltd.
InventorsHongyuan Zhang, Mingguang Xu, Yakun Sun
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Abstract
A physical layer (PHY) preamble is generated, the PHY preamble defined by a first wireless communication protocol and including a first portion that corresponds to a legacy PHY preamble defined by a second, legacy wireless communication protocol. The PHY preamble also includes a second portion that is defined by the first wireless communication protocol. Error detection information is generated using a first field in the first portion of the PHY preamble. The second portion of the PHY preamble is generated to include the error detection information in a second field. The PHY data unit is generated so that the PHY data unit includes the PHY preamble.
Claims22
A method implemented by a physical layer (PHY) processing unit of a wireless network interface device, the PHY processing unit configured to generate PHY data units for transmission in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
- generating, at the PHY processing unit, a legacy portion of a physical layer (PHY) preamble, wherein
- the PHY preamble is defined by a non-legacy wireless communication protocol, and
- the legacy portion corresponds to a legacy PHY preamble defined by a legacy wireless communication protocol, wherein communication devices operating according to the legacy wireless communication protocol are configured to decode the legacy portion;
- generating, at the PHY processing unit, error detection information using a first field in the legacy portion of the PHY preamble;
- generating, at the PHY processing unit, a non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble, wherein i) communication devices operating according to the non-legacy wireless communication protocol are configured to decode the non-legacy portion and ii) communication devices operating according to the legacy wireless communication protocol are not configured to decode the non-legacy portion, wherein generating the non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble comprises
- including the error detection information in a second field in the non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble such that a receiving communication device, operating according to the non-legacy wireless communication protocol, detects an error, when present, in the first field in the legacy portion of the PHY preamble using the error detection information in the second field in the non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble;
- and
- generating, at the PHY processing unit, the PHY data unit so that the PHY data unit includes the PHY preamble, wherein the PHY data unit conforms to the non-legacy wireless communication protocol.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a network interface device comprising:
- a physical layer (PHY) processing unit implemented using one or more integrated circuits, the PHY processing unit configured to generate PHY data units for transmission in a wireless communication network, and
- a medium access control (MAC) processing unit implemented using one or more integrated circuits, the MAC processing unit coupled to the PHY processing unit;
- wherein the PHY processing unit is configured to:
- generate a legacy portion of a physical layer (PHY) preamble, wherein
- the PHY preamble is defined by a non-legacy wireless communication protocol, and
- the legacy portion corresponds to a legacy PHY preamble defined by a legacy wireless communication protocol, wherein communication devices operating according to the legacy communication protocol are configured to decode the legacy portion;
- wherein the PHY processing unit is further configured to:
- generate error detection information using a first field in the legacy portion of the PHY preamble,
- generate a non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble, wherein i) communication devices operating according to the non-legacy communication protocol are configured to decode the non-legacy portion and ii) communication devices operating according to the legacy communication protocol are not configured to decode the non-legacy portion, and wherein generating the non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble comprises
- including the error detection information in a second field in the non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble such that a receiving communication device, operating according to the non-legacy communication protocol, detects an error, when present, in the first field in the legacy portion of the PHY preamble using the error detection information in the second field in the non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble;
- and
- wherein the PHY processing unit is further configured to:
- generate the PHY data unit so that the PHY data unit includes the PHY preamble, wherein the PHY data unit conforms to the non-legacy wireless communication protocol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.