Abstract: A multimode wireless communication device includes a first circuit having a digital baseband processing module to convert outbound data into outbound digital baseband signals and to convert inbound digital baseband signals into inbound data, an analog to digital converter module to convert inbound analog baseband signals into the inbound digital baseband signals, and a digital to analog converter module to convert the outbound digital baseband signals into outbound analog baseband signals. A second circuit includes a first radio section and a third circuit includes a second radio section. A diversity antenna arrangement includes a first antenna, a second antenna, a first diplexer coupled to the first antenna, and a second diplexer coupled to the second antenna, that selectively couples the first radio section to one of the first antenna and the second antenna, and that selectively couples the second radio section to one of the first antenna and the second antenna.

Abstract: A method for controlling transmit power of a radio frequency integrated circuit begins by sampling a continuous transmit signal strength indication (TSSI) for a predetermined number of sampling cycles to produce a plurality of TSSI samples. The process then proceeds to determine a normalized TSSI from the plurality of TSSI samples. The processing continues by converting the normalized TSSI into an estimated transmit power. The process continues by comparing the estimated transmit power with a desired transmit power. The processing then continues by determining a transmit power error based on the comparison of the estimated transmit power with the desired power. The process then continues by adjusting gain of a transmit section of the radio frequency integrated circuit based on the transmit power error such that the estimated transmit power substantially matches the desired transmit power.

Abstract: A technique to provide proprietary MIMO format in a product and ability to support a new standard when the new standard is developed for wireless communication in a MIMO system. A product may include a “hook” to allow for the protection of existing proprietary MIMO mode of operation, once a new MIMO standard is made available to the industry. Once an access point device is upgraded to the new MIMO standard for communicating, the hook may be used to elicit a certain response from a given station to protect the proprietary MIMO mode for communicating with those stations not yet upgraded. In one technique, a proprietary information element in a beacon is used as the hook and RTS+CTS or CTS-to-self condition are used to inform the access point device to continue use of the proprietary MIMO mode.

Abstract: A general architecture scheme to perform channel estimation on orthogonal transmissions for any number of transmitting antennas present. Generally, the channel estimation is applicable for wireless communications in a MIMO system.

Abstract: A transceiver device for processing a frame in a wireless local area network, where the frame is one of several frame formats, which include a high throughput frame format. The transceiver device receives a frame having a training sequence, a signal field and a data payload, and processes the training sequence to detect which signal field length of a plurality of signal field lengths was used in the received frame. With the signal field length, the device processes the signal field based upon the detected signal field length to retrieve the data payload processing information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamic frequency selection in a wireless communication system or network includes processing that begins when an access point determines interference on a wireless channel that is being used by the access point. When the interference exceeds an interference threshold, the access point provides a request packet to affiliated stations being serviced by the access point for channel spectrum information. The processing continues as the affiliated stations generate the channel spectrum information regarding each of the wireless channels in the wireless communication network. The processing proceeds then as the affiliated stations provide the channel spectrum information to the access point via the current wireless channel. The access point interprets the channel spectrum information to determine a desired wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels within the wireless communication network.

Abstract: A method for generating a preamble of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) data frame for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication includes determining at least one system condition preamble format parameter. When the system condition preamble format parameter satisfies a first preamble format parameter a preamble having a first preamble format is formed. When the system condition preamble format parameter satisfies a second preamble format parameter, a preamble having a second preamble format is formed. Further, when the system condition preamble format parameter satisfies a third preamble format parameter, a preamble having a third preamble format is formed. The first, second, and third preamble formats differ based upon their lengths, fields, and modulation formats of a high throughput signal field.

Abstract: A radio frequency transmitter includes a digital baseband and coding module, an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) module, a complex digital filter, a complex digital-to-analog converter and a radio frequency modulation module. The digital baseband and coding module is operably coupled to convert outbound data into outbound symbols in accordance with a baseband encoding protocol. The IFFT module is operably coupled to convert the outbound symbols into a complex time domain sample sequence. The complex digital filter is operably coupled to filter the complex time domain sequence such that signal strength of outbound RF signals in an exclusion RF band is at or below a specified signal strength with negligible attenuation on in-band signal strength.

Abstract: A multimode wireless communication includes a digital baseband processing module, an analog to digital converter module, a digital to analog converter module, a first radio section, and a second radio section. The digital baseband processing module is operably coupled to convert outbound data into outbound digital baseband signals and to convert inbound digital baseband signals into inbound data. The analog to digital converter module is operably coupled to convert inbound analog baseband signals into the inbound digital baseband signals. The digital to analog converter module is operably coupled to convert the outbound digital baseband signals into outbound analog baseband signals. The first radio section is operably coupled to convert the outbound analog baseband signals into first outbound radio frequency (RF) signals and to convert first inbound RF signals into the inbound analog baseband signals when the wireless communication device is in a first mode of operation.

