Priority-based fairness and interference signalling technique in a flexible spectrum use wireless communication system

Abstract

The exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to at least a method, computer program, and apparatus to transmit a beacon from a first access node to a first user terminal associated with the first access node and also to a second user terminal associated with a second access node, where the beacon includes information indicating a priority of the first access node with respect to a radio resource allocation, and receive feedback from the first user equipment associated with the first access node, where the feedback includes information indicating a priority of the second access node. Further, in accordance with the first embodiments there is adjusting a value of a priority of a wireless network access node over time depending on an amount of radio resources reserved for use by the wireless network access node, such that the priority value decreases as more radio resources are reserved and increases as fewer radio resources are reserved, and transmitting the value of the priority to at least one other wireless network access node. Additionally, the exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to receiving an identification of a radio resource from a serving access node, and transmitting an interfering signal that specifies the identified radio resource. In addition, exemplary embodiments of the invention include detecting at an access node, uplink interference in a radio resource, and releasing a radio resource identified by the radio resource in which uplink interference was detected for use by another access node.