Clear channel assessment for co-located wireless networks

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface device associated with a first communication device, the first communication device being associated with a first communication network, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:
• determine that a second communication device associated with a second communication network is located proximate to the first communication device,
• generate a data unit that includes information indicating i) a color identifier of the second communication network, the color identifier usable to identify transmissions from the second communication network, and ii) that a dynamic clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure should not be used for transmissions from the second communication network, and
• cause the first communication device to transmit the data unit to at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network such that the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network does not use the dynamic CCA procedure for transmissions identified as being from the second communication network.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface device associated with a first communication device, the first communication device being associated with a first communication network, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:
• receive a data unit including information indicating i) a color identifier of a second communication network proximate to the first communication network, the color identifier of the second communication network usable to identify transmissions from the second communication network, and ii) that a dynamic clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure should not be used by the first communication device for transmissions from the second communication network;
• and
• responsive to identifying a transmission from the second communication network, not use the dynamic CCA procedure for the identified transmission.

A method comprising:

• determining, at a first communication device associated with a first communication network, that a second communication device associated with a second communication network is located proximate to the first communication device;
• generating, at the first communication device, a data unit that includes information indicating that a dynamic clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure should not be used by at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network;
• and
• causing the first communication device to transmit the data unit to the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network such that the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network does not use the dynamic CCA procedure.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface device associated with a first communication device, the first communication device being associated with a first communication network, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:
• determine that a second communication device associated with a second communication network is located proximate to the first communication device,
• generate a data unit that includes information indicating that a dynamic clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure should not be used by at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network, and
• cause the first communication device to transmit the data unit to the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network such that the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network does not use the dynamic CCA procedure.

A method comprising:

• determining, at a first communication device associated with a first communication network, that a second communication device associated with a second communication network is located proximate to the first communication device;
• selecting, at the first communication device, a color identifier for the first communication network that corresponds to a color identifier for the second communication network;
• responsive to determining, at the first communication device, that the selected color identifier for the first communication network is different from a previous color identifier for the first communication network:
• generating, at the first communication device, a data unit that includes information indicating the selected color identifier of the first communication network;
• and
• causing the first communication device to transmit the data unit to at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network such that the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network uses the selected color identifier to identify transmissions from the first communication network.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a network interface device associated with a first communication device, the first communication device being associated with a first communication network, wherein the network interface device includes one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to:
• determine that a second communication device associated with a second communication network is located proximate to the first communication device,
• select a color identifier for the first communication network that corresponds to a color identifier of the second communication network,
• responsive to determining that the selected color identifier of the first communication network is different from a previous color identifier of the first communication network:
• generate a data unit that includes information indicating the selected color identifier of the first communication network, and
• cause the first communication device to transmit the data unit to at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network such that the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network uses the selected color identifier to identify transmissions from the first communication network.