Abstract: Carrier detection applicable for SISO, MIMO, MISO, and SIMO communications. A novel approach is presented to perform carrier detection for a signal found in any of a wide variety of communication systems including single-input-multiple-output (SISO), multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO), multiple-input-single-output (MISO) single-input-multiple-output (SIMO), communication systems. This novel approach to performing carrier detection is more robust than those approaches existent in the art. By employing normalization with respect to power in determined a modified correlation function, there is less susceptibility to false detects. Also, this approach is quite robust to any circuitry DC offsets that may undesirably exist within a communication device that undergoes operational changes due to a variety of factors including environmental perturbations and/or changes in processing circuitry within the communication device (e.g., changes in gain control).

Abstract: A configurable spectral mask for a channel for use in a wireless communication includes a channel pass region, a floor region, and a transition region. The channel pass region provides a first usable signal bandwidth of a plurality of usable signal bandwidths corresponding to a first channel width of a plurality of channel widths. The floor region provides a first floor attenuation value of a plurality of floor attenuation values corresponding to the first channel width. The transition region providing a first transition attenuation of a plurality of transition attenuations from the channel pass region to the floor region, wherein the first attenuation region corresponds to the first channel width.

Abstract: A method of space-time and/or space-frequency block encoding begins by receiving at least two complex signals, wherein each of the at least two complex signals includes a real component and an imaginary component. The method continues, for each of the at least two complex signals, by generating a swapped complex signal, wherein each of at least two swapped complex signals includes a swapped real component and a swapped imaginary component, wherein the swapped real component corresponds to the imaginary component and wherein the swapped imaginary component corresponds to the real component. The method continues by encoding the at least two complex signals and the at least two swapped complex signals to produce space-time and/or space-frequency block encoded signals.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) disposed in a data reception path to convert data from an analog format to a digital format is switched between two or more power modes to conserve power when data is not being received. ADC stays in a lower power-lower precision mode until an inbound data is detected, at which time the ADC switches to a higher power-higher precision mode to convert the data. Once data conversion is completed, the ADC switches back to the lower power-lower precision mode to conserve power.

Abstract: A multi-protocol wireless communication baseband transceiver includes a baseband transmit processing module and a baseband receive processing module. The baseband transmit processing module includes an encoding module, an interleaving module, a plurality of symbol mapping modules, a plurality of domain conversion modules, a plurality of cyclic prefix modules, a plurality of compensation modules, and a control module that is operably coupled to produce preamble set up information and payload set up information based on a mode of a plurality of protocol modes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamic frequency selection in a wireless communication system or network includes processing that begins when an access point determines interference on a wireless channel that is being used by the access point. When the interference exceeds an interference threshold, the access point provides a request packet to affiliated stations being serviced by the access point for channel spectrum information. The processing continues as the affiliated stations generate the channel spectrum information regarding each of the wireless channels in the wireless communication network. The processing proceeds then as the affiliated stations provide the channel spectrum information to the access point via the current wireless channel. The access point interprets the channel spectrum information to determine a desired wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels within the wireless communication network.

Abstract: A method for feeding back transmitter beamforming information from a receiving wireless communication device to a transmitting wireless communication device includes a receiving wireless communication device receiving a preamble sequence from the transmitting wireless device. The receiving wireless device estimates a channel response based upon the preamble sequence and then determines an estimated transmitter beamforming unitary matrix based upon the channel response and a receiver beamforming unitary matrix. The receiving wireless device then decomposes the estimated transmitter beamforming unitary matrix to produce the transmitter beamforming information and then wirelessly sends the transmitter beamforming information to the transmitting wireless device.

Abstract: A programmable transmitter generates a frame in a frame format according to one of a plurality of operating modes using a frame structure table storing a respective frame format for each of the operating modes. The transmitter includes a frame structure engine that receives a mode selection signal indicative of a select operating mode, and accesses the frame structure table to determine the frame format of the select operating mode. The frame structure engine produces a control signal to a frame generator to control the generation of a frame in the frame format of the select operating mode.

Abstract: A programmable transmitter generates a frame preamble to train a receiver with respect to a communication link format that corresponds to a transmission mode wherein the transmission mode may comprise transmitting the communication link over one or more antennas. Generally, the invention includes generating a preamble with an arrangement that depends upon whether a Greenfield (high data rate) or mixed mode transmission is to occur and that depends upon a number of spatial streams that are to be generated. One format for high data rate transmission includes a short training sequence, a long training sequence and a signal field. The mixed mode transmission further includes a legacy prefix.

Abstract: A network interface is presented that receives packet data from a shared medium and accomplishes the signal processing required to convert the data packet to host computer formatted data separately from receiving the data packet. The network interface receives the data packet, converts the analog signal to a digitized signal, and stores the resulting sample packet in a storage queue. An off-line processor, which may be the host computer itself, performs the signal processing required to interpret the sample packet. In transmission, the off-line process converts host-formatted data to a digitized version of a transmission data packet and stores that in a transmission queue. A transmitter converts the transmission data packet format and transmits the data to the shared medium.

Abstract: A method for coordinating multiple protocols using a shared communication medium by a plurality of networks begins by exchanging packets between a plurality of communication devices to obtain access to the shared communication medium, wherein the packets are formatted in accordance with at least one of the multiple protocols of at least one of the plurality of networks. The method continues by transmitting by at least one of the plurality of communication devices within another one of the plurality of networks via the shared communication medium.