Methods and Apparatus for Enabling Further Enhancements to Flexible Subframes in LTE Heterogeneous Networks

A method for communication in a wireless telecommunication network, the method comprising:

• assigning, by a network element, a first scheduling grant to a first user equipment (UE) and a second scheduling grant to a second UE, the first UE being closer to the network element than the second UE,
• wherein the first scheduling grant is such that the first UE only performs transmissions during flexible subframes and wherein the second scheduling grant is such that the second UE only performs transmissions during static subframes, the static subframes having a different subframe pattern than the flexible subframes,
• wherein the flexible subframes are capable of dynamically switching between subframes used by the first UE for uplink traffic and downlink traffic, while the static subframes are restricted subframes used by the second UE for only uplink traffic or downlink traffic.

A network element comprising:

• a processor configured such that the network element assigns a first scheduling grant to a first user equipment (UE) and a second scheduling grant to a second UE, the first UE being closer to the network element than the second UE,
• wherein the first scheduling grant is such that the first UE only performs transmissions during flexible subframes and wherein the second scheduling grant is such that the second UE only performs transmissions during static subframes, the static subframes having a different subframe pattern than the flexible subframes,
• wherein the flexible subframes are capable of dynamically switching between subframes used by the first UE for uplink traffic and downlink traffic, while the static subframes are restricted subframes used by the second UE for only uplink traffic or downlink traffic.

A user equipment (UE) comprising:

• a processor configured to receive a first scheduling grant assigned by a network element, the UE being closer to the network element than a second UE to which a second scheduling grant is assigned,
• wherein the first scheduling grant is such that the UE only performs transmissions during flexible subframes and wherein the second scheduling grant is such that the second UE only performs transmissions during static subframes, the static subframes having a different subframe pattern than the flexible subframes,
• wherein the flexible subframes are capable of dynamically switching between subframes used by the UE for uplink traffic and downlink traffic, while the static subframes are restricted subframes used by the second UE for only uplink traffic or downlink traffic.