Carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) for multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications

A method for execution by a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

• computing a first backoff start count to perform a first backoff for a first of a plurality of clusters that is a primary cluster employed for all wireless signaling within a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) communication system including the wireless communication device when the primary cluster is detected as being idle;
• computing a second backoff start count to perform a second backoff for the plurality of clusters when the plurality of clusters is detected as being idle after completion of the first backoff, wherein the plurality of clusters being a plurality of mappings of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) tones within a corresponding at least one channel among a corresponding at least one frequency band;
• when the first backoff corresponding to the primary cluster is completed after a first countdown from the first backoff start count reaches zero, monitoring for any first activity on the primary cluster;
• when the second backoff corresponding to the plurality of clusters is completed after a second countdown from the second backoff start count reaches zero, monitoring for any second activity on the plurality of clusters;
• and
• when the monitoring fails to detect any first activity and any second activity for a predetermined period of time, via a communication interface of the wireless communication device, transmitting at least one signal to at least one additional wireless communication device using the first and a second of the plurality of clusters.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• compute a first backoff start count to perform a first backoff for a first of a plurality of clusters that is a primary cluster employed for all wireless signaling within a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) communication system including the apparatus when the primary cluster is detected as being idle;
• and
• when the first backoff is completed after a countdown from the first backoff start count reaches zero, compute a second backoff start count to perform a second backoff for the plurality of clusters and determine whether the plurality of clusters are idle, wherein the plurality of clusters being a plurality of mappings of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) tones within a corresponding at least one channel among a corresponding at least one frequency band;
• and
• a communication interface configured to:
• transmit, after completion of the second backoff and when the plurality of clusters is idle, transmit at least one signal to at least one wireless communication device using at least one of the first and a second of the plurality of clusters;
• and
• when the first and the second of the plurality of clusters is idle for a predetermined amount of time, transmit the at least one signal or at least one additional signal to at least one additional wireless communication device using at least one of the first and the second of the plurality of clusters.