Channel occupancy time sharing of sidelinks in unlicensed spectrum

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for sharing Channel Occupied Time (COT) for sidelinks (SL) in unlicensed spectrum. One method may include, after acquiring the COT, sending a first indication to one or more responding UEs. The first indication may include at least the duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT) and / or configuration information for at least one second indication. The method may also include sending at least one second indication to one or more responding UEs prior to an SL transmission from the one or more responding UEs. The at least one second indication may include at least one of the following: a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type indication, and / or an indication of a new COT duration, which the one or more responding UEs should apply for SL transmissions occurring within the COT duration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some example embodiments may generally relate to communications, including mobile or wireless telecommunications systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 5G radio access technologies or New Radio (NR) access technologies or other communication systems. For example, some example embodiments may generally relate to systems and / or methods for sharing Channel Occupancy Time (COT) for sidelinks (SL) in unlicensed spectrum. Background Technology

[0002] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunications systems can include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN) for Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-A Advanced, MulteFire, LTE-APro, and / or 5G or New Radio (NR) access technologies. 5G wireless systems refer to next-generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. 5G systems are primarily built on 5G New Radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks can also be built on E-UTRA radio. NR is estimated to provide bit rates of 10-20 Gbit / s or higher and can support at least service categories such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communications (mMTC). NR is expected to provide ultra-wideband and ultra-robust low-latency connectivity and massive networks to support the Internet of Things (IoT). As IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication become increasingly prevalent, the need for networks capable of meeting the demands for low power consumption, low data rates, and long battery life will continue to grow. Next-Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) represents the RAN for 5G, providing both NR and LTE (and Advanced LTE) radio access. Note that in 5G, nodes that can provide radio access to user equipment (i.e., similar to Node B, NB in ​​UTRAN or Evolved NB, eNB in ​​LTE) can be designated as Next-Generation NB (gNB) when built on NR radio, and as Next-Generation eNB (NG-eNB) when built on E-UTRA radio. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One embodiment may involve a method that includes: after acquiring the Channel Occupied Time (COT), sending a first indication from an initiating user equipment to at least one responding user equipment. The first indication may include at least the duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT) and / or configuration information for at least one second indication. The method may also include sending at least one second indication to at least one responding user equipment prior to a sidelink transmission from at least one responding user equipment. The at least one second indication may include at least one of the following: a Listen-After-Talk (LBT) type indication or an indication of a new Channel Occupied Time (COT) duration, which the at least one responding user equipment should apply for sidelink transmissions occurring during the Channel Occupied Time (COT) duration.

[0004] One embodiment may be directed to a method that may include receiving a first indication from an initiating user equipment at a responding user equipment. The first indication may include at least the duration of a Channel Occupied Time (COT) and / or configuration information for at least one second indication. The method may include receiving at least one second indication prior to a sidelink transmission via the responding user equipment, wherein the at least one second indication may include at least one of a Listen-After-Talk (LBT) type indication that the responding user equipment should apply for a sidelink transmission occurring during the COT duration, or an indication of a new COT duration. The method may further include: determining at least one of the COT or LBT types to be applied to the sidelink transmission based on at least one of the first and second indications, and performing the sidelink transmission based on that determination.

[0005] One embodiment may be directed to an apparatus that may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to send a first indication to at least one responding user equipment at least after acquiring the Channel Occupied Time (COT). The first indication may include at least the duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT) and / or configuration information for at least one second indication. The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to send at least one second indication to at least one responding user equipment at least before a sidelink transmission from the at least one responding user equipment, wherein the at least one second indication may include at least one of a Listen-After-Talk (LBT) type indication that the at least one responding user equipment should apply for a sidelink transmission occurring during the duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT), or an indication of a new duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT).

[0006] One embodiment may be directed to an apparatus that may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive at least a first indication from an initiating user equipment. The first indication may include at least the duration of a Channel Occupied Time (COT) and / or configuration information for at least one second indication. The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive at least one second indication at least before a sidelink transmission of the apparatus, wherein the at least one second indication may include at least one of a Listen-After-Talk (LBT) type indication that the apparatus should apply for a sidelink transmission occurring during the duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT), or an indication of a new duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT). The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to determine, at least one of the Channel Occupied Time (COT) or Listen-After-Talk (LBT) type to be applied to the sidelink transmission based on at least one of the first and second indications, and to perform the sidelink transmission based on that determination.

[0007] One embodiment may relate to an apparatus that may include components for sending a first indication to at least one responding user equipment after acquiring a Channel Occupied Time (COT). The first indication may include at least the duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT) or configuration information for at least one second indication. The apparatus may also include components for sending at least one second indication to at least one responding user equipment prior to a sidelink transmission from at least one responding user equipment, wherein the at least one second indication includes at least one of a Listen-After-Talk (LBT) type indication that at least one responding user equipment should apply for a sidelink transmission occurring during the duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT), or an indication of a new duration of the Channel Occupied Time (COT).

