Collision avoidance scheme for wireless communications over unlicensed spectrum

An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
• transmit a request-to-send (RTS) signal in an unlicensed spectrum or a virtual RTS (V-RTS) signal in a licensed spectrum, addressed to a set of user equipments (UEs);
• and
• transmit a clear-to-send (CTS)-to-self signal in the unlicensed spectrum along with the transmission of the V-RTS signal.

An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
• receive, at a user equipment (UE), a request-to-send (RTS) signal in an unlicensed spectrum or a virtual RTS (V-RTS) in a licensed spectrum, the RTS signal or the V-RTS signal being addressed to a set of UEs.