User-equipment-coordination set for a wireless network using an unlicensed frequency band

A method for coordinating joint-transmission of uplink data to a base station over an unlicensed frequency band, the method comprising:

• receiving, using a local wireless network connection and by a user equipment in a user equipment-coordination set, uplink data from a coordinating user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set, the uplink data comprising duplicate uplink signals supplied to another user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set;
• performing a clear channel assessment on a channel in the unlicensed frequency band, the clear channel assessment generating results that include a backoff time for the user equipment;
• transmitting, using the local wireless network connection and to the coordinating user equipment, the results;
• receiving, over the local wireless network connection and from the coordinating user equipment, an indication to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data at a specified time that is a different duration of time than the backoff time;
• and
• initiating the joint-transmission of the uplink data to the base station based on the specified time.

A user equipment apparatus comprising:

• at least one wireless transceiver;
• a local wireless transceiver;
• a processor;
• and
• computer-readable storage media comprising instructions, responsive to execution by the processor, for directing the user equipment apparatus to operations comprising:
• receiving, as a first user equipment in a user equipment-coordination set and using a local wireless network connection, uplink data from a second user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set;
• distributing, using the local wireless network connection, the uplink data to at least a third user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set by distributing duplicate uplink signals to each user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set;
• receiving, using the local wireless network connection and from at least one user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set, results of a clear channel assessment of an unlicensed frequency band performed by the at least one user equipment;
• determining, based on the results, a specified time to begin joint-transmission of the uplink data in the unlicensed frequency band;
• and
• coordinating the joint-transmission of the uplink data in the unlicensed frequency band by directing the at least one user equipment to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data based on the specified time.