Partial subframe transmission in licensed assisted access

An apparatus configured to be employed within an evolved NodeB (eNB), comprising:

• a radio frequency (“RF”) circuitry component configured to process or generate communication signals on an unlicensed spectrum;
• and
• a baseband component, coupled to the RF circuitry component, configured to generate a clear channel assessment of one or more secondary cell network devices by performing a listen before talk protocol (“LBT”) to detect whether a channel of the one or more second cell network devices is busy or idle, and in response to the detecting the channel of the one or more second cell network devices is idle, generate a downlink transmission via the channel in the unlicensed spectrum after a random duration that is specified within a predetermined interval of the downlink transmission.

A computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a processor of an evolved NodeB (“eNB”) to perform operations, comprising:

• generating, via the processor, a channel assessment on a channel of an unlicensed carrier by performing a listen before talk (“LBT”) protocol;
• and
• providing a downlink transmission in the unlicensed carrier based on the channel assessment after a random duration within a predetermined interval.

An apparatus employed in a user equipment (“UE”) operating in an unlicensed spectrum comprising:

• a radio frequency (“RF”) circuitry component configured to transmit or receive communication signals on the unlicensed spectrum;
• and
• a processor, coupled to the RF circuitry component, configured to process a downlink transmission comprising one or more partial subframes at a starting subframe or an ending subframe of a plurality of subframes within a random duration of a time between an ending of a listen before talk (“LBT”) protocol and an aligned position for regular subframes of downlink transmissions.