Patent ID: 8295385

Claim:
A method for establishing a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication by a transmitter, the method comprises: generating a first frame, wherein the first frame is formatted in accordance with a first particular mode of operation in compliance with an IEEE 802.11 standard mode of operation indicated by a mode selection signal; transmitting the first frame to a target receiver over a first MIMO configuration of a plurality of transmitter antennas, wherein the first MIMO configuration is indicated by the mode selection signal; receiving at least one response frame from the target receiver; generating a second frame to the target receiver, wherein the second frame is formatted in accordance with a second particular mode of operation in compliance with another IEEE 802.11 standard mode of operation indicated by the mode selection signal, wherein the second particular mode of operation indicated by a mode selection signal is based on a highest supported data rate and largest channel bandwidth supported by an allocated RF channel and the transmitter and the target receiver and wherein the second particular mode of operation indicated by the mode selection signal includes a largest channel bandwidth of 40 MHz; and transmitting the second frame to the target receiver over a second MIMO configuration of the plurality of transmitter antennas, wherein the second MIMO configuration is indicated by the mode selection signal.