Signaling guard interval capability in a communication system

1. A method for determining capabilities of a first communication device in a wireless network, wherein the wireless network is configured to use a first guard interval between symbols or a second guard interval between symbols, wherein the first guard interval has a length shorter than a length of the second guard interval, the method comprising:

analyzing, at a second communication device, a field in a data unit received from the first communication device to determine a set of two or more modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) supported by the first communication device and to determine whether one or more MCSs in the set of two or more MCSs are supported by the first communication device when using the first guard interval, including,

analyzing a first subfield to determine the set of two or more MCSs supported by the first communication device, and

analyzing a second subfield to determine a highest supported data rate,

wherein the highest supported data rate indicates whether each of the two or more MCSs is supported by the first communication device when using the first guard interval; and

utilizing, at the second communication device, i) one MCS in the set of two or more MCSs and ii) the first guard interval a) when communicating with the first communication device and b) when it is determined that the one MCS is supported by the first communication device when using the first guard interval.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, at the second communication device, a number of encoders or decoders at the first communication device,

wherein the number of encoders or decoders at the first communication device further indicates whether each of the two or more MCSs is supported when using the first guard interval.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein analyzing the field comprises:

analyzing the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs for receiving supported by the first communication device;

analyzing the field to determine whether each of the two or more MCSs for receiving is supported when using the first guard interval;

analyzing the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs for transmitting supported by the first communication device;

analyzing the field to determine whether each of the two or more MCSs for transmitting is supported when using the first guard interval; and

wherein utilizing the one MCS comprises:

utilizing i) a first MCS from the set of two or more MCSs for receiving and ii) the first guard interval a) when transmitting to the first communication device and b) when it is determined that the first MCS is supported by the first communication device when using the first guard interval, and

utilizing i) a second MCS from the set of two or more MCSs for transmitting and ii) the first guard interval a) when receiving from the first communication device and b) when it is determined that the second MCS is supported by the first communication device when using the first guard interval.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein analyzing the field comprises analyzing the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs supported by the first communication device for different numbers of spatial streams.

5. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting, at the second communication device, the one MCS from the set of two or more MCSs; and

determining, at the second communication device, whether the one MCS is supported by the first communication device when using the first guard interval.

6. A method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

utilizing, at the second communication device, i) the one MCS and ii) the second guard interval a) when communicating with the first communication device and b) when it is determined that the one MCS is not supported by the first communication device when using the first guard interval.

7. An apparatus for use in a wireless network, wherein the wireless network is configured to use a first guard interval between symbols or a second guard interval between symbols, wherein the first guard interval has a length shorter than a length of the second guard interval, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless network interface having one or more integrated circuits configured to

analyze a field in a data unit received from a communication device to determine a set of two or more modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) supported by the communication device and to determine whether one or more MCSs in the set of two or more MCSs are supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval, including,

analyzing a first subfield to determine the set of two or more MCSs supported by the communication device, and

analyzing a second subfield to determine a highest supported data rate,

wherein the highest supported data rate indicates whether each of the two or more MCSs is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval, and

utilize i) one MCS in the set of two or more MCSs and ii) the first guard interval when communicating with the communication device and when it is determined that the one MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are configured to

determine a number of encoders or decoders of the communication device,

wherein the number of encoders or decoders of the communication device further indicates whether each of the two or more MCSs is supported when using the first guard interval.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are configured to

analyze the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs for receiving supported by the communication device,

analyze the field to determine whether each of the two or more MCSs for receiving is supported when using the first guard interval,

analyze the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs for transmitting supported by the communication device,

analyze the field to determine whether each of the two or more MCSs for transmitting is supported when using the first guard interval,

utilize i) a first MCS from the set of two or more MCSs for receiving and ii) the first guard interval a) when transmitting to the communication device and b) when it is determined that the first MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval, and

utilize i) a second MCS from the set of two or more MCSs for transmitting and ii) the first guard interval a) when receiving from the communication device and b) when it is determined that the second MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are configured to analyze the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs supported by the communication device for different numbers of spatial streams.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are configured to:

select the one MCS from the set of two or more MCSs, and

determine whether the one MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are configured to:

utilize i) the one MCS and ii) the second guard interval a) when communicating with the communication device and b) when it is determined that the one MCS is not supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.

13. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium or media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

analyze a field in a data unit received from a communication device to determine a set of two or more modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) supported by the communication device and to determine whether one or more MCSs in the set of two or more MCSs are supported by the communication device when using a first guard interval, including,

analyzing a first subfield to determine the set of two or more MCSs supported by the communication device, and

analyzing a second subfield to determine a highest supported data rate, wherein

the highest supported data rate indicates whether each of the two or more MCSs is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval, and

a wireless network including the communication device is configured to use the first guard interval between symbols or a second guard interval between symbols, wherein the first guard interval has a length shorter than a length of the second guard interval; and

cause a network interface device to utilize i) one MCS in the set of two or more MCSs and ii) the first guard interval a) when communicating with the communication device and b) when it is determined that the one MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.

14. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium or media according to claim 13 , further storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

analyze a first subfield to indicate the set of two or more MCSs supported by the communication device; and

determine a number of encoders or decoders at the communication device,

wherein the number of encoders or decoders at the communication device further indicates whether each of the two or more MCSs is supported when using the first guard interval.

15. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium or media according to claim 13 , further storing instructions that, when executed by two or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

analyze the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs for receiving supported by the communication device;

analyze the field to determine whether each of the two or more MCSs for receiving is supported when using the first guard interval;

analyze the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs for transmitting supported by the communication device;

analyze the field to determine whether each of the two or more MCSs for transmitting is supported when using the first guard interval;

cause the network interface device to utilize i) a first MCS from the set of two or more MCSs for receiving and ii) the first guard interval a) when transmitting to the communication device and b) when it is determined that the first MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval; and

cause the network interface device to utilize i) a second MCS from the set of two or more MCSs for transmitting and ii) the first guard interval a) when receiving from the communication device and b) when it is determined that the second MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.

16. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium or media according to claim 13 , further storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

analyze the field to determine a set of two or more MCSs supported by the communication device for different numbers of spatial streams.

17. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium or media according to claim 13 , further storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

select the one MCS from the set of two or more MCSs; and

determine whether the one MCS is supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.

18. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium or media according to claim 17 , further storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

cause the network interface device to utilize i) the one MCS and ii) the second guard interval a) when communicating with the communication device and b) when it is determined that the one MCS is not supported by the communication device when using the first guard interval.