Transmission Confirmation Signal on LBT Carrier

A wireless transmitter associated with license assisted access wireless communications between the wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver, where the licensed assisted access wireless communications comprise communications using both a licensed wireless spectrum associated with a primary cell and an unlicensed wireless spectrum associated with a secondary cell, the wireless transmitter comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the wireless transmitter is operative to:
• determine whether a secondary cell channel between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver is idle, the secondary cell channel being associated with the unlicensed wireless spectrum of the secondary cell;
• and
• subsequently transmit a confirmation signal to the wireless receiver if the secondary cell channel is idle, the confirmation signal alerting the wireless receiver to the commencement of valid data transmissions from the wireless transmitter via the secondary cell.

A method, implemented in a wireless receiver associated with license assisted access wireless communications between a wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver, wherein the licensed assisted access wireless communications comprise communications using both a licensed wireless spectrum associated with a primary cell and an unlicensed wireless spectrum associated with a secondary cell, the method comprising the wireless receiver:

• receiving a subframe from the wireless transmitter via a secondary cell channel, the secondary cell channel being associated with the unlicensed wireless spectrum of the secondary cell;
• determining whether a confirmation signal is present in the subframe;
• and
• if the confirmation signal is present, decoding information in the subframe.

A wireless receiver associated with license assisted access wireless communications between a wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver, wherein the licensed assisted access wireless communications comprise communications using both a licensed wireless spectrum associated with a primary cell and an unlicensed wireless spectrum associated with a secondary cell, the wireless receiver comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the wireless receiver is operative to:
• receive a subframe from the wireless transmitter via a secondary cell channel, the secondary cell channel being associated with the unlicensed wireless spectrum of the secondary cell;
• determine whether a confirmation signal is present in the subframe;
• and
• if the confirmation signal is present, decode information in the subframe.

A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a wireless receiver, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on processing circuitry of the wireless receiver, causes the wireless receiver to:

• receive a subframe from the wireless transmitter via a secondary cell channel, the secondary cell channel being associated with the unlicensed wireless spectrum of the secondary cell;
• determine whether a confirmation signal is present in the subframe;
• and
• if the confirmation signal is present, decode information in the subframe.