Method and apparatus for simultaneous multi-user and direct link transmissions with reduced interferences

A triggering frame in a wireless network grants a medium to an AP for a TXOP. The frame defines RUs and allocates Uplink RUs to UL transmissions for an UL duration and Direct Link RUs to P2P transmissions. All the P2P exchanges are nested within the UL duration, hence avoiding an acknowledgment frame in the DiL RUs to interfere with a block-ack frame of the AP after the UL transmissions. This is relevant for DiL RUs adjacent, in frequency, to the other defined RUs. The block-ack frame is duplicated over the DiL RUs. The RU immediately adjacent to the DiL RUs is declared, in the triggering frame, as being unused: no non-AP station is allowed to use it during the UL duration, or even the TXOP. Such empty RU may be declared only in case the DiL transmission requires a response frame from the destination P2P station.