TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to improving hearability of interference management signals.

INTRODUCTION

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, (e.g., a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations (BSs), each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).

A wireless communications system may operate over a shared spectrum, meaning that the wireless communications system includes one or more frequency bands that may be shared by multiple network operating entities. The shared spectrum may include unlicensed spectrum and/or licensed spectrum. In some instances, multiple network operating entities may share their licensed spectrum with each other to better utilize the spectrum. In some other instances, multiple network operating entities may obtain a licensed spectrum together.

Use of the available band spectrum may then be subject to a contention procedure that may involve the use of a medium-sensing procedure. For example, to avoid interference between different devices or between devices operated by different network operating entities, the wireless communications system may employ medium-sensing procedures, such as listen-before-talk (LBT), to ensure a particular channel is clear before transmitting a message. Medium-sensing procedures may utilize substantial signaling overhead and may result in increased latency, thus adversely affecting the use of shared spectrum by multiple network operating entities.

One approach to reducing medium-sensing signaling overheads is to employ a priority-based coordinated access scheme for spectrum-sharing (SS). In a priority-based coordinated access scheme, a spectrum is time-partitioned into multiple transmission opportunity (TXOP) intervals. Each TXOP interval includes a number of reservation indication slots followed by a transmission slot. Each reservation indication slot is assigned to a particular network operator for transmitting a reservation signal to reserve the transmission slot for communication. The reservation indication slots can be arranged in a decreasing order of priorities. When a low priority operator node detects a reservation signal from a high priority operator node, the lower priority operator node refrains from transmitting in the following transmission slot. When the high priority operator node is of a lower power class (e.g., lower transmit power) than the low priority operator node, the low priority operator node may not detect the reservation signal. Thus, the high priority operator node may proceed to reserve and transmit in the same transmission slot, causing noticeable interference to the transmission of the high priority operator node. Accordingly, improved procedures for sharing a spectrum among network operators of different power classes are desirable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME EXAMPLES

The following summarizes some aspects of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of the discussed technology. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated features of the disclosure, and is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of the disclosure in summary form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

For example, in an aspect of the disclosure, a method of wireless communication, comprising communicating, by a first wireless communication device with a second wireless communication device in a spectrum accessed by a plurality of network operating entities, a first reservation signal indicating a reservation for a first transmission slot, wherein the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device are associated with a first network operating entity of a plurality of network operating entities, and wherein the first reservation signal includes a duration based on a power class associated with the first network operating entity; and communicating, by the first wireless communication device with the second wireless communication device, a first communication signal in the first transmission slot.

In an additional aspect of the disclosure, a method of wireless communication, comprising communicating, by a first wireless communication device with a second wireless communication device in a spectrum accessed by a plurality of network operating entities, a reservation signal indicating a reservation for a first transmission slot, wherein the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device are associated with a first network operating entity of a plurality of network operating entities; and communicating, by the first wireless communication device with the second wireless communication device, a communication signal in the first transmission slot, wherein the reservation signal includes a higher power spectral density (PSD) level than the communication signal.

In an additional aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus comprising one or more antennas; and a transceiver configured to communicate, via the one or more antennas with a second wireless communication device in a spectrum accessed by a plurality of network operating entities, a first reservation signal indicating a reservation for a first transmission slot, wherein the apparatus and the second wireless communication device are associated with a first network operating entity of a plurality of network operating entities, and wherein the first reservation signal includes a duration based on a power class associated with the first network operating entity; and communicate, via the one or more antennas with the second wireless communication device, a first communication signal in the first transmission slot.

In an additional aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus comprising one or more antennas; and a transceiver configured to communicate, via the one or more antennas with a second wireless communication device in a spectrum accessed by a plurality of network operating entities, a reservation signal indicating a reservation for a first transmission slot, wherein the apparatus and the second wireless communication device are associated with a first network operating entity of a plurality of network operating entities; and communicate, via the one or more antennas with the second wireless communication device, a communication signal in the first transmission slot, wherein the reservation signal includes a higher power spectral density (PSD) level than the communication signal.

Other aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following description of specific, exemplary embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. While features of the present invention may be discussed relative to certain embodiments and figures below, all embodiments of the present invention can include one or more of the advantageous features discussed herein. In other words, while one or more embodiments may be discussed as having certain advantageous features, one or more of such features may also be used in accordance with the various embodiments of the invention discussed herein. In similar fashion, while exemplary embodiments may be discussed below as device, system, or method embodiments it should be understood that such exemplary embodiments can be implemented in various devices, systems, and methods.

