Gating scheme for wireless communication over unlicensed spectrum

An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

• means for aligning a clear channel assessment (CCA) period in time across a plurality of base stations, wherein a duration of the CCA period is the same for each of the plurality of base stations;
• means for selecting, from the aligned CCA period, a timing for performing a CCA;
• means for performing the CCA at the selected timing in a current gating interval to determine whether an unlicensed spectrum is available for a transmission in the unlicensed spectrum for a next transmission interval;
• and
• means for gating OFF the transmission in the unlicensed spectrum for the next transmission interval when the unlicensed spectrum is determined to be unavailable.

An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
• align a clear channel assessment (CCA) period in time across a plurality of base stations, wherein a duration of the CCA period is the same for each of the plurality of base stations;
• select, from the aligned CCA period, a timing for performing a CCA;
• perform the CCA at the selected timing in a current gating interval to determine whether an unlicensed spectrum is available for a transmission in the unlicensed spectrum for a next transmission interval;
• and
• gate OFF the transmission in the unlicensed spectrum for the next transmission interval when the unlicensed spectrum is determined to be unavailable.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to cause a wireless communications apparatus to:

• align a clear channel assessment (CCA) period in time across a plurality of base stations, wherein a duration of the CCA period is the same for each of the plurality of base stations;
• select, from the aligned CCA period, a timing for performing a CCA;
• perform the CCA at the selected timing in a current gating interval to determine whether an unlicensed spectrum is available for a transmission in the unlicensed spectrum for a next transmission interval;
• and
• gate OFF the transmission in the unlicensed spectrum for the next transmission interval when the unlicensed spectrum is determined to be unavailable.