Selecting frequency bands for transmitting data packets

Abstract

A first combination of frequency bands is selected for transmitting a first data packet, and a second, different combination of frequency bands is selected for transmitting a second data packet. A data stream is divided into a first set of data and a second set of data. The first set of data is allocated to the first combination of frequency bands, and the second set of data is allocated to the second combination of frequency bands.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 selecting a first combination of frequency bands for transmitting a first data packet;   using a transmitter, selecting a second combination of frequency bands for transmitting a second data packet, said second combination being different from said first combination; and   parsing a data stream into a first set of data and a second set of data, said first set of data allocated to said first combination of frequency bands and said second set of data allocated to said second combination of frequency bands.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting said first combination and said second combination from a frequency spectrum comprising a first segment of frequencies and a second segment of frequencies, said first segment comprising a first set of frequency bands and said second segment comprising a second set of frequency bands. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said first segment is not contiguous with said second segment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said segment and said second segment each have a bandwidth of 80 MHz. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each frequency band in said first combination and each frequency band in said second combination has a bandwidth selected from a group including: 20 MHz, 40 MHz, and 80 MHz. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 including information in said first packet that identifies frequency bands included in said first combination of frequency bands; and   including information in said second packet that identifies frequency bands included in said second combination of frequency bands.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 setting a first bit set value in a designated field of said first packet to identify a frequency band included in said first combination; and   setting a second bit set value in the designated field of said second packet identify a frequency band included in said second combination.   
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 obtaining information identifying a first plurality of frequencies available for transmitting a first packet;   transmitting said first data packet using a first combination of frequency bands selected from a first set of frequencies of said first plurality of frequencies;   using a transmitter, obtaining information identifying a second plurality of frequencies available for transmitting a second packet, said second plurality of frequencies being different from said first plurality of frequencies; and   transmitting said second data packet using a second combination of frequency bands selected from said second set of frequencies of said second plurality of frequencies.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising parsing a data stream into a first set of data and a second set of data, said first set of data allocated to said first combination of frequency bands and said second set of data allocated to said second combination of frequency bands. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising selecting said first combination and said second combination from a frequency spectrum comprising a first segment of frequencies and a second segment of frequencies, said first segment comprising a first set of frequency bands and said second segment comprising a second set of frequency bands. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said first contiguous frequency spectrum is not contiguous with said second contiguous frequency spectrum. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said first contiguous frequency spectrum and said second contiguous frequency spectrum each has a bandwidth of 80 MHz, and wherein each frequency band in said first combination and each frequency band in said second combination has a bandwidth selected from a group including: 20 MHz, 40 MHz, and 80 MHz. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 including information in said first packet that identifies frequency bands included in said first combination of frequency bands; and   including information in said second packet that identifies frequency bands included in said second combination of frequency bands.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 setting a first bit set value in a designated field of said first packet to identify a frequency band included in said first combination; and   setting a second bit set value in the designated field of said second packet to identify a frequency band included in said second combination.   
     
     
         15 . A device comprising:
 a plurality of antennas operable for transmitting wireless signals comprising packets of data; and   a transmitter coupled to said plurality of antennas and operable for producing said wireless signals from a data stream, said transmitter operable for dividing said data stream into different frequency bands, wherein a first combination of said frequency bands is selected for transmitting a first packet and wherein a second combination of said frequency bands is selected for transmitting a second packet, said second. combination different from said first combination.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said first combination and said combination are selected from a first contiguous frequency spectrum comprising a first set of frequency bands, and wherein said second combination of frequency bands is selected from a second contiguous frequency spectrum comprising a second set of frequency bands. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein said first contiguous frequency spectrum is not contiguous with said second contiguous frequency spectrum. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein said first contiguous frequency spectrum and said second contiguous frequency spectrum each have a bandwidth of 80 MHz, and wherein each frequency band in said first combination and each frequency band in said second combination has a bandwidth selected from a group including: 20 MHz, 40 MHz, and 80 MHz. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said first packet comprises information that identifies frequency bands included in said first combination of frequency bands, and said second packet comprises information that identifies frequency bands included in said second combination of frequency bands. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said transmitter is further operable for setting a first bit set value in a designated field of said first packet to identify a frequency band included in said first combination, and for setting a second bit set value in the designated field of said second packet to identify a frequency band included in said second combination.