Methods and Network Nodes for use in a Communication Network

A method of operating a network node in a communication network, the method comprising:

• determining a preferred configuration for one or more flexible subframes in a frame, the frame comprising one or more subframes allocated to uplink transmissions, one or more subframes allocated to downlink transmissions and one or more flexible subframes that can each be dynamically allocated to either uplink transmissions or downlink transmissions;
• and
• transmitting a message to a neighboring network node in the communication network through an inter node interface, the message indicating the preferred configuration for the one or more flexible subframes.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code being such that, on execution by a suitable computer or processor of a network node in a communication network, the computer or processor causes the network node to:

• determine a preferred configuration for one or more flexible subframes in a frame, the frame comprising one or more subframes allocated to uplink transmissions, one or more subframes allocated to downlink transmissions and one or more flexible subframes that can each be dynamically allocated to either uplink transmissions or downlink transmissions;
• and
• transmit a message to a neighboring network node in the communication network through an inter node interface, the message indicating the preferred configuration for the one or more flexible subframes.

A method of operating a network node in a communication network, the method comprising:

• receiving a message from a neighboring network node in the communication network through an inter node interface, the message indicating a preferred configuration of the neighboring network node for one or more flexible subframes in a frame, the frame comprising one or more subframes allocated to uplink transmissions, one or more subframes allocated to downlink transmissions and one or more flexible subframes that can each be dynamically allocated to either uplink transmissions or downlink transmissions;
• and
• determining the configuration of the one or more flexible subframes in the frame using the preferred configuration indicated in the received message.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer readable code stored therein, the computer readable code being such that, on execution by a suitable computer or processor of a network node in a communication network, the computer or processor causes the network node to:

• receive a message from a neighboring network node in the communication network through an inter node interface, the message indicating a preferred configuration of the neighboring network node for one or more flexible subframes in a frame, the frame comprising one or more subframes allocated to uplink transmissions, one or more subframes allocated to downlink transmissions and one or more flexible subframes that can each be dynamically allocated to either uplink transmissions or downlink transmissions;
• and
• determine the configuration of the one or more flexible subframes in the frame using the preferred configuration indicated in the received message.