License assisted listen-before-talk
First Claim
1. A method of operation of a wireless device in a wireless system in which the wireless device transmits and/or receives in both a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum, comprising:
- attempting to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, the busy indication being an indication that another wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum;
determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum; and
upon determining to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum, transmitting a busy indication in an uplink channel in an uplink spectrum of a cellular communications network, the cellular communications network comprising a serving radio access node of the wireless device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed herein that relate to the use of signals in a licensed spectrum to assist with determining a status of an unlicensed channel(s) in an unlicensed spectrum. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a wireless device in a wireless system in which the wireless device transmits and/or receives in both a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum comprises attempting to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum. The busy indication is an indication that another wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum. The method further comprises determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum. By using signals in the licensed spectrum, the hidden node problem and/or the exposed node problem in the unlicensed spectrum can be mitigated.
12 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of operation of a wireless device in a wireless system in which the wireless device transmits and/or receives in both a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum, comprising:
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attempting to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, the busy indication being an indication that another wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum; determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum; and upon determining to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum, transmitting a busy indication in an uplink channel in an uplink spectrum of a cellular communications network, the cellular communications network comprising a serving radio access node of the wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operation of a wireless device in a wireless system in which the wireless device transmits and/or receives in both a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum, comprising:
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attempting to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, the busy indication being an indication that another wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum, wherein attempting to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum comprises attempting to detect both a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum by a serving radio access node of the wireless device and a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum by another wireless device; and determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum.
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13. A method of operation of a wireless device in a wireless system in which the wireless device transmits and/or receives in both a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum, comprising:
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attempting to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, the busy indication being an indication that another wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum; and determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, wherein determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum comprises; determining that the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum; determining that the detected busy indication is a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum by another wireless device; and determining whether the wireless device has also detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum by a serving radio access node of the wireless device; wherein the wireless device determines to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum upon determining that the wireless device has not also detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum by the serving radio access node of the wireless device.
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14. A method of operation of a wireless device in a wireless system in which the wireless device transmits and/or receives in both a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum, comprising:
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attempting to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, the busy indication being an indication that another wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum; and determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, wherein determining whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum comprises; determining that the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum; determining that the detected busy indication is a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum by another wireless device; decoding the busy indication to obtain an identifier of an intended recipient of the transmission in the unlicensed spectrum by the other wireless device; and determining whether the intended recipient is a serving radio access node of the wireless device; wherein the wireless device determines to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum upon determining that the intended recipient is not the serving radio access node of the wireless device.
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15. A wireless device for a wireless system in which the wireless device transmits and/or receives in both a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum, comprising:
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a transceiver; at least one processor; and memory comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor whereby the wireless device is operable to; attempt to detect a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum, the busy indication being an indication that another wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum; determine whether to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum based on whether the wireless device has detected a busy indication transmitted in the licensed spectrum; and upon determining to transmit in the unlicensed spectrum, transmit a busy indication in an uplink channel in an uplink spectrum of a cellular communications network, the cellular communications network comprising a serving radio access node.
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16. A method of operation of a radio access node in a wireless system, comprising:
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receiving a first busy indication in an uplink channel in an uplink spectrum of a wireless network from a wireless device, the first busy indication being an indication that the wireless device is transmitting in an unlicensed spectrum; and transmitting a second busy indication in a licensed spectrum indication in response to receiving the first busy indication, the second busy indication being an indication that the wireless device is transmitting in the unlicensed spectrum. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A radio access node for a wireless system, comprising:
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at least one radio unit; at least one processor; and memory comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor whereby the radio access node is operable to; receive a first busy indication in an uplink channel in an uplink spectrum of a wireless network from a wireless device, the first busy indication being an indication that the wireless device is transmitting in an unlicensed spectrum; and transmit a second busy indication in a licensed spectrum indication in response to receiving the first busy indication, the second busy indication being an indication that the wireless device is transmitting in an unlicensed spectrum.
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Specification