Methods and apparatus for supporting operator device sharing of time and frequency resources in a band

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for implementing a spectrum scheduling controller (SSC) are described. The spectrum scheduling controller receives resources requests from operator devices, e.g., access points which can be in the form of base stations. The access points can, and sometimes do, correspond to different operators and/or use different communications technologies. The SSC determines the coverage areas of the operator devices requesting resources and groups them into groups based on the potential for interference, e.g., contour area overlap. Operator devices are synchronized on a frame and/or transmission slot level basis with a frame including multiple slots. A schedule is created allocating slots corresponding to operator devices based on latency and/or data transmission requirements. Device priority can be, and sometimes is, considered when generating a schedule. The schedule allocating resources is communicated to members of an operator device group to which the schedule relates.