Frequency Selective Almost Blank Subframes

An apparatus for use in a heterogeneous network including a macro cell and a small cell, the apparatus comprising:

• control logic associated with the macro cell configured to schedule a frequency selective subframe pattern in which protected subframes are transmitted by a macro cell access point in the macro cell during a particular subframe of a radio frame using a protected portion of a frequency band and unprotected subframes are transmitted during the particular subframe by the macro cell access point using an unprotected portion of the frequency band;
• and
• at least one transmitter of the macro cell access point to transmit the protected subframes and the unprotected subframes during the particular subframe;
• wherein a first plurality of resource blocks are allocated to the protected subframes, the first plurality of resource blocks being the protected portion of the frequency band;
• and
• wherein a second plurality of resource blocks are allocated to the unprotected subframes, the second plurality of resource blocks being the unprotected portion of the frequency band.

A heterogeneous network comprising:

• a macro cell having a first coverage area and a macro cell access point;
• at least one small cell having a second coverage area that overlaps with a portion of the first coverage area and a small cell access point;
• control logic associated with the macro cell configured to schedule a frequency selective subframe pattern in which almost blank subframes are transmitted by the macro cell access point during a particular subframe of a radio frame on a protected portion of a frequency band and unprotected subframes are transmitted during the particular subframe by the macro cell access point using an unprotected portion of the frequency band and the control logic being further configured to cause information regarding the frequency selective subframe to be communicated to control logic associated with small cell;
• the macro cell access point including at least one transmitter to transmit the almost blank subframes and the unprotected subframes during the particular subframe;
• and
• at least one transmitter in the small cell to transmit data to user equipment in a range extension area of the small cell during the particular subframe using the protected portion of the frequency band;
• wherein a first plurality of resource blocks are allocated to the protected portion of the frequency band;
• and
• wherein a second plurality of resource blocks are allocated to the unprotected portion of the frequency band.