Systems and methods for base station selection in licensed and unlicensed spectrums

1. A method performed by a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving reference signals, wherein the reference signals are from a licensed spectrum or an unlicensed spectrum;

determining a parameter value according to a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and a channel occupancy of the received reference signals; and

selecting, in response to the parameter value meeting a condition, a communication node based at least on the ranking of the communication node, wherein the communication node is ranked when a cell selection channel occupancy rate associated with the communication node is below a first threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication node is associated with either the licensed spectrum or the unlicensed spectrum.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting the communication node based on the ranking of at least one of:

intra-frequency communications,

inter-frequency communications, and

inter-radio access technologies (RAT) communications.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

ranking the communication node when a cell selection received signal strength indicator associated with the communication node is below a second threshold value.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cell selection received signal strength indicator is associated with a measured signal strength indication and a maximum signal strength indication.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second threshold value is associated with a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) threshold for inter-frequency and inter-radio access technologies (RAT) measurements.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second threshold value is associated with a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) threshold for inter-frequency evaluation of a neighboring cell.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell selection channel occupancy rate is associated with a measured channel occupancy rate and a maximum channel occupancy rate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold value is associated with a channel occupancy rate threshold for inter-frequency and inter-radio access technologies (RAT) measurements.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold value is associated with a channel occupancy rate threshold for inter-frequency evaluation of a neighboring cell.

11. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

ranking the communication node based on an applied offset.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the applied offset is applied during a time interval.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the applied offset is applied when a transmission number of physical random access channel (PRACH) preambles reaches a third threshold value.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the applied offset is applied when a transmission number of msg3 reaches a fourth threshold value.

15. A communication device comprising:

a receiver configured to:

receive reference signals from a licensed spectrum or an unlicensed spectrum;

at least one processor configured to:

determine a parameter value according to a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and a channel occupancy of the received reference signals; and

a transmitter configured to:

select, in response to the parameter value meeting a condition, a communication node based at least on the ranking of the communication node, wherein the communication node is ranked when a cell selection channel occupancy rate associated with the communication node is above a first threshold value.

16. The communication device of claim 15 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

rank the communication node when a cell selection received signal strength indicator associated with the communication node is above a second threshold value.

17. The communication device of claim 15 , wherein a cell selection offset is associated at least one of:

an inter-frequency measurement;

an inter-radio access technology (RAT) measurement; and

a cell ranking.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause a device to perform operations comprising:

receiving reference signals, wherein the reference signals are from a licensed spectrum or an unlicensed spectrum;

determining a parameter value according to a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and a channel occupancy of the received reference signals; and

selecting, in response to the parameter value meeting a condition, a communication node based at least on the ranking of the communication node, wherein the communication node is ranked when a cell selection channel occupancy rate associated with the communication node is below a first threshold value or above a second threshold value.