Synchronization of transmission intervals in Wi-Fi

1. An access point configured to:

generate a data packet such that the data packet has a same packet length as a data packet from at least one other access point,

predict, if there is third party traffic on a channel, a time when the channel is expected to be available for transmitting the data packet based on packet statistics of the third party traffic,

set a look-ahead window during the predicted time for the channel,

reserve, while within the look-ahead window, the channel for a time interval, and

initiate transmission of the data packet over the reserved channel at a same time as transmission of the data packet from the at least one other access point.

2. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the access point is configured to exclude the third party traffic on the channel during the reserved time interval.

3. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the access point is configured to refuse uplink transmission requests for the channel from a user terminal associated with the access point during the reserved time interval.

4. An access point configured to:

predict, if there is third party traffic on a channel, a time when the channel is expected to be available for transmitting the data packet based on packet statistics of the third party traffic,

set a look-ahead window during the predicted time for the channel,

first seize, while within the look-ahead window, the channel to hold the channel, and

second seize the channel to initiate data transmission over the channel, the data transmission for the access point being initiated at a same time as initiation of data transmission for at least one other access point over the channel.

5. The access point of claim 4 , wherein the access point is configured to hold the channel by refusing uplink transmission requests for the channel from a user terminal associated with the access point.

6. The access point of claim 4 , wherein

the access point is configured to exclude a third party access point from transmitting over the channel during the look-ahead window and the data transmission.

7. A method of synchronizing data transmission, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of data packets, each data packet being associated with a different access point in a plurality of access points;

predicting, if there is third party traffic on a channel, a time when the channel is expected to be available for transmitting the data packet based on packet statistics of the third party traffic,

setting a look-ahead window during the predicted time for the channel;

reserving, during the look-ahead window, the channel for a time interval; and

simultaneously initiating transmission of the plurality of data packets over the channel during the reserved time interval.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the generating includes inserting dummy data into at least one data packet such that each data packet in the plurality of data packets has a same packet length.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the simultaneously initiating transmission includes removing random back-off for the plurality of access points.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reserving includes broadcasting a reserve signal to refuse uplink transmission requests from user terminals associated with the plurality of access points during the reserved time interval.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reserving includes broadcasting a reserve signal during the look-ahead window by the plurality of access points.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the broadcasting the reserve signal holds the channel until the plurality of access points simultaneously initiate transmission of the plurality of data packets.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reserving includes preventing third party access point transmissions over the channel during the reserved time interval.

14. A method of reserving a channel, comprising:

predicting, if there is third party traffic on a channel, a time when the channel is expected to be available for transmitting the data packet based on packet statistics of the third party traffic,

setting a look-ahead window during the predicted time for the channel;

first seizing, by a plurality of access points during the look-ahead window, to hold the channel; and

second seizing, by the plurality of access points, the channel to simultaneously initiate data transmission to or from the plurality of access points.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first seizing includes refusing uplink transmission requests for the channel from user terminals associated with the plurality of access points.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first seizing includes preventing a third party access point from transmitting over the channel during the look-ahead window and the data transmission.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

generating data packets for each of the plurality of access points such that each data packet has a same packet length.