Methods, network node and wireless communication device for handling of signals in a wireless communication network

1. A method performed by a network node of a wireless communication network for wireless transmission of signals to wireless communication devices, the method comprising:

selecting an adapted modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for a first signal to be transmitted to a first wireless communication device at a first frequency bandwidth, the MCS being adapted to a second signal being transmitted to a second wireless communication device concurrently with the first signal, the second signal being transmitted at a second frequency bandwidth that is a subset of the first frequency bandwidth, the second frequency bandwidth being narrower than the first frequency bandwidth, wherein selecting the adapted MCS is based on a percentage of the first frequency bandwidth that the second frequency bandwidth occupies;

sending information to the first wireless communication device indicating that a subset of the first frequency bandwidth is used for sending signals to the second wireless communication device, including an indication of the used subset, wherein, based on the information, the first wireless communication device disregards the information received at the subset of the first frequency bandwidth;

transmitting the first signal to the first wireless communication device at the first frequency bandwidth coded with the adapted MCS; and

transmitting the second signal to the second wireless communication device at the second frequency bandwidth, the second signal being sent concurrently with the first signal.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before selecting the adapted MCS for the first signal:

selecting an original MCS for the first signal, wherein the original MCS is less robust than the adapted MCS; and

detecting that the second signal is to be transmitted to the second wireless communication device concurrently with the transmission of the first signal,

wherein selecting the adapted MCS for the first signal is performed in response to the detecting.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting the subset of the first frequency bandwidth to be used for the second frequency bandwidth based on signal strengths in sub-bandwidths of the first frequency bandwidth.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal comprises a preamble portion and a data portion, and data of the second signal is overlaid over the data portion of the first signal at the subset of the first bandwidth corresponding to the second bandwidth.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first signal comprises a preamble portion and a data portion; and

transmitting the first signal comprises blanking at least the data portion of the first signal at the subset of the first bandwidth corresponding to the second bandwidth.

6. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out the method according to claim 1 .

7. A method performed by a first wireless communication device of a wireless communication network for wireless reception of signals from a network node, the method comprising:

receiving, from the network node, an indication of an adapted modulation and coding scheme (MCS) selected for a first signal to be transmitted to the first wireless communication device at a first frequency bandwidth, the MCS being adapted to a second signal being transmitted by the network node to another wireless communication device concurrently with the first signal and at a second frequency bandwidth that is a subset of the first frequency bandwidth, the second frequency bandwidth being narrower than the first bandwidth, wherein the selection of adapted MCS is based on a percentage of the first frequency bandwidth that the second frequency bandwidth occupies;

receiving, from the network node, an indication of the subset of the first bandwidth used for sending signals to the second wireless communication device;

receiving the first signal from the network node at the first frequency bandwidth using the adapted MCS;

blanking data of the received first signal at the subset of the first bandwidth, in response to the received indication of the subset; and

decoding the received, blanked first signal using the indicated adapted MCS.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out the method according to claim 7 .

9. A network node operable in a wireless communication system configured for wireless transmission of signals to wireless communication devices, the network node comprising a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions that, when executed by said processor, configure the network node to:

select an adapted modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for a first signal to be transmitted to a first wireless communication device at a first frequency bandwidth, the MCS being adapted to a second signal being transmitted to a second wireless communication device concurrently with the first signal, the second signal being transmitted at a second frequency bandwidth that is a subset of the first frequency bandwidth, the second frequency bandwidth being narrower than the first frequency bandwidth, wherein execution of the instructions further configures the network node to select the adapted MCS based on a percentage of the first frequency bandwidth that the second frequency bandwidth occupies;

send information to the first wireless communication device indicating that a subset of the first frequency bandwidth is used for sending signals to the second wireless communication device, including an indication of the used subset, wherein, based on the information, the first wireless communication device disregards the information received at the subset of the first frequency bandwidth;

transmit the first signal to the first wireless communication device at the first frequency bandwidth coded with the adapted MCS; and

transmit the second signal to the second wireless communication device at the second frequency bandwidth, the second signal being sent concurrently with the first signal.

10. The network node according to claim 9 , wherein execution of the instructions further configures the network node to:

before selecting the adapted MCS for the first signal:

select an original MCS for the first signal, the original MCS being less robust than the adapted MCS; and

detect that the second signal is to be transmitted to the second wireless communication device concurrently with the transmission of the first signal;

select the adapted MCS for the first signal in response to the detecting.

11. The network node according to claim 9 , wherein execution of the instructions further configures the network node to:

select the subset of the first frequency bandwidth to be used for the second frequency bandwidth based on signal strengths on sub-bandwidths of the first frequency bandwidth.

12. The network node according to claim 9 , wherein the first signal comprises a preamble portion and a data portion, and data of the second signal is overlaid over the data portion of the first signal at the subset of the first bandwidth corresponding to the second bandwidth.

13. The network node according to claim 9 , wherein:

the first signal comprises a preamble portion and a data portion; and

execution of the instructions further configures the network node to transmit the first signal by blanking at least the data portion of the first signal at the subset of the first bandwidth corresponding to the second bandwidth.

14. A first wireless communication device operable in a wireless communication network configured for wireless reception of signals from a network node, the first communication device comprising a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions that, when executed by said processor, configure the first wireless communication device to:

receive, from the network node, an indication of an adapted modulation and coding scheme (MCS) selected for a first signal to be transmitted to the first wireless communication device at a first frequency bandwidth, the MCS being adapted to a second signal being transmitted by the network node to another wireless communication device concurrently with the first signal and at a second frequency bandwidth that is a subset of the first frequency bandwidth, the second frequency bandwidth being narrower than the first bandwidth, wherein the selection of adapted MCS is based on a percentage of the first frequency bandwidth that the second frequency bandwidth occupies;

receive, from the network node, an indication of the subset of the first bandwidth used for sending signals to the second wireless communication device;

receive the first signal from the network node at the first frequency bandwidth using the adapted MCS;

blank data of the received first signal at the subset of the first bandwidth, in response to the received indication of the subset; and

decode the received, blanked first signal using the indicated adapted MCS.