Radio apparatus and communication system utilizing the same

Abstract

Using as a reference a known signal assigned to one of a plurality of streams that constitute a packet signal, a control unit applies a cyclic timing shift to known signals assigned to the other streams so as to produce packet signals which are to be transmitted finally. While varying the amount of timing shift, the control unit produces a plurality of packet signals and appends an identification number, with which to uniquely identify each of the plurality of produced packet signals, to each of the packet signals. A baseband processing unit and the like transmit, as a transmission rate inquiry signal, a packet signal constituted by a plurality of streams where the amounts of timing shift are made to differ, and receive a response signal to which the same identification number is appended for the inquiry signal.