Inter-eNB Signaling for Fast Muting Adaptation

An apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving, at an underlying access point from an overlaying access point, first almost-blank subframe information regarding a plurality of subframes, wherein the first almost-blank subframe information includes an identification of at least one mandatory almost-blank subframe in the plurality of subframes;
• means for receiving, at the underlying access point from the overlaying access point, second almost-blank subframe information regarding the plurality of subframes, wherein the second almost-blank subframe information includes an identification of at least one optional almost-blank subframe in the plurality of subframes, wherein the optional almost-blank subframes are to be used as one of normal subframes or mandatory almost-blank subframes by the overlaying and underlying access points;
• and
• means for scheduling the plurality of subframes for the underlying cell based at least in part on whether the at least one optional almost-blank subframe is to be used as an almost-blank subframe.

A method, comprising:

• scheduling mandatory almost-blank subframes in a plurality of subframes;
• sending, to an underlying access point from an overlaying access point, first almost-blank subframe information regarding the plurality of subframes, wherein the first almost-blank subframe information comprises an identification of the mandatory almost-blank subframes;
• scheduling optional almost-blank subframes in the plurality of subframes, wherein the optional almost-blank subframes are to be used as one of normal subframes or mandatory almost-blank subframes by the overlaying and underlying access points;
• and
• sending, to the underlying access point from the overlaying access point, second almost-blank subframe information regarding the plurality of subframes, where the second almost-blank subframe information comprises identification of at least one optional almost-blank subframe in the plurality of subframes.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for scheduling mandatory almost-blank subframes in a plurality of subframes;
• means for sending, to an underlying access point from an overlaying access point, first almost-blank subframe information regarding the plurality of subframes, wherein the first almost-blank subframe information comprises an identification of the mandatory almost-blank subframes;
• means for scheduling optional almost-blank subframes in the plurality of subframes, wherein the optional almost-blank subframes are to be used as one of normal subframes or mandatory almost-blank subframes by the overlaying and underlying access points;
• and
• means for sending, to the underlying access point from the overlaying access point, second almost-blank subframe information regarding the plurality of subframes, where the second almost-blank subframe information comprises identification of at least one optional almost-blank subframe in the plurality of subframes.