Spatial reuse transmissions in wireless local area networks (WLANS)

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface device associated with a first communication device in a first wireless network, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:
• determine a transmit power for transmitting a first packet during a spatial reuse opportunity corresponding to a transmission in a second wireless network, wherein determining the transmit power includes using a spatial reuse parameter included in a second packet transmitted by a second communication device in the second wireless network, wherein the spatial reuse parameter is indicative of an acceptable interference level in the second wireless network,
• generate the first packet to include information to indicate to a third communication device that the third communication device is not to transmit a third packet according to a normal acknowledgment procedure during the spatial reuse opportunity, wherein according to the normal acknowledgement procedure one or both of i) the third packet is to be automatically transmitted a defined time period after an end of the first packet and ii) the third packet is to be transmitted at a particular transmit power, wherein the third communication device is an intended receiver of the first packet, and wherein the third packet is an acknowledgment of the first packet,
• transmit the first packet at the determined transmit power, and
• receive the third packet from the third communication device, the third packet having not been transmitted according to the normal acknowledgment procedure during the spatial reuse opportunity.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, at a first communication device in a first wireless network, a first packet from a second communication device in the first wireless network;
• determining, at the first communication device, that the first packet was transmitted during a spatial reuse opportunity corresponding to a transmission in a second wireless network;
• generating, at the first communication device, a second packet that is an acknowledgment of the first packet;
• and
• in response to determining that the first packet was transmitted during the spatial reuse opportunity corresponding to the transmission in the second wireless network, transmitting the second packet according to a procedure that is not a normal acknowledgment procedure, wherein according to the normal acknowledgement procedure one or both of i) the second packet is to be automatically transmitted a defined time period after an end of the first packet and ii) the second packet is to be transmitted at a particular transmit power, and wherein transmitting the second packet includes at least one of:
• i) performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure to determine whether a communication channel is idle, and transmitting the second packet responsive to determining that the communication channel is idle, and/or
• ii) transmitting the second packet at a transmit power that is lower than the particular transmit power.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface device associated with a first communication device in a first wireless network, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:
• receive a first packet from a second communication device in the first wireless network,
• determine that the first packet was transmitted during a spatial reuse opportunity corresponding to a transmission in a second wireless network,
• generate a second packet that is an acknowledgment of the first packet, and
• in response to determining that the first packet was transmitted during the spatial reuse opportunity corresponding to the transmission in the second wireless network, transmit the second packet according to a procedure that is not a normal acknowledgment procedure, wherein according to the normal acknowledgement procedure one or both of i) the second packet is to be automatically transmitted a defined time period after an end of the first packet and ii) the second packet is to be transmitted at a particular transmit power, and wherein transmitting the second packet includes at least one of:
• i) performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure to determine whether a communication channel is idle, and transmitting the second packet responsive to determining that the communication channel is idle, and/or
• ii) transmitting the second packet at a transmit power that is lower than the particular transmit power.