ASSIGNMENT OF COMMUNICATION RESOURCES IN AN UNLICENSED FREQUENCY BAND TO EQUIPMENT OPERATING IN A LICENSED FREQUENCY BAND

摘要

Communication equipment communicating in a licensed frequency band identifies unused unlicensed communication resources within an unlicensed frequency band. The communication equipment uses the identified unlicensed communication resources to communicate within the unlicensed frequency band. In some circumstances, the unused unlicensed communication resources are identified based on resource information received from a base station where the resource information identifies unlicensed communication resources that will be used by the base station. In other circumstances, the unused unlicensed communication resources are identified based on frequency band measurements of the unlicensed frequency band over an observation time duration longer than a sensing time duration used by unlicensed equipment using the unlicensed frequency band.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
wirelessly communicating with a user equipment (UE) device over a licensed frequency band; identifying unused communication resources within a set of allocated unlicensed communication resources of an unlicensed frequency band, the set of allocated unlicensed communication resources allocated for communication with UE devices within a wireless service area; and assigning at least some of the unused communication resources for communication with the UE device over the unlicensed frequency band.