WO2013071488A1

WO2013071488A1 - Method, apparatus and computer program product for unlicensed carrier adaptation

Info

Publication number: WO2013071488A1
Application number: PCT/CN2011/082227
Authority: WO
Inventors: Na WEI; Haiming Wang; Wei Bai; Wei Hong
Original assignee: Renesas Mobile Corporation
Priority date: 2011-11-15
Filing date: 2011-11-15
Publication date: 2013-05-23

Abstract

The invention relates to the radio interface between an apparatus for wireless communication and a network element comprising an unlicensed radio carrier. The method according to the invention comprises detecting a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier; classifying the unlicensed radio carrier in response to the parameter; assigning a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about at least one unlicensed radio carrier; and transmitting the carrier set configuration to a wireless apparatus.

Description

METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR UNLICENSED CARRIER ADAPTATION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to mobile communication networks. More specifically, the invention relates to the radio interface between an apparatus for wireless communication and a network element comprising an unlicensed radio carrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Long Term Evolution (LTE) was introduced in release 8 of the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) which is a specification for the 3^rd generation mobile communication systems. LTE is a technique for mobile data transmission that aims to increase data transmission rates and decrease delays, among other things. 3GPP release 10 introduced a next version, LTE-Advanced, fulfilling the 4^th generation system requirements. Carrier Aggregation (CA) is one of the key technologies of LTE-Advanced to greatly improve the data rate. The Carrier Aggregation extends the maximum bandwidth in the uplink, downlink or both directions by aggregating multiple carriers and combining separate spectrum allocations. By utilizing unlicensed radio carriers or radio bands within the Carrier Aggregation, the concept further improves peak data rates, increases average data rates for users, balances the traffic load when necessary and thus improves the spectrum efficiency for the wireless operator .

The available unlicensed band may differ according to the location. Examples of unlicensed spectrum or radio band are: the 2.4GHz ISM band (ISM; Industrial, Scientific and Medical) with the bandwidth of 83.5MHz, the 5GHz unlicensed band with the bandwidth larger than 100MHz, and the White Space spectrum comprising unused parts of the TV spectrum in the 54-698 MHz range. The LTE system needs to solve the problem of spectrum sharing or time sharing with other systems existing in the unlicensed radio band. Examples of co-existing systems utilizing the unlicensed band are IEEE 802.11 b/a/g/n/ac/af, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc.

As an example, the fundamental access method of the IEEE 802.11 MAC is a DCF (Distributed Coordination Function) known as Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) . The DCF shall be implemented in all stations (STA) . The station has to sense the status of the wireless medium before transmitting. If the medium is continuously idle for DCF Interframe Space (DIFS) duration, only then it is supposed to transmit a frame. If the channel is found busy during the DIFS interval, the station should defer its transmission. This enables the LTE to occupy the channel for a duration when the medium is available.

The LTE system is designed to utilize continuous transmission, as the wireless operator has purchased rights for a certain radio spectrum. According to the current specification the LTE deployed to the unlicensed spectrum occupies the spectrum all the time, thereby totally blocking any other systems. This may violate the regulatory requirement of the unlicensed band. To enable the utilization of the unlicensed band in LTE, a frequency sharing and/or time sharing scheme for Carrier Aggregation must be solved. SUMMARY

The invention discloses a method, comprising detecting a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier; classifying the unlicensed radio carrier in response to the parameter; assigning a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about at least one unlicensed radio carrier; and transmitting the carrier set configuration to a wireless apparatus. An example of such wireless apparatus is a user equipment.

In one exemplary embodiment the parameter is an activity level measurement of a second system using the unlicensed radio carrier. Examples of the second system are a wireless local area network or a Bluetooth system. In one embodiment the parameter is used by the second system using the unlicensed radio carrier. Examples comprise type information of the second system, a wireless local area network channelization, channel bonding information, a Bluetooth hopping pattern or bandwidth information.

In one exemplary embodiment the wireless apparatus detects the parameter and transmits the parameter information to the base station.

In one exemplary embodiment the carrier set configuration comprises information about the radio carrier spectrum occupation method. In one embodiment the carrier set configuration comprises information about at least one time period of the user equipment and the base station not sending radio transmission on the unlicensed radio carrier, where said information is applied to all carriers within a carrier set.

In one exemplary embodiment a priority order is assigned to the carrier set configuration. In one exemplary embodiment the carrier set configuration is updated in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier. The change may be detected in the co- existing system' s activity level or other characteristics of the unlicensed radio carrier.

