Control mode PHY for WLAN

1. A method for generating a physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission via a communication channel, the method comprising:

encoding a plurality of information bits using a convolutional code (BCC) encoder to generate a plurality of BCC coded bits, wherein the BCC encoder continuously encodes incoming information bits information bits are to be included in the PHY data unit;

partitioning the BCC coded bits into a plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits;

encoding the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to a block coding scheme to generate a plurality of block coded bits;

mapping the plurality of block coded bits to a plurality of constellation symbols;

generating a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols based on the plurality of constellation symbols; and

generating the PHY data unit to include the plurality of OFDM symbols.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein encoding the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block coding scheme comprises generating a number of copies of each bit of the plurality of BCC coded bits.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein each bit of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits is repeated m consecutive times, wherein m is an integer greater than 1.

4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein each block of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits is repeated m consecutive times, wherein m is an integer greater than 1.

5. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising interleaving the BCC coded bits in each block of n bits.

6. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising flipping of one or more bits of the number of copies of each BCC coded bit.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the partitioning the BCC coded bits into a plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits comprises partitioning the BCC coded bits into blocks of n bit, and encoding the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block coding scheme comprises

repeating each bit in each block of n bits m times to generate m*n bits.

8. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising interleaving the m*n bits according to a predetermined code.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein encoding the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block coding scheme comprises encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits according to a Hamming code.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block code is performed after encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits using the BCC encoder.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block code is performed before encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits using the BCC encoder.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits corresponds to a data portion of the PHY data unit.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein generating the PHY data unit further comprises including a preamble in the PHY data unit, and wherein another portion of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits corresponds to a signal field of the preamble.

14. An apparatus for generating a PHY data unit for transmission via a communication channel, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface including

a binary convolutional code (BCC) encoder configured to encode a plurality of information bits wherein the BCC encoder is configured to continuously encode incoming information bits to generate a plurality of BCC coded bits;

wherein the network interface is configured to:

partition the BCC coded bits into a plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits;

encode the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to a block coding scheme to generate a plurality of block coded bits;

map the plurality of block coded bits to a plurality of constellation symbols;

generate a plurality of OFDM symbols to include the plurality of constellation symbols; and

generate the PHY data unit to include the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein encoding the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block coding scheme comprises generating a number of copies of each bit of the plurality of BCC coded bits.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein each bit of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits is repeated m consecutive times, wherein m is an integer greater than 1.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein each block of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits is repeated m consecutive times, wherein m is an integer greater than 1.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the network interface is further configured to interleave the BCC coded bits in each block of n bits.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a peak to average power ratio (PAPR) reduction unit configured to flip one or more bits of the number of copies of each BCC coded bit.

20. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the partitioning the BCC coded bits into a plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits comprises partitioning the BCC coded bits into blocks of n bit, and encoding the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block coding scheme comprises

repeating each bit in each block of n bits m times to generate m*n bits.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the network interface is further configured to interleave the m*n bits according to a predetermined code.

22. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein encoding the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block coding scheme comprises encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits according to a Hamming code.

23. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block code is performed after encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits using the BCC encoder.

24. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits according to the block code is performed before encoding the blocks of BCC coded bits using the BCC encoder.

25. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits corresponds to a data portion of the PHY data unit.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25 , wherein generating the PHY data unit further comprises including a preamble in the PHY data unit, and wherein another portion of the plurality of blocks of BCC coded bits corresponds to a signal field of the preamble.