Facilitating distributed channel access for a plurality of access terminals transmitting in a wireless communication environment

A method comprising:

• receiving a first incoming transmission including multiple first indicator counts at a particular access terminal of multiple access terminals communicating via a shared transmission channel, wherein each access terminal of the multiple access terminals corresponds to a different first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts;
• identify a particular first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts, wherein the particular access terminal is permitted to send a first outgoing transmission via the shared transmission channel after detecting a number of indicators based on the particular first indicator count;
• after receiving the first incoming transmission, monitoring the shared transmission channel to detect one or more indicators;
• and
• sending the first outgoing transmission via the shared transmission channel responsive to a count of the one or more indicators.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a first incoming transmission including multiple first indicator counts via a shared transmission channel, wherein multiple access terminals communicate via the shared transmission channel, and wherein each access terminal of the multiple access terminals corresponds to a different first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts;
• means for identifying a particular first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts, wherein a first outgoing transmission is permitted to be sent via the shared transmission channel after detecting a number of indicators based on the particular first indicator count;
• means for monitoring the shared transmission channel to detect one or more indicators, wherein the one or more indicators are detected after receipt of the first incoming transmission;
• and
• means for sending the first outgoing transmission via the shared transmission channel responsive to a count of the one or more indicators.

A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• receive a first incoming transmission including multiple first indicator counts at a particular access terminal of multiple access terminals communicating via a shared transmission channel, wherein each access terminal of the multiple access terminals corresponds to a different first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts;
• identify a particular first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts, wherein the particular access terminal is permitted to send a first outgoing transmission via the shared transmission channel after detecting a number of indicators based on the particular first indicator count;
• after receiving the first incoming transmission, monitor the shared transmission channel to detect one or more indicators;
• and
• send the first outgoing transmission via the shared transmission channel responsive to a count of the one or more indicators.

An access point comprising:

• a communications interface adapted to facilitate wireless communications via a shared transmission channel, wherein a plurality of access terminals communicate via the shared transmission channel;
• and
• a processing circuit coupled to the communications interface, the processing circuit adapted to:
• send an outgoing transmission including multiple first indicator counts via the communications interface to the plurality of access terminals, wherein each access terminal of the plurality of access terminals corresponds to a different first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts, and wherein a particular access terminal of the plurality of access terminals is permitted to send a return transmission via the shared transmission channel after detecting a number of indicators based on a particular first indicator count of the multiple first indicator counts;
• and
• receive, via the communications interface, a plurality of return transmissions from the plurality of access terminals in a sequential order, wherein the sequential order is associated with the multiple first indicator counts.