Patent ID: 7305237

Claim:
A channel access method for use in a multi-channel wireless network environment, comprising: when a receiver is idle, waiting for at least one channel within a plurality of frequency channels to become free; when at least one channel within said plurality of frequency channels becomes free, initiating a backoff period; monitoring said plurality of frequency channels during said backoff period to determine whether another channel has become free; when another channel becomes free during said backoff period, recording a corresponding time for subsequent use in determining whether channel teaming can be used; and transmitting data within one or more free channels after said backoff period expires, wherein transmitting data includes determining whether to transmit said data within multiple free frequency channels in a channel teaming arrangement when more than one free channel is available when said backoff period expires, wherein said channel teaming arrangement is an arrangement where data is communicated using multiple frequency channels to achieve a higher data rate link than can be achieved using a single frequency channel.