[0008] One embodiment may be directed to an apparatus that may include components for receiving a first indication from an initiating user equipment, the first indication possibly including at least a duration of Channel Occupied Time (COT) or configuration information for at least one second indication; and components for receiving at least one second indication prior to a sidelink transmission via the apparatus. The at least one second indication may include at least one of a Listen-After-Talk (LBT) type indication that the apparatus should apply for a sidelink transmission occurring during the duration of the COT, or an indication of a new COT duration. The apparatus may further include components for determining at least one of the COT or LBT types to be applied to the sidelink transmission based on at least one of the first and second indications; and components for performing the sidelink transmission based on the determination. Attached Figure Description

[0009] To correctly understand the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 The illustration shows an example of the initiating device obtaining the Channel Occupied Time (COT) via Listen-Before-Speak (LBT) Type 1;

[0011] Figure 2 (a) An example of the permissible gap for LBT type 2C is illustrated;

[0012] Figure 2 (b) An example of the permissible gap for LBT type 2B is illustrated;

[0013] Figure 2 (c) An example of the permissible gap for LBT type 2A is illustrated;

[0014] Figure 2 (d) An example of the permissible gap for LBT type 2C is illustrated;

[0015] Figure 2 (e) An example of the permissible gap for LBT type 2B is illustrated;

[0016] Figure 2 (f) An example of the permissible gap for LBT type 2A is illustrated;

[0017] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a signaling example in which a responding device must acquire a new COT.

[0018] Figure 4 The illustration shows an example system diagram of a UE sharing its acquired COT with one or more other UEs according to an embodiment;

[0019] Figure 5An example of a COT sharing process in the time domain according to an embodiment is illustrated;

[0020] Figure 6 An example signaling diagram according to an embodiment is illustrated;

[0021] Figure 7A An example flowchart of a method according to an embodiment is illustrated;

[0022] Figure 7B An example flowchart of a method according to an embodiment is illustrated;

[0023] Figure 8A An example block diagram of a device according to an embodiment is illustrated; and

[0024] Figure 8B An example block diagram of a device according to an embodiment is illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0025] It will be readily understood that components of certain example embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, can be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for sharing Channel Occupancy Time (COT) for sidelinks (SL) in unlicensed spectrum is not intended to limit the scope of any particular embodiment, but rather represents selected example embodiments.

[0026] Features, structures, or characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, the use of the phrases "some embodiments," "some examples," or other similar language throughout this specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the appearance of the phrases "some embodiments," "some examples," "other examples," or other similar language throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same set of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments.

[0027] Furthermore, if necessary, the different functions or processes discussed below may be performed in different orders and / or simultaneously with each other. Additionally, if necessary, one or more of the described functions or processes may be optional or may be combined. Therefore, the following description should be considered as illustrating the principles and teachings of certain example embodiments, and not as limiting them.

[0028] In unlicensed frequency bands below 7 GHz, coexistence of new radios (NRs) with other systems (e.g., IEEE 802.11) is ensured via a Listen-Before-Speak (LBT) channel access mechanism. Under this mechanism, a user equipment (UE) intending to perform a sidelink (SL) transmission must successfully complete an LBT check before it can initiate the same transmission.

[0029] For a UE to pass the LBT check, it should observe whether the channel is available for multiple consecutive Free Channel Assessment (CCA) slots. Below 7 GHz, these slots last for 9 μs. If the measured power (i.e., the energy collected during the CCA slot) is below a regulatory threshold (which can vary depending on the operating band and geographic region), the UE considers the channel available in the CCA slot.

[0030] When a UE initiates communication (i.e., the UE acts as the initiating device), it must acquire the "right" to access the channel by applying an "extended" LBT procedure within a certain time period (referred to as Channel Occupancy Time (COT) in the specification). During this "extended" LBT procedure, the channel must be treated as idle for the entire duration of the contention window (CW). This "extended" LBT procedure is typically referred to as LBT Type 1 (e.g., as specified in 3GPP TS 37.213). Figure 1 The illustration shows an example of the initiating device obtaining the COT via LBT type 1.

