Preamble-based channel reservation and self-organized fairness mechanisms for long term evolution (lte) over shared spectrum

An apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit wireless transmissions in a plurality of subframes over a shared spectrum, the plurality of subframes bounded by subframe boundaries at predetermined time intervals;
• a receiver configured to receive wireless signals in the shared spectrum;
• a modem configured to modulate signals to be transmitted and demodulate received signals;
• a processor configured to:
• determine a success index representing a measure of success in transmitting the wireless transmissions;
• perform a clear channel assessment to determine whether the shared spectrum is available at an end of a clear channel assessment time interval;
• determine a gap interval between the end of the clear channel assessment time interval and a next subframe boundary;
• and
• cause the transmitter to transmit the success index during the gap interval.

A method comprising:

• at a first wireless device among a plurality of wireless devices configured to transmit wireless transmissions in a plurality of subframes over a shared spectrum, receiving at least one success index associated with at least one second wireless device among the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the at least one success index is received during a gap interval between a clear channel assessment interval of the at least one second wireless device and a next subframe boundary;
• adjusting one or more parameters based on the at least one success index associated with the at least one second wireless device;
• and
• transmitting a wireless transmission over the shared spectrum in accordance with the one or more parameters, wherein the one or more parameters cause the first wireless device to share the shared spectrum fairly with the at least one second wireless device.