Apparatus and methods of frequency spectrum usage in a wireless communication system

A radio network subsystem apparatus, comprising:

• a configuration component for configuring at least a first and second downlink carrier to have a total occupied bandwidth that is constrained within an allocated downlink frequency spectrum, the first downlink carrier having a first downlink carrier center frequency and the second downlink carrier having a second downlink carrier center frequency;
• a transmitter for:
• transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), at least a first and second downlink carrier center frequency indicator, wherein the first downlink carrier center frequency indicator identifies the first downlink carrier center frequency of the first downlink carrier, and wherein second downlink carrier center frequency indicator identifies the second downlink carrier center frequency of the second downlink carrier;
• and
• transmitting, to the UE, at least one uplink center carrier frequency indicator identifies at least one uplink carrier center frequency of at least one uplink carrier to be transmitted by the UE to the radio network subsystem within an allocated uplink frequency spectrum, wherein the at least one uplink carrier is configured by the radio network subsystem to have an independent, variable offset center frequency relative to the at least first and second downlink carriers.

A method of frequency spectrum usage for communications of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• receiving, from a radio network subsystem, at least a first and second downlink carrier center frequency indicator corresponding to at least a first and second downlink carrier having a total occupied bandwidth that is constrained within an allocated downlink frequency spectrum, wherein a position of a second downlink carrier center frequency within the allocated downlink frequency spectrum is different from a position of a first downlink carrier center frequency;
• receiving, from the radio network subsystem, at least one uplink carrier center frequency indicator that identifies at least one uplink carrier center frequency of at least one uplink carrier to be transmitted by the UE within an allocated uplink frequency spectrum, wherein the at least one uplink carrier is configured by the radio network subsystem to have an independent, variable frequency offset relative to the at least first and second downlink carriers;
• and
• configuring a transmission component to transmit at least one corresponding uplink carrier based on the uplink carrier center frequency indicator.

A user equipment apparatus, comprising:

• a receiver for:
• receiving, from a radio network subsystem, at least a first and second downlink carrier center frequency indicator corresponding to at least a first and second downlink carrier having a total occupied bandwidth that is constrained within an allocated downlink frequency spectrum, wherein a position of a second downlink carrier center frequency within the allocated downlink frequency spectrum is different from a position of a first downlink carrier center frequency;
• and
• receiving, from the radio network subsystem, at least one uplink carrier center frequency indicator that identifies at least one uplink carrier center frequency of at least one uplink carrier to be transmitted by the UE within an allocated uplink frequency spectrum, wherein the at least one uplink carrier is configured by the radio network subsystem to have an independent, variable offset center frequency relative to the at least first and second downlink carriers;
• and
• a configuration component for configuring a transmission component to transmit the uplink carrier based on the uplink center frequency indicator.