The invention discloses also an apparatus for wireless communication configured to operate as a part of a network element, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory comprising program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to detect a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier; classify the unlicensed radio carrier in response to the parameter; assign a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about at least one unlicensed radio carrier; and transmit the carrier set configuration to a user equipment. An example of a network element according to the present invention is an evolved Node B (eNB) . The evolved Node B is a base station according to 3GPP LTE . The network element may also be a relay node, Donor evolved Node B (DeNB) or a similar element providing the functionality of a base station. The parameter and the carrier set configuration used with the apparatus are defined and function similarly to the method according to the invention.

In one embodiment the apparatus configured to operate as a part of a network element is configured to assign a priority order to the carrier set configuration. In one embodiment the apparatus is configured to update the carrier set in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier. The apparatus is configured for said detection.

The invention discloses also an apparatus for wireless communication configured to operate as a part of a user equipment, characterized in that the apparatus comprises at least one processor and at least one memory comprising program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: receive a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about a radio carrier spectrum occupation method and information about at least one time period of the user equipment and the base station not sending radio transmission on the unlicensed radio carrier, where said information is applied to all carriers within a carrier set. Examples of the user equipment are a mobile phone, a mobile computing device such as PDA, a laptop computer, a USB stick - basically any mobile device with wireless connectivity to a communication network. In this context the apparatus is different from the apparatus presented in the previous embodiment, defining the other member of the transmitter-receiver pair .

In one exemplary embodiment the apparatus is configured to detect a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier and to transmit the information about the unlicensed radio carrier to the base station. In one embodiment the apparatus is configured to update the carrier set configuration in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier. Examples of a change are variations in the activity level of the co-existing system, the co^¬ existing system type information changing or characteristics of a wireless local area network.

The invention discloses also a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising code for detecting a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier; code for classifying the unlicensed radio carrier in response to the parameter; code for assigning a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about at least one unlicensed radio carrier; and code for transmitting the carrier set configuration to a wireless apparatus. An example of such wireless apparatus is a user equipment.

In one exemplary embodiment the program comprises code for assigning a priority order to the carrier set configuration when the code is executed by the processor. In one exemplary embodiment the program comprises code for updating the activity carrier set in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier when the code is executed by the processor.

One benefit of the invention is the ability to aggregate multiple unlicensed band carriers efficiently. Also the LTE system may use the most optimal spectrum utilization method for carriers with a similar traffic load. The solution according to the present invention does not require much signalling as compared to systems proposed in the prior art. For a carrier set with a low or medium traffic load, an across-frequency spectrum utilization method saves the power consumed by LTE eNB/UE.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the elements according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating one example of time sharing LTE carrier aggregation deployment in the unlicensed band; Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating spectrum occupation methods,

Fig. 4 illustrates the white space spectrum with one usage scenario,

Fig. 5 illustrates one implementation of a carrier set classification and spectrum utilization method adaptation; and

Figs. 6a-6b illustrate examples of a carrier set measurement and update procedure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for wireless communication 100 according to an embodiment connected to a mobile communication network. The apparatus 100 comprises at least one controller 110, such as a processor, a memory 120 and a communication interface 130. In one embodiment the apparatus is a computer chip. Stored in the memory 120 are computer instructions which are adapted to be executed on the processor 110. The communication interface 130 is adapted to receive and send information to and from the processor 110. The apparatus 100 is commonly referred to as a user equipment UE or it may comprise a part of a user equipment .

The base station 140 comprises at least one controller 141, such as a processor, a memory 142 and a communication interface 143. In one exemplary embodiment the base station 140 comprises a computer chip executing the functionality according to the invention. Stored in the memory 142 are computer instructions which are adapted to be executed on the processor 141. The communication interface 143 is adapted to receive and send information to and from the processor 141. The user equipment 100 is connected to the base station 140, the connection being formed by a first radio link 151 that uses the licensed spectrum, for example utilizing the LTE system. The user equipment 100 may be connected to the base station 140 via a second radio link 152 that uses the unlicensed radio spectrum. From the user equipment's 100 perspective the base station 140 offers the functionality required to connect to the wireless network .

The base station 140 is adapted to be part of a cellular radio access network such as E-UTRAN applying WCDMA technology or similar networks suitable for high speed data transmission. Such networks are often also referred to as 4G or LTE. In this example, the cellular radio access network supports carrier aggregation comprising LTE and HSPA. The base station 140 illustrated in Figure 1 symbolizes all relevant network elements required to carry out the functionality of the wireless network. One example of the base station 140 is the evolved Node B, eNB . The wireless portion of the network operated by the base station is referred to as a cell; operations referred to be executed by the cell are executed by the base station. The downlink direction DL is defined as from the network 140 to the user equipment 100, and the uplink direction UL is defined as from the user equipment 100 to the network 140.