[0031] The durations of both COT and CW can depend on the Channel Access Priority Class (CAPC) associated with the UE's service, as shown in Table 1 below (e.g., Table 1 may correspond to Table 4.2.1-1 in TS 37.213). Control plane services (such as the Physical Shared Control Channel (PSCCH)) are transmitted with p=1, while user plane services have p>1. Specifically, Table 1 describes the CAPC of the UL, where the contention window length in the CCA slot associated with each CAPC has a minimum value (CW). min，p ) and maximum value (CW) max.p The duration of COT is determined by T. ulm cot，p The details of LBT Type 1 are given in Table 1 for the Uu uplink (UL) case. However, note that the LBT Type 1 parameters for the downlink (DL) case can also be used in SL in principle.

[0032]

[0033]

[0034] Table 1

[0035] After successfully completing LBT Type 1 and executing the transmission, the UE (initiating device) that initiated the transmission can acquire a COT with a duration associated with the corresponding CAPC. The acquired COT is valid even if the initiating device suspends its transmission, although it still needs to perform a “reduced” LBT procedure if it wants to execute a new transmission (within the COT). This “reduced” LBT procedure is commonly referred to as LBT Type 2 (see, for example, TS 37.213), and has variants of Type 2A, Type 2B, and Type 2C. Figure 2 a to Figure 2 The diagram below illustrates the permissible gaps for which the LBT Type 2 variant applies: Figure 2 (a) and Figure 2 (d) Depicts LBT type 2C; Figure 2 (b) and Figure 2 (e) Describes LBT type 2B; and Figure 2 (c) and Figure 2 (f) describes LBT type 2A. For example, Figure 2 (a) Figure 2 (b) and Figure 2 (c) The illustration shows the case where the gap is located between two transmissions from the initiating UE, and Figure 2 (d) Figure 2 (e) Figure 2 (f) and Figure 2 (f) Correspondingly, the diagram illustrates the case where the gap is located between two different transmissions from the initiating UE and the responding UE. Type 2A (25μs LBT) is used for SL transmissions within the COT acquired by the initiating device (in cases where the gap between two SL transmissions is ≥25μs, and for SL transmissions following another SL transmission), such as Figure 2 (c) and Figure 2 As shown in (f). Type 2B (16μs LBT) is used to initiate SL transmissions within a COT acquired by the device (it can only be used for SL transmissions following another SL, with an interval of exactly 16μs), as... Figure 2 (b) and Figure 2 As shown in (e). Type 2C (without LBT) can only be used for SL transmissions following another SL, with an interval ≤16μs and an allowable duration of SL transmission ≤584μs, as... Figure 2 (a) and Figure 2 (d) or Figure 2 (b) and Figure 2 As shown in (e).

[0036] The initiating device can share its acquired COT with its intended receiver (e.g., the responding device). For this purpose, the initiating device can notify the responding device (e.g., via control signaling) of the duration of the COT. The responding device can then use this information to determine which type of LBT it should apply after performing a transmission whose intended receiver is the initiating device. If the responding device's transmission falls outside the COT, the responding device will have to use LBT type 1 and the appropriate CAPC to acquire a new COT. Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a signaling example in which a responding device (e.g., UE B or UE C) must acquire a new COT.

[0037] Some embodiments described herein may relate to SL operations in unlicensed spectrum, such as Figure 4 As shown in the example diagram. More specifically, Figure 4 The illustration shows an example of a UE sharing its acquired COT with one or more other UEs. As mentioned above, if an SL UE (such as...) initiates... Figure 4 If UE1 in the example succeeds in its LBT type 1, then the initiating SL UE can share its acquired COT with at least one other responding SL UE (such as UE2 and / or UE3), for example, as Figure 4 As shown in process 1. As an example, the initiating SL UE can explicitly notify (i.e., via control signaling) a specific responding UE (e.g., UE2 and / or UE3) of the duration of COT sharing and / or acquired COT. Subsequently, the responding SL UE (e.g., UE2 or UE3) can apply LBT type 2 (e.g., type 2A, 2B, 2C) based on the shared COT, such as... Figure 4 As shown in process 2.

[0038] Figure 5 The diagram illustrates an example of a COT sharing process in the time domain. For example... Figure 5 As shown in the example, at time t1, UE1 successfully acquires the COT in its LBT type 1. Afterwards, UE1 can send a COT sharing command to UE2 (e.g., as in...). Figure 4In process 1), UE2 receives COT sharing at time t3. Note that between UE1 acquiring COT and UE1 sharing COT with UE2, there may or may not be another SL TX from UE1. However, when UE1 sends the COT sharing command to UE2, UE1 may not know which variant of LBT type 2 UE2 should apply for UE2 to perform its SL TX at time t5. For example, UE1 may have planned (or indicated in a previous transmission) that it will perform a (continuous) transmission during the considered time slot T, which, if performed, would enable UE2 to apply LBT type 2C. However, UE1 may not be able to perform the transmission, for example, because UE1 may need to perform resource (re)selection, resource preemption and reassessment, and / or prioritization of communication activities (e.g., performing transmission or reception via the PC5 / Uu interface) in time slot T, and / or because UE1 may skip retransmissions scheduled in time slots in time slot T, for example, if a previous transmission attempt based on Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback is successful.

