METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING SCHEDULED TRANSMISSION

1 - 37 . (canceled)

38 . An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to determine whether a scheduled transmission is to be initiated in a frequency band in which at least one device uses contention based communication; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a reservation message to release a resource from the contention based communication in response to a determination that the scheduled transmission is to be initiated.

39 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the reservation message for a duration that is at least as long as a longest expected transmission duration of a packet in the contention based communication.

40 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to start the scheduled transmission subsequent to transmitting the reservation message but within a time interval that is shorter than a smallest backoff time of the contention based communication.

41 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the reservation message at highest transmission power.

42 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the reservation message comprises at least one of: an identifier of the apparatus; an identifier of a transmission system;

comprises an identifier of a spectral coexistence rule.

43 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the reservation message prevents a device using the contention based communication from transmitting.

44 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the reservation message only if there is no ongoing transmission by a device using the contention based communication.

45 . An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to determine whether a scheduled transmission is to be initiated in a frequency band in which at least one device uses contention based communication; and

a transmitter configured to transmit an instruction message to a device, instructing the device to transmit a reservation message in response to a determination that the scheduled transmission is to be initiated.

46 . The apparatus of claim 45 , wherein the instruction message includes information on duration of the reservation message.

47 . The apparatus of claim 45 , wherein the instruction message comprises at least one of: information on a frequency band on which the reservation message is to be transmitted; information on a geographical region where the reservation message is to be transmitted.

48 . The apparatus of claim 45 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the instruction message only if the device has enough battery power to last for a predetermined time.

49 . A method, comprising:

determining that a scheduled transmission is to be initiated in a frequency band in which at least one device uses contention based communication; and

transmitting a reservation message to release a resource from the contention based communication.

50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the reservation message is transmitted for a duration that is at least as long as a longest expected transmission duration of a packet in the contention based communication.

51 . The method of claim 49 , further comprising transmitting the scheduled transmission subsequent to transmitting the reservation message but within a time interval that is shorter than a smallest backoff time of the contention based communication.

52 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the reservation message is transmitted at highest transmission power.

53 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the reservation message comprises at least one of: an identifier of a device transmitting the reservation message; an identifier of a transmission system; an identifier of a spectral coexistence rule.

54 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the reservation message prevents a device using the contention based communication from transmitting.

55 . The method of claim 49 , wherein the reservation message is transmitted only if there is no ongoing transmission by a device using the contention based communication.

56 . A method, comprising:

determining that a scheduled communication is to be initiated in a frequency band in which at least one device uses contention based communication; and

instructing a device to transmit a reservation message.

57 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the instruction includes information on duration of the reservation message.

58 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the instruction comprises at least one of:

information on a frequency band on which the reservation message is to be transmitted; information on a geographical region where the reservation message is to be transmitted.

59 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the device is instructed only if the device has enough battery power to last for a predetermined time.

60 . A computer program, comprising:

code for determining that a scheduled transmission is to be initiated in a frequency band in which at least one device uses contention based communication; and

code for transmitting a reservation message to release a resource from the contention based communication;

when the computer program is run on a processor.

61 . A computer program, comprising:

code for determining that a scheduled transmission is to be initiated in a frequency band in which at least one device uses contention based communication; and

code for instructing a device to transmit a reservation message in the frequency band;

when the computer program is run on a processor.