One benefit of the invention is enabling periodical full silence of the base station and the user equipment during the Carrier Aggregation within the unlicensed band as illustrated in Figure 2. While the LTE system is turned OFF, other devices may apply the unlicensed band thereby indicating a busy medium. During the period when the LTE eNB/UE is turned off, the LTE eNB/UE shuts off all transmissions to allow transmission for other systems. Turning off the LTE system means turning off simultaneously all channels of the LTE uplink as well as downlink involving both LTE eNB and all UEs, since any signal may cause detection as a busy medium by 802.11 systems and thus block them. The base station eNB occupies the unlicensed channel for a planned ON duration. The eNB keeps detecting 2 the unlicensed band for a possible transmission period. The planned OFF period may be followed by offset time 3.

The unlicensed radio spectrum may be occupied by several methods, which are illustrated in Figure 3. According to the first option 31, occupation across time, the LTE system occupies one or more free channels and starts continuous transmission. Optionally the transmission may be interrupted after time periods that are similar or previously defined. Other unlicensed band systems may take over the channels left free by the LTE. According to the second option 32 all multiple channels are occupied at the same time. According to the second option 32 the LTE transmits when all channels are available simultaneously. It is highly unlikely that all channels were idle simultaneously, assuming that systems on different channels run independently. As the number of channels increases, the second option 32 becomes less probable. However, the second option 32 is very valuable regarding the eNB/UE power efficiency.

The third option 33 according to Figure 3 illustrates an independent frequency-time occupation. The time sharing approach is executed independently on all channels or carriers. This option has the best spectrum occupation and utilization characteristics, but is not effective for eNB/UE power saving, as the eNB/UE needs to power on and off independently. For any available unlicensed spectrum the best occupation method needs to be decided regarding the spectrum utilization rate and eNB/UE power consumption.

In order to further optimize the power saving and system spectrum utilization, unlicensed band carriers are classified into certain carrier set configurations or active carrier sets. This enables the LTE system to deploy adaptive spectrum utilization strategies for different sets based on the characteristics of the free channels.

The eNB may classify target unlicensed band carriers into different active carrier sets. According to one embodiment the classification is based on the activity level measurement of those target unlicensed band carriers. Example of an activity level measurement is the active duration and idle duration ratio or parameters such as no activity (N) , low activity (L) , medium activity (M) and high activity load (H) .

According to one embodiment the classification is based on the co-existing system configuration estimation, for example according to the co-existing WIFI system' s channel bonding carrier set configuration. Also a combination of these two embodiments may be used.

According to one embodiment the eNB configures user equipments to assist in measuring or collecting configuration information. The configuration information may be delivered to the user equipment according to the method known in the current specification .

According to one embodiment the eNB applies different spectrum utilization strategies for different active carrier sets. In one embodiment the eNB sets a priority order for active carrier sets, for example one to a low activity carrier set and a second to a high activity carrier set. If there is no detected activity in the unlicensed band, the LTE eNB may occupy the carrier with the first option 31, across-time occupation, in the active carrier set. For the detected activity being low or medium, the eNB may select an active set with the second option 32, across-frequency occupation. When the activity on the unlicensed band is high, the eNB may use the third option 33, the time-frequency independent occupation approach. According to one embodiment, if a change is detected in the activity level of a certain carrier, the eNB updates the active carrier set configuration.

The user equipment may assist in measuring the activity of the unlicensed carrier or collecting co-existing system configuration information. In one embodiment the user equipment is configured by the eNB to assist in measuring the active carrier sets by reporting to the eNB about a certain carrier' s activity level and/or co-existing system information. The user equipment may also send a recommendation to eNB for updating a certain carrier set, activity level or certain spectrum occupation methods.

In one embodiment the user equipment receives the signaling from the eNB to configure carriers within a certain active carrier set as a Secondary Cell Carrier SCC. With certain spectrum occupation methods or a certain activity level assuming a certain linkage between the activity level and the spectrum occupation method being agreed between the eNB and the user equipment, the user equipment executes corresponding actions accordingly for all carriers within this set.

