Patent ID: 8504099

Claim:
A method of operating a first wireless communications device, the method comprising: receiving a signal from a second communications device via an air link; determining from the received signal whether the second communications device is in a cooperative communications relationship or a non-cooperative communications relationship with the first communications device; based on said determination, selecting between one of a cooperative communications mode of operation and a non-cooperative communications mode of operation, said selecting including selecting a cooperative communications mode of operation when it is determined that said first wireless communications device is in the cooperative communications relationship with the second communications device and selecting a non-cooperative mode of operation when it is determined that said first wireless communications device is in the non-cooperative communications relationship; and in response to detecting that said second communications device is operating in a non-cooperative relationship, operating in said non-cooperative mode of operation, said operating in said non-cooperative mode of operation including: switching from a first communications protocol to a second communications protocol, said second communications protocol being a communications protocol which is not supported by the second communications device but which uses a frequency band being used by the second communications device; and disregarding an interference control signal from said second communications device.