Patent ID: 7515609

Claim:
A wireless communication system having communication stations that select a transmission rate in a communication environment where a plurality of transmission rates coexist, the system comprising: a transmission station configured to transmit a transmission request packet to determine a transmission rate for transmitting a current data packet, the transmission station being set to one communication mode among: a first mode in which the transmission station transmits the current data packet at a transmission rate fed back from a reception station, a second mode in which the transmission station transmits the current data packet at a transmission rate determined independently of the fed back transmission rate, and a third mode in which the transmission station transmits the current data packet at a default transmission rate and sets a transmission rate for a subsequent data packet to the fed back transmission rate; and a reception station configured to: determine to which communication mode the transmission station is set, when the transmission station is set to the first mode, feed back to the transmission station a transmission rate for transmitting the current data packet and set peripheral stations to delay transmission for a duration based on the fed back transmission rate, when the transmission station is set to the second mode, set the peripheral stations to delay transmission for a duration based on the independently determined transmission rate, and when the transmission station is set to the third mode, feed back to the transmission station a transmission rate for transmitting the current data packet and set the peripheral stations to delay transmission for a duration based on the default transmission rate.