Patent ID: 7912095

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving a data packet, the data packet comprising a preamble, the preamble comprising a plurality of synchronization bits, wherein the preamble may be of either a first preamble type or a second preamble type; performing channel estimation using at least a first portion of the plurality of synchronization bits; determining, using a processor, whether the preamble is of the first preamble type or of the second preamble type, wherein the determination overlaps in least in part with the channel estimation; and using the processor to control the performance of the channel estimation such that: in the event it is determined the preamble is of the first preamble type, the performance of the channel estimation continues for a second portion of the plurality of synchronization bits, adjacent to the first portion of the plurality of synchronization bits, after the processing of the first portion of the plurality of synchronization bits; and in the event it is determined the preamble is of the second preamble type, the performance of the channel estimation ends after processing the first portion of the plurality of synchronization bits.