Method and apparatus for performing fractional subframe transmission

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and apparatus for performing fractional subframe transmission. The method may comprise: determining first temporal information that indicates when a channel becomes available; and determining, based on the first temporal information and transmission opportunity information, second temporal information that indicates an end of the fractional subframe transmission.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of performing fractional subframe transmission, comprising:
 determining first temporal information that indicates when a channel becomes available; and   determining, based on the first temporal information and transmission opportunity information, second temporal information that indicates an end of the fractional subframe transmission.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining first temporal information that indicates when a channel becomes available comprises:
 determining a symbol of a first subframe at which the channel becomes available; and   determining the first temporal information as comprising an index of the symbol.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining first temporal information that indicates when a channel becomes available comprises:
 determining a symbol of a first subframe at which the channel becomes available; and   determining the first temporal information as comprising a potential position immediately prior to the symbol, wherein the potential position is predefined in the first subframe.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  or  3 , wherein determining, based on the first temporal information and transmission opportunity information, second temporal information that indicates an end of the fractional subframe transmission comprises:
 determining a number of symbols used by the fractional subframe transmission based on the transmission opportunity information; and 
 determining a number of end symbols based on the first temporal information and the number of symbols used by the fractional subframe transmission, wherein the end symbols are used by the fractional subframe transmission and belong to a last subframe of the fractional subframe transmission. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 comparing the number of end symbols with a predetermined threshold; and   responsive to that the number of end symbols is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, releasing the last subframe, or combining the end symbols with a subframe immediately prior to the last subframe.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining a transport block size based on the number of end symbols; and   transmitting data of the transport block size in the last subframe.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining a transport block size based on the number of end symbols; and   receiving data of the transport block size in the last subframe.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining first temporal information that indicates when a channel becomes available comprises:
 determining a first subframe at which the channel becomes available; and   determining the first temporal information as comprising an index of the first subframe.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining, based on the first temporal information and transmission opportunity information, second temporal information that indicates an end of the fractional subframe transmission comprises:
 determining, based on the first temporal information and transmission opportunity information, an index of a last subframe used by the fractional subframe transmission.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus of performing fractional subframe transmission, comprising:
 a first determining unit configured to determine first temporal information that indicates when a channel becomes available; and   a second determining unit configured to determine, based on the first temporal information and transmission opportunity information, second temporal information that indicates an end of the fractional subframe transmission.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first determining unit comprises:
 a first symbol determining unit configured to determine a symbol of a first subframe at which the channel becomes available; and   a first information determining unit configured to determine determining the first temporal information as comprising an index of the symbol.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first determining unit comprises:
 a second symbol determining unit configured to determine a symbol of a first subframe at which the channel becomes available; and   a second information determining unit configured to determine the first temporal information as comprising a potential position immediately prior to the symbol, wherein the potential position is predefined in the first subframe.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  or  12 , wherein the second determining unit comprises:
 a first number determining unit configured to determine a number of symbols used by the fractional subframe transmission based on the transmission opportunity information; and 
 a second number determining unit configured to determine a number of end symbols based on the first temporal information and the number of symbols used by the fractional subframe transmission, wherein the end symbols are used by the fractional subframe transmission and belong to a last subframe of the fractional subframe transmission. 
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a comparing unit configured to compare the number of end symbols with a predetermined threshold; and   a processing unit configured to, responsive to that the number of end symbols is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, release the last subframe, or combine the end symbols with a subframe immediately prior to the last subframe.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first size determining unit configured to determine a transport block size based on the number of end symbols; and   a transmitting unit configured to transmit data of the transport block size in the last subframe.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second size determining unit configured to determine a transport block size based on the number of end symbols; and   a receiving unit configured to receive data of the transport block size in the last subframe.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first determining unit comprises:
 a first subframe determining unit configured to determine a first subframe at which the channel becomes available; and   a third information determining unit configured to determine the first temporal information as comprising an index of the first subframe.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the second determining unit comprises:
 a last subframe determining unit configured to determine, based on the first temporal information and transmission opportunity information, an index of a last subframe used by the fractional subframe transmission.