Signaling format for wireless communications

1. A method for coding a signal for wireless communication, the method comprising:

determining, by a wireless communication device, a coding format according to a signal field;

arranging, by the wireless communication device, at least one bit in said signal field to comply with a channel width; and

generating, by the wireless communication device, a coded signal field according to said coding format and said at least one bit in said signal field.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining comprises determining a number of reserve bits in said signal field.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said determining comprises determining said number of reserve bits is 6.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said determining comprises determining said number of reserve bits is 4.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said determining comprises determining said number of reserve bits is 2 or less.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said arranging comprises applying a constraint length to said signal field.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said arranging comprises inserting at least one tail bit into said signal field.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating comprises coding said signal field using a convolutional code.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said coding comprises using said convolutional code at a ½ rate.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said coding comprises using said convolutional code at a ⅓ rate.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising encoding said signal field using a reed-solomon block code.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said encoding comprises generating at least one codeword.

13. A method for generating a signal field for wireless communication, the method comprising:

coding, by a wireless communication device, a signal field according to a coding format, wherein said coding format uses a convolutional code having a rate;

adding, by the wireless communication device, a preamble to said signal field to support communication over a first channel and a second channel, wherein said first channel is wider than said second channel; and

modulating, by the wireless communication device, said signal field over a set of subcarriers pertaining to said first channel.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising adding an interframe gap to said signal field.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said coding comprising selecting said coding format according to at least one bit within said signal field.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said coding comprises selecting said coding format according to a reserved bit sub-field within said signal field.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein said coding comprises encoding said signal field using a reed-solomon block code.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein said adding comprises formatting said preamble according to said first channel, wherein said first channel corresponds to a wireless standard.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein said adding comprises formatting said preamble according to said second channel, wherein said second channel corresponds to a legacy wireless standard.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein said modulating comprises modulating according to a quadrature phase shift key.

21. A method for generating a signal for wireless communication, the method comprising:

generating, by a wireless communication device, a signal field having a rate/mode sub-field, a length sub-field, at least one data unit sub-field and a reserved sub-field;

determining, by the wireless communication device, a coding format according to said reserved sub-field;

arranging, by the wireless communication device, at least one bit in said sub-fields according to said coding format and a wireless communication standard for said signal field; and

coding, by the wireless communication device, said signal field with said coding format.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising modulating said signal field over a set of subcarriers corresponding to said wireless communication standard.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein generating said signal field comprises generating an immediate acknowledgement sub-field for said signal field.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein said generating comprises generating said signal field having a length of about 26 bits to about 30 bits.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein said arranging comprises arranging said at least one bit according to said wireless communication standard and a legacy communication standard.

26. A device to code a signal for wireless communication, the device comprising:

a determiner configured to determine a coding format according to a signal field;

an arranger configured to arrange at least one bit in said signal field to comply with a channel width; and

a generator configured to generate a coded signal field according to said coding format and said at least one bit in said signal field.

27. A device to generate a signal field for wireless communication, the device comprising:

an encoder configured to code a signal field according to a coding format, wherein said coding format uses a convolutional code having a rate;

an adder configured to add a preamble to said signal field to support communication over a first channel and a second channel, wherein said first channel is wider than said second channel; and

a modulator configured to modulate said signal field over a set of subcarriers pertaining to said first channel.

28. A device to generate a signal for wireless communication, the device comprising:

a generator configured to generate a signal field having a rate/mode sub-field, a length sub-field, at least one data unit sub-field and a reserved sub-field;

a determiner configured to determine a coding format according to said reserved sub-field;

an arranger configured to arrange at least one bit in said sub-fields according to said coding format and a wireless communication standard for said signal field; and

an encoder configured to code said signal field with said coding format.

29. A device to generate a signal for wireless communication, the device comprising:

an encoder configured to receive a signal field, and to determine a coding format according to said signal field, wherein said encoder is configured to arrange at least one bit in said signal field to comply with a channel width of a wireless communication channel; and

a transmitter configured to transmit said signal field, wherein the transmitter further comprises a plurality of subcarriers corresponding to said wireless communication channel.

30. A system for coding a signal for wireless communication, the system comprising: determining means for determining a coding format according to a signal field; arranging means for arranging at least one bit in said signal field to comply with a channel width; and generating means for generating a coded signal field according to said coding format and said at least one bit in said signal field.

31. A system for generating a signal field for wireless communication, the system comprising:

coding means for coding a signal field according to a coding format, wherein said coding format uses a convolutional code having a rate;

adding means for adding a preamble to said signal field to support communication over a first channel and a second channel, wherein said first channel is wider than said second channel; and

modulating means for modulating said signal field over a set of subcarriers pertaining to said first channel.

32. A system for generating a signal for wireless communication, the system comprising:

generating means for generating a signal field having a rate/mode sub-field, a length sub-field, at least one data unit sub-field and a reserved sub-field;

determining means for determining a coding format according to said reserved sub-field;

arranging means for arranging at least one bit in said sub-fields according to said coding format and a wireless communication standard for said signal field; and

coding means for coding said signal field with said coding format.