[0039] The uncertainty of UE1's communication activities in time slot T can depend on, for example, UE processing time and / or the length of time slot T. Therefore, one issue related to the COT sharing process considered in SL is the response of the UE (e.g., Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the example, how will UE2 know to apply the LBT type of the COT shared by UE1?

[0040] Furthermore, based on the mechanism discussed above for the Uu interface, during the transmission pause period of UE1 within the shared COT period (e.g., corresponding to...), Figure 5 During the illustrated time gap T (a portion of the time gap), the channel needs to be sensed to detect if it remains idle, and then LBT type 1 or LBT type 2 is selected accordingly for subsequent transmissions after the pause. Note that the rules for applying SL in unlicensed spectrum are not yet specified. However, to maintain fairness in the use of unlicensed spectrum by non-3GPP technologies, UE2 may need to determine its applicable LBT type based on its channel sensing results during transmission pauses. In other words, if a transmission pause exists where UE1 and / or other peer-responding UEs sharing the same COT cease transmitting in unlicensed spectrum, UE2 can only apply type 2 LBT before its transmissions occurring within the shared COT if the channel is sensed as continuously idle during the transmission pause. To do this, UE2 may have to identify a transmission pause where UE1 and / or other peer-responding UEs sharing the same COT cease transmitting in unlicensed spectrum and may have to sense the channel during the identified transmission pause.

[0041] If high accuracy is the goal, UE2 may struggle to perform the first step because SL transmissions from other peer-responding UEs of UE1 may or may not be detectable by UE2. Furthermore, when SL transmissions have a distributed resource allocation mode (e.g., SL mode 2 UE autonomous resource allocation) for SL transmissions, transmission gaps / pauses are more unpredictable than UL transmissions scheduled by gNB in ​​NR-U. Each individual UE needs to detect transmission pauses not only from itself but also from other related UEs sharing the same COT (e.g., other peer-responding UEs of UE1). This makes transmission pause detection more complex, and also makes continuous channel sensing during the identified transmission gaps more complex. Therefore, it may be necessary for UE1, rather than UE2, to perform channel sensing during transmission pauses.

[0042] Therefore, as will be discussed in detail below, some embodiments are designed to maximize the use of LBT type 2 for sharing with the COT of the responding UE (e.g., UE2) without requiring the responding UE (e.g., UE2) to sense the channel for the remainder of the COT time to select LBT type 1 or type 2.

[0043] As will be discussed in detail below, some embodiments may provide a two-stage COT sharing method, for example, to address uncertainties associated with transmission suspension and the selection of the LBT type (Type 1 or Type 2A / B / C) that the responding UE should apply for its SL transmission (TX) within the COT. Note that, as used herein, UE1 may refer to the initiating device, UE, or SL UE, and UE2 and / or UE3 may refer to the responding device, UE, or SL UE.

[0044] In one embodiment, after obtaining the COT, UE1 may send a response SL to at least one UE (e.g., Figure 4 In the example, UE2 and / or UE3 send a first indication. The first indication may include at least the duration of the acquired COT. Therefore, if the SL TX occurs within the duration of the acquired COT, the responding UE can, in principle, apply LBT type 2A / 2B, 2C for its SL TX, for example, at least toward UE1. However, at this time, the responding UE has not yet been instructed which specific LBT type to apply.

[0045] Note that the first indication may include detailed COT sharing information (e.g., COT duration, identifiers of (multiple) responding UEs, etc.), for example, using sidelink control information (SCI) and / or payloads such as Media Access Control (MAC) control elements (CE), PC5 Radio Resource Control (RRC), and / or upper-layer (Non-Access Stratum (NAS) / Application Layer) messages. In one embodiment, the first indication may also include configuration information for one or more second indications. In one embodiment, the first indication may also include activation of two-level COT sharing. In one embodiment, the first indication may also include information that the responding UE does not need to detect transmission pauses and sense the channel during transmission pauses. This information may also be implicitly indicated by having configuration information for second indications and / or activation of two-level COT sharing in the first indication.

[0046] According to one embodiment, UE1 may send one or more second indications to UE2 and / or UE3 before an SL TX from UE2 and / or UE3 occurs. The second indication may include at least one of the following: the LBT type that UE2 and / or UE3 should apply for an SL TX occurring within the COT duration indicated in the first indication, and / or the new COT duration, for example, if UE1 performs LBT type 1 and acquires a new COT during time interval T. In one embodiment, the LBT type may be