Autonomous unlicensed band reuse in mixed cellular and device-to-device network

摘要

Methods, apparatuses, a system and computer program products are provided for autonomously reusing an unlicensed band in a hybrid cellular and device-to-device network. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus receives a request for resources from a terminal, and identifies available resources on an unlicensed band based on the request. The apparatus further reserves the identified available resources for use by the terminal, and transmits a reservation response to the terminal, wherein the reservation response comprises information relating to the reserved available resources. Further, the apparatus transmits data to the terminal over a licensed band and the available resources reserved on the unlicensed band.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, at a first terminal, a request for resources from a second terminal; identifying, at the first terminal, available resources on an unlicensed band based on the request; reserving, at the first terminal, the identified available resources for use by the second terminal; transmitting, at the first terminal, a reservation response to the second terminal, wherein the reservation response comprises information relating to the reserved available resources; and transmitting, at the first terminal, data to the second terminal over a licensed band and over the unlicensed band using the available resources reserved on the unlicensed band.