Methods and apparatus relating to communicating and/or using minimum frequency separation information to facilitate carrier aggregation and/or dual connectivity

A communications system comprising:

• a first node including a memory and a first processor coupled to said memory, the first processor being configured to operate the first node to:
• receive, at the first node, first user equipment (UE) capability information from a first UE, said first UE capability information communicating first frequency information indicating a first minimum frequency separation to be used to limit possible in-device-coexistence (IDC) interference at the first UE;
• send a message from the first node to a second node, said message including second frequency information indicating a second minimum frequency separation to be maintained when the second node allocates one or more frequencies to be used by the first UE, said second minimum frequency separation being greater than or equal to the first minimum frequency separation;
• and
• operate the first node to communicate with the first UE over a first channel while the second node communicates with the first UE over a second channel which is separated from said first channel by at least said second minimum frequency separation.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including machine executable instructions which when executed by a processor of a first node causes the first node to perform the steps of:

• receiving, at the first node, first user equipment (UE) capability information from a first UE, said first UE capability information communicating first frequency information indicating a first minimum frequency separation to be used to limit possible in-device-coexistence (IDC) interference at the first UE;
• sending a message from the first node to a second node, said message including second frequency information indicating a second minimum frequency separation to be maintained when the second node allocates one or more frequencies to be used by the first UE, said second minimum frequency separation being greater than or equal to the first minimum frequency separation;
• and
• operating the first node to communicate with the first UE over a first channel while the second node communicates with the first UE over a second channel which is separated from said first channel by at least said second minimum frequency separation.