For the first option 31, the across-time occupation method, the user equipment assumes that the eNB operates with the maximum transmission duration for all carriers within this set. The duration may be restricted by a regulatory requirement or the like preventing the LTE to completely occupy the unlicensed spectrum. For the second option 32, the across- frequency occupation method, the user equipment assumes that the eNB operates with the LTE system on/off for all carriers within this set. For the third option 33, the time-frequency independent occupation method, the user equipment assumes that the eNB operates with the LTE system on and off independently of all carriers within this set.

In one embodiment the explicit on/off signaling method is used and the user equipment follows the signaling instructions about the carriers used with the explicit on/off signaling.

The signaling between the base station eNB and the user equipment is described as a general concept and may be utilized with similar or neighboring technologies. The base station eNB sends an explicit RRC/MAC (Radio Resource Control/Medium Access Control) signaling to user equipments. The signaling comprises information about the active carrier set, set up, modification, release, and the corresponding spectrum occupation approach adopted for each set. Optionally this information may be added inside the Scell configuration RRC signaling, or as a separate group based on RRC/MAC signaling. To support multiple carrier operation for across-frequency occupation, the time sharing signaling which indicates the LTE system on/off applies to all carriers within the set. The relevant signaling may be transmitted in the licensed band. If the LTE transmission uses only a standalone unlicensed band, the signaling may be transmitted on the anchor carrier.

An exemplary implementation of the carrier set classification and spectrum utilization method adaptation is illustrated in Figure 5. The base station measures the activity level of all available unlicensed band channels in white space, as shown in Figure 4. The base station may start with low traffic load carriers and define them (ch 6, 10, 14-17, 42-44) as one carrier set, and decide to use the across- frequency occupation method for this carrier set. The definition of the active carrier set may be done according to the traffic load. For example the time- frequency independent occupation method may be applied to the high traffic load carrier set.

Another example of implementing the active carrier set classification uses a co-existing WIFI system channel bonding configuration. The WIFI system may be configured with a channel bonding of { 40, 80, 160MHz}. When it is configured, the LTE system configures those carriers into one carrier set, as illustrated in Figure 5.

An example of the computer program code comprising the RRC signaling of the carrier set classification and the spectrum utilization method adaptation : UnlicensedCarrierSetlnfo : := SEQUENCE {

setID INTEGER (1,

.. maxUnlicensedCarrierSet ) physCellldl PhysCellld,

physCellId2 PhysCellld,

OccupationMethod ENUMERATED {acrossTime,

acrossFreq, independent}

OPTIONAL

Activity level ENUMERATED {0, 20, 40, 60

80 10

OPTIONAL

According to one example two potential carrier set measurement and updates procedures are illustrated in the flowcharts of Figure 6a and 6b. In Figure 6a the base station eNB measures the activity level of target unlicensed ban carriers, and may collect the co-existing WIFI channel bonding configuration, block 60. Accordig to optional block 61 the eNB may configure one or more user equipments to measure the activity level of target unlicensed band carriers. The user equipment reports the activity level to the eNB. In the decision block 62 the base station eNB determines a possible change in the carrier set's configuration, activity level and/or the occupation method. If the change has occurred, the eNB updates the carrier set classification and the desired occupation method. The configuration decision is sent to the user equipment, block 63. The user equipment receives the signaling from the eNB comprising new configuration and spectrum occupation methods and updates its functions accordingly, block 64.

In Figure 6b the base station eNB measures the activity level itselfof target unlicensed ban carriers, and may collect the co-existing WIFI channel bonding configuration, block 65. The eNB updates the classification of carrier set configuration and the desired occupation method. The configuration decision is sent to user equipment, block 66. Optionally in block 67 the user equipment suggests the base station eNB to update the carrier set configuration based on the user equipment's own measurement being different from the information obtained from the base station' s configuration. The base station eNB may accept the user equipment's recommendation, and update the configuration, decision block 68. The activity level measurement can be made in according to the methods known in the prior art, for example in a similar manner as the RSRP/RSRQ measurement. The user equipment receives the signaling from the eNB comprising new configuration and spectrum occupation methods and updates its functions accordingly, block 69. Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in software, hardware, application logic or a combination of software, hardware and application logic. In an example embodiment, the application logic, software or instruction set is maintained on any one of various conventional computer-readable media. In the context of this document, a "computer-readable medium" may be any media or means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transport the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer. A computer-readable medium may comprise a computer-readable storage medium that may be any media or means that can contain or store the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer. The exemplary embodiments can store information relating to various processes described herein. This information can be stored in one or more memories, such as a hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, RAM, and the like. One or more databases can store the information used to implement the exemplary embodiments of the present inventions. The databases can be organized using data structures (e.g., records, tables, arrays, fields, graphs, trees, lists, and the like) included in one or more memories or storage devices listed herein. The processes described with respect to the exemplary embodiments can include appropriate data structures for storing data collected and/or generated by the processes of the devices and subsystems of the exemplary embodiments in one or more databases.

