Method and apparatus to coordinate simultaneous transmission in overlapping wireless networks

In one aspect the embodiments of the invention provide a method that includes transmitting a first frame comprising a first type of message from a first node for reception by a second node. The first node is associated with a first wireless communication system and the second node is associated with a second wireless communication system. The first type of message includes a first information element for identifying the second node and a second information element for specifying that the first frame is transmitted to initiate a request for simultaneous transmission by the first node and by the second node. The first frame is also received by a third node that is part of the first wireless communication system. The method further includes receiving from the third node a second frame that includes a second type of message. The second type of message identifies the second node and specifies, based on a measurement performed by the third node on the first frame and a measurement performed by the third node on a third frame transmitted by the second node, whether the request for simultaneous transmission is accepted or is not accepted by the third node. The method further includes transmitting a fourth frame that includes the second type of message from the first node for reception by the second node. The second type of message identifies the second node and specifies that the request for simultaneous transmission was accepted by the third node.