Method and system for joint coordination and coexistence in unlicensed spectrum
A method and system at a network element for providing a soft airtime share of unlicensed spectrum to at least one transmission point. The method includes receiving, from a plurality of transmission points, sensing results, selecting a group of candidate channels, grouping subsets of transmission points into radio access clusters, receiving, from each radio access cluster, a report, and allocating a soft airtime share to a radio access cluster for a channel at a time. Also, at a transmission point, a method and system for obtaining a soft airtime share of a channel in unlicensed spectrum. The method includes sensing a plurality of channels, providing a report, receiving a message assigning at least one radio access cluster, contending with other radio access clusters to send a beacon, receiving coordination beacons from neighboring clusters, self-scheduling and reporting in accordance with the received coordination beacons, and receiving an airtime share.
1. A method at a transmission point for obtaining resources of a channel in an unlicensed spectrum band, the method comprising:
Performing sensing on a plurality of channels;
providing a report to a network element in accordance with results of the sensing;
receiving a message providing at least one radio access cluster for the transmission point per channel;
contending, on behalf of the at least one radio access cluster, with other radio access clusters to send a coordination beacon on a channel;
receiving coordination beacons from neighboring radio access clusters on the channel;
reporting information from the coordination beacons to the network element; and
receiving an allocation of resources for the channel.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contending to send a coordination beacon is performed jointly with other transmission points in the radio access cluster.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contending to send a coordination beacon is performed sequentially with other transmission points in the radio access cluster.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contending to send a coordination beacon is preceded by a fake wireless local area network clear to send message.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending the coordination beacon includes sending information including at least one of: an operator identifier, a controller identifier, a radio access cluster identifier, a beacon order, a remaining time in an active sensing phase, the controller's updated actual airtime allocation, a short term wireless local area network average spectral utilization, and statistical quality of service measure of the radio access cluster traffic.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contending to send includes waiting a random backoff time from a last detected sequence to send the coordination beacon.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving an allocation of resources includes a flexible portion of resources for other users of the channel in the unlicensed spectrum.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the other users utilize resources for wireless local area networks and wherein the flexible proportion of resources includes a proportion of the time slot for the channel to the radio access cluster of the transmission point and a proportion of the channel to the wireless local area network.
9. A transmission point receiving resources of an unlicensed spectrum band, the transmission point comprising a processor configured to:
perform sensing on a plurality of channels;
provide a report to a network element in accordance with results of the sensing;
receive a message providing at least one radio access cluster for the transmission point per channel;
contend, on behalf of the at least one radio access cluster, with other radio access clusters to send a coordination beacon on a channel;
receive coordination beacons from neighboring radio access clusters on the channel;
report information from the coordination beacons to the network element; and
receive an allocation of resources for the channel.
10. The transmission point of claim 9 , wherein the transmission point is configured to contend to send a coordination beacon jointly with other transmission points in the radio access cluster.
11. The transmission point of claim 9 , the transmission point is configured to contend to send a coordination beacon sequentially with other transmission points in the radio access cluster.
12. The transmission point of claim 9 , wherein the transmission point is configured to contend to send a coordination beacon preceded by a fake wireless local area network clear to send message.
13. The transmission point of claim 9 , wherein the coordination beacon includes information selected from: an operator identifier, a controller identifier, a radio access cluster identifier, a beacon order, a remaining time in an active sensing phase, the controller's updated actual airtime allocation, a short term wireless local area network average spectral utilization, and statistical quality of service measure of the radio access cluster traffic.
14. The transmission point of claim 9 , wherein the transmission point is configured to contend to send by waiting a random backoff time from a last detected sequence to send the coordination beacon.
15. The transmission point of claim 9 , wherein the flexible proportion of resources accounts for other users of the channel in the unlicensed spectrum.
16. The transmission point of claim 9 , wherein the other users utilize resources for wireless local area networks and wherein the flexible proportion of resources includes a proportion of the time slot for the channel to the radio access cluster of the transmission point and a proportion of the channel to the wireless local area network.
17. A method at a transmission point for obtaining resources of a channel in an unlicensed spectrum band, the method comprising:
performing sensing on a plurality of channels;
providing a report to a network element in accordance with results of the sensing;
receiving a message providing at least one radio access cluster for the transmission point per channel;
contending with other radio access clusters to send a coordination beacon on a channel;
receiving coordination beacons from neighboring radio access clusters on the channel;
reporting information from the coordination beacons to the network element; and
receiving an allocation of resources for the channel,
wherein the contending to send a coordination beacon is preceded by a fake wireless local area network clear to send message.
18. A transmission point receiving resources of an unlicensed spectrum band, the transmission point comprising a processor configured to:
perform sensing on a plurality of channels;
provide a report to a network element in accordance with results of the sensing;
receive a message providing at least one radio access cluster for the transmission point per channel;
contend with other radio access clusters to send a coordination beacon on a channel;
receive coordination beacons from neighboring radio access clusters on the channel;
report information from the coordination beacons to the network element; and
receive an allocation of resources for the channel,
wherein the transmission point is configured to contend to send a coordination beacon preceded by a fake wireless local area network clear to send message.