All or a portion of the exemplary embodiments can be conveniently implemented using one or more general purpose processors, microprocessors, digital signal processors, micro-controllers, and the like, programmed according to the teachings of the exemplary embodiments of the present inventions, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the computer and/or software art(s) . Appropriate software can be readily prepared by programmers of ordinary skill based on the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the software art. In addition, the exemplary embodiments can be implemented by the preparation of application-specific integrated circuits or by interconnecting an appropriate network of conventional component circuits, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the electrical art(s) . Thus, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and/or software.

If desired, the different functions discussed herein may be performed in a different order and/or concurrently with each other.

Furthermore, if desired, one or more of the above-described functions may be optional or may be combined. Although various aspects of the invention are set out in the independent claims, other aspects of the invention comprise other combinations of features from the described embodiments and/or the dependent claims with the features of the independent claims, and not solely the combinations explicitly set out in the claims.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above; instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method, ch a r a c t e r i z e d by:

detecting a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier;

classifying the unlicensed radio carrier in response to the parameter;

assigning a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about at least one unlicensed radio carrier; and

transmitting the carrier set configuration to a wireless apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter being an activity level measurement of a second system using the unlicensed radio carrier.

3. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter comprising information of an unlicensed radio carrier being used by the second system using the unlicensed radio carrier .

4. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the wireless apparatus detecting the parameter and transmitting the parameter information to the base station.

5. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the carrier set configuration comprising information about the radio carrier spectrum occupation method.

6. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the carrier set configuration comprising information about at least one time period of the user equipment and the base station not sending radio transmission on the unlicensed radio carrier, where said information is applied to all carriers within a carrier set.

7. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by assigning a priority order to the carrier set configuration.

8. The method according to any of the claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by updating the carrier set configuration in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier.

9. An apparatus for wireless communication configured to operate as a part of a network element, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by comprising at least one processor and at least one memory comprising program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

detect a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier;

classify the unlicensed radio carrier in response to the parameter;

assign a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about at least one unlicensed radio carrier; and

transmit the carrier set configuration to a user equipment.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter being an activity level measurement of a second system using the unlicensed radio carrier.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter comprising information of an unlicensed radio carrier being used by the second system using the unlicensed radio carrier.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the carrier set configuration comprising information about the radio carrier spectrum occupation method.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the active carrier set comprising information about at least one time period of the user equipment and the base station not sending radio transmission on the unlicensed radio carrier, where said information is applied to all carriers within a carrier set.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by being configured to assign a priority order to the carrier set configuration.

15. The apparatus according to any of the claims 9 to 12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by being configured to update the carrier set in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier.

16. An apparatus for wireless communication configured to operate as a part of a user equipment, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises at least one processor and at least one memory comprising program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to : receive a classified carrier set configuration comprising information about a radio carrier spectrum occupation method and information about at least one time period of the user equipment and the base station not sending radio transmission on the unlicensed radio carrier, where said information is applied to all carriers within a carrier set.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by being configured to detect a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier and to transmit the information about the unlicensed radio carrier to the base station.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter being an activity level measurement of a second system using the unlicensed radio carrier.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter comprising information of an unlicensed radio carrier being used by the second system using the unlicensed radio carrier .

20. The apparatus according to any on the claims 16 to 19, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by being configured to update the carrier set in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier.

21. A computer program product comprising computer program code embodied therein for use with a processor, the computer program code causing the following steps, when executed by a processor:

detecting a parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier; classifying the unlicensed radio carrier in response to the parameter;

transmitting the carrier set configuration to a wireless apparatus.

22. The computer program product according to claim 21, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter being an activity level measurement of a second system using the unlicensed radio carrier.

23. The computer program product according to claim 21, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the parameter comprising information of an unlicensed radio carrier being used by the second system using the unlicensed radio carrier.

24. The computer program product according to claim 21, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the carrier set configuration comprises information about the radio carrier spectrum occupation method.

25. The computer program product according to claim 21, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by comprising code for assigning a priority order to the carrier set configuration when the code is executed by the processor .

26. The computer program product according to claim 21, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by comprising code for updating the activity carrier set in response to detecting a change in the parameter comprising information about an unlicensed radio carrier when the code is executed by the processor.