Ambient internet of things device-to-reader transmission control

An apparatus for wireless communication at a reader, comprising:

• one or memories;
• and
• one or more processors, the one or more processors, individually or collectively and based at least in part on information stored in the one or more memories, being configured to:
• transmit a first wireless communication signal to a first group of ambient internet of things(IoT) devices, wherein the first group of ambient IoT devices transmit a response to the first wireless communication signal based at least in part on the first group of ambient IoT devices being located within a first range of distances from the reader and based at least in part on the first wireless communication signal being transmitted at a first transmit power;
• and
• transmit a second wireless communication signal to a second group of ambient IoT devices, wherein the second group of ambient IoT devices transmit a response to the second wireless communication signal based at least in part on the second group of ambient IoT devices being located within a second range of distances from the reader and based at least in part on the second wireless communication signal being transmitted at a second transmit power that is different from the first transmit power.