Short training field for WiFi

1. A method, comprising:

generating, at a communication device, a preamble of an uplink (UL) orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) data unit for transmission via a communication channel, the UL OFDM data unit conforming to a first communication protocol, including:

generating a first training field, wherein the first training field conforms to a second communication protocol,

generating a second training field to be included in the preamble after the first training field, wherein the second training field: i) conforms to the first communication protocol, and ii) is generated based on a sequence that includes non-zero values spaced apart by zero values such that the non-zero values occur at an interval of eight elements in the sequence,

modulating the first training field using a first tone spacing L TS between adjacent OFDM tones, wherein the first training field has a periodicity L P , and

modulating the second training field using a second tone spacing equal to L TS /4 between adjacent OFDM tones, wherein the second training field has a periodicity 2*L P .

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first tone spacing L TS is 312.5 kilohertz; and

the second tone spacing is 78.125 kilohertz.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the periodicity L P of the first training field is 0.8 microseconds; and

the periodicity of the second training field is 1.6 microseconds.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first communication protocol is a non-legacy communication protocol;

the second communication protocol is a legacy communication protocol;

the first training field is a legacy short training field for an automatic gain control function; and

the second training field is a non-legacy short training field for the automatic gain control function.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, at the communication device, a data portion of the UL OFDM data unit.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the data portion of the UL OFDM data unit comprises:

modulating information in the data portion using the second tone spacing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the communication device is a first communication device;

the method further comprises:

receiving, at the first communication device, a trigger frame from a second communication device, and

transmitting, by the first communication device, the UL OFDM data unit in response to the trigger frame.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first communication device transmits the UL OFDM data unit as part of an UL multi-user transmission.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface device having one or more integrated circuit (IC) devices configured to generate a preamble of an uplink (UL) orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) data unit for transmission via a communication channel, the UL OFDM data unit conforming to a first communication protocol, including:

generating a first training field, wherein the first training field conforms to a second communication protocol,

generating a second training field to be included in the preamble after the first training field, wherein the second training field: i) conforms to the first communication protocol, and ii) is generated based on a sequence that includes non-zero values spaced apart by zero values such that the non-zero values occur at an interval of eight elements in the sequence,

modulating the first training field using a first tone spacing L TS between adjacent OFDM tones, wherein the first training field has a periodicity L P , and

modulating the second training field using a second tone spacing equal to L TS /4 between adjacent OFDM tones, wherein the second training field has a periodicity 2*L P .

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the first tone spacing L TS is 312.5 kilohertz; and

the second tone spacing is 78.125 kilohertz.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the periodicity L P of the first training field is 0.8 microseconds; and

the periodicity of the second training field is 1.6 microseconds.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the first communication protocol is a non-legacy communication protocol;

the second communication protocol is a legacy communication protocol;

the first training field is a legacy short training field for an automatic gain control function; and

the second training field is a non-legacy short training field for the automatic gain control function.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

generate a data portion of the UL OFDM data unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

modulate information in the data portion using the second tone spacing.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the network interface device is associated with a first communication device; and

the one or more IC devices are further configured to generate a transmission signal, corresponding to the UL OFDM data unit, in response to the first communication device receiving a trigger frame from a second communication device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to generate the transmission signal for transmission as part of an UL multi-user transmission.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the network interface device comprises a physical layer (PHY) processing unit implemented on the one or more IC devices; and

the PHY processing unit is configured to generate the UL OFDM data unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the network interface device further comprises a media access control (MAC) processing unit implemented on the one or more IC devices, the MAC processing unit coupled to the PHY processing unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the PHY processing unit comprises one or more transceivers.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:

one or more antennas coupled to the one or more transceivers.