Patent ID: 9125214
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: during a transmit opportunity time interval for a wireless network device, sending from a radio subsystem a transmission in a primary channel without using a secondary channel, within a frequency band containing the primary channel and the secondary channel; monitoring activity in the secondary channel; determining whether the secondary channel is free based on the monitoring; and when it is determined that the secondary channel is free, sending a wider bandwidth transmission in the primary and secondary channels, wherein the monitoring comprises monitoring, upon completion of the transmission in the primary channel, the secondary channel with the radio subsystem, and wherein sending the wider bandwidth transmission comprises transmitting the wider bandwidth transmission from the radio subsystem in the primary channel and the secondary channel, wherein said sending of the transmission in the primary channel, said monitoring, said determining, and said sending of the wider bandwidth transmission in the primary and secondary channels when it is determined that the secondary channel is free, are performed within the transmit opportunity time interval, and wherein monitoring comprises monitoring with separate filters a signal in at least a portion of the primary channel, a signal in a first bandwidth portion of the secondary channel, a signal in a second bandwidth portion of the secondary channel and a signal in a third bandwidth portion of the secondary channel, wherein the third bandwidth portion excludes the first bandwidth portion and the second bandwidth portion and the second bandwidth portion excludes the first bandwidth portion, and wherein a transmission bandwidth enabled by monitoring of the third bandwidth portion and determining that the third bandwidth portion is clear is greater than the first and second bandwidth portions and encompasses the first and second bandwidth portions, and a transmission bandwidth enabled by monitoring of the second bandwidth portion and determining that the second bandwidth portion is clear is greater than the first bandwidth portion and encompasses the first bandwidth portion, and a transmission bandwidth enabled by monitoring of the first bandwidth portion and determining that the first bandwidth portion is clear is greater than the primary channel and encompasses the primary channel.