Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for signaling high efficiency packet formats using a legacy portion of the preamble in wireless local-area networks

A method to signal a packet configuration performed by a high-efficiency (HE) wireless device, the method comprising:

• generating a packet comprising a legacy signal field (L-SIG) followed by a repeated L-SIG, the repeated L-SIG to indicate that the packet is a HE packet, the repeated L-SIG followed by one or more HE signal fields;
• configuring a length field of the L-SIG to signal to a second HE device a packet configuration of the HE packet, wherein a length of the L-SIG modulo 3 is used to signal;
• and
• configuring the HE wireless device to transmit the HE packet to the HEW device.

An apparatus of a high-efficiency (HE) station comprising circuitry configured to:

• decode a packet from a second HE station, the packet to include at least a legacy signal field (L-SIG);
• determine the L-SIG followed by a repeated L-SIG indicates that the packet is a HE packet;
• and
• if the L-SIG indicates that the packet is the HE-packet, determine whether the packet is a first packet format of the HE packet or a second packet format of the HE packet, wherein a value of a length subfield of the L-SIG modulo 3 is used to signal the first packet format or the second packet format.