Multiple access wireless communications architecture

A wireless access point for providing wireless access to a wired network within a building, the wireless access point comprising:

• a first antenna arrangement configured to communicate with wireless devices within a first section of a spatial area around the wireless access point, wherein the first antenna arrangement is further configured to determine whether a first communications channel assigned to the first section of the spatial area is currently being used to carry communication signals before transmitting any communication signals onto the first communications channel, wherein the first antenna arrangement is further configured to selectively and separately manage transmit power levels with the wireless devices in the first section of the spatial area around the wireless communications apparatus on a per-wireless device basis;
• a second antenna arrangement configured to communicate with wireless devices within a second section of the spatial area around the wireless access point, wherein the second antenna arrangement is further configured to determine whether a second communications channel assigned to the second section of the spatial area is currently being used to carry communication signals before transmitting any communication signals onto the second communications channel, wherein the second antenna arrangement is further configured to selectively and separately manage transmit power levels with the wireless devices in the second section of the spatial area around the wireless communications apparatus on a per-wireless device basis;
• and
• a management mechanism configured to manage the operation of the first and second antenna arrangements and to manage the exchange of data between wireless devices in the first and second sections of the spatial area and the wired network in the building.

A wireless communications system comprising:

• a first antenna arrangement having a first transceiver configured to transmit and receive communications signals on a communications channel within a first section of a spatial area around the wireless communications system, wherein the first antenna arrangement is configured to selectively and separately manage transmit power levels with wireless devices in the first section of the spatial area around the wireless communications system on a per-wireless device basis;
• a second antenna arrangement having a second transceiver configured to transmit and receive communications signals on the communications channel within a second section of the spatial area around the wireless communications system, wherein the second antenna arrangement is configured to selectively and separately manage transmit power levels with wireless devices in the second section of the spatial area around the wireless communications system on a per-wireless device basis;
• and
• wherein a carrier sense multiple access, collision avoidance algorithm based on carrier sense or energy detect, or a point coordinating function is used to allow communications on the communications channel in both the first and second sections to occur.