Simultaneous transmit and receive operation in WLANs

1. An electronic apparatus communicable with a first station, a second station, and a third station, the electronic apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

receive, during a current transmission of the first station, information of a duration of a data transmission scheduled after successful completion of the current transmission, a transmission of a next data packet by a predetermined number of transmission slots being delayed if it is determined that the current transmission of the electronic station has been successful;

receive information identifying one or more other stations from which signals have been received, the information including one or more of an identifier identifying the one or more other stations, information of strengths of signals received from the one or more other stations or a power level used by the other station in transmitting the received signals; and

identify the second station using, information that the second station is known to either not experience interference from the first station or the second station that is known to be able to increase its carrier sense threshold such that it does not experience interference from the first station while the first station and the electronic apparatus maintaining communication, the second station being as a destination of a second next transmission of the electronic apparatus during reception of a first next transmission scheduled to be transmitted by the first station, and

transmission circuitry configured to perform the second next transmission of the electronic apparatus while the first next transmission from the first station takes place, based on either a duration of the first next transmission or information indicating payload of the first next transmission.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the processing circuitry is further configured to

receive information of strengths of signals received from the first station, the second station, and the third station and identifiers of the first station, the second station, and the third station.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the information further includes information of strength of signal received from an access point.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the processing circuitry is further configured to

receive information from the first station, the second station, and the third station, the information indicating those stations that can detect each other; and

determine from the received information those stations that cannot detect each other.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine, using a rule that governs timing of subsequent transmissions of a station following a successful transmission, when a station has scheduled its next transmission and to select a further station to transmit data to during the at least part of the duration.

6. An electronic station comprising:

processing circuitry configured to:

transmit during a current transmission of electronic station information of a duration of a data transmission scheduled after successful completion of the current transmission;

delay transmission of a next data packet by a predetermined number of transmission slots if it is determined that the current transmission of the electronic station has been successful;

transmit information identifying one or more other stations from which signals have been received, the information including one or more of an identifier identifying the one or more other stations, information of strengths of signals received from the one or more other stations or a power level used by the other station in transmitting the received signals; and

for periods of time during which data transmission activity from another station is expected, determine a carrier sense threshold that allows communication with an access point without interference from the other station and to adjust the station's carrier sense threshold to the determined carrier sense threshold during the period of time.

7. A system comprising:

an apparatus communicable with a first station, a second station, and a third station, the apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry configured to identify the second station using, information that the second station is known to either not experience interference from the first station or the second station that is known to be able to increase its carrier sense threshold such that it does not experience interference from the first station while the first station and the electronic apparatus maintaining communication, the second station being as a destination of a second next transmission of the apparatus during reception of a first next transmission scheduled to be transmitted by the first station; and

transmission circuitry configured to perform the second next transmission of the apparatus while the first next transmission from the first station takes place, based on either a duration of the first next transmission or information indicating payload of the first next transmission, and

at least one of the second station or the third station comprising circuitry configured to

perform a current transmission of a data packet;

transmit information of the duration of the first next transmission scheduled after successful completion of the current transmission;

delay transmission of a next data packet by a predetermined number of transmission slots if it is determined that the current transmission of the at least one has been successful; and

transmit information identifying one or more other stations from which signals have been received, the information including one or more of an identifier identifying the one or more other stations, information of strengths of signals received from the one or more other stations or a power level used by the other station in transmitting the received signals.

8. A system comprising an apparatus communicable with a first station, a second station, and a third station, the apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry configured to identify the second station using, information that the second station is known to either not experience interference from the first station or the second station that is known to be able to increase its carrier sense threshold such that it does not experience interference from the first station while the first station and the electronic apparatus maintaining communication, the second station being as a destination of a second next transmission of the apparatus during reception of a first next transmission scheduled to be transmitted by the first station; and

transmission circuitry configured to perform the second next transmission of the apparatus while the first next transmission from the first station takes place, based on either a duration of the first next transmission or information indicating payload of the first next transmission, and

at least one of the second station or the third station comprising transmission circuitry configured to, for periods of time during which data transmission activity from another station is expected, determine, based on a known strength of signal previously received from the other station, a carrier sense threshold that allows communication with an access point without interference from the other station and to adjust the station's carrier sense threshold to the determined carrier sense threshold during the period of time.

9. A method of data transmission in an electronic apparatus communicable with a first station, a second station, and a third station, comprising:

receiving during a current transmission of the first station information of a duration of a data transmission scheduled after successful completion of the current transmission, a transmission of a next data packet by a predetermined number of transmission slots being delayed if it is determined that the current transmission of the electronic station has been successful;

receiving information identifying one or more other stations from which signals have been received, the information including one or more of an identifier identifying the one or more other stations, information of strengths of signals received from the one or more other stations or a power level used by the other station in transmitting the received signals;

identifying the second station using information that the second station is known to either not experience interference from the first station or the second station that is known to be able to increase its carrier sense threshold such that it does not experience interference from the first station while the first station and the electronic apparatus maintaining communication, the second station being as a destination of a second next transmission of the electronic apparatus during reception of a first next transmission scheduled to be transmitted by the first station; and

performing the second next transmission of the electronic apparatus while the first next transmission from the first station takes place, based on either a duration of the first next transmission or information indicating payload of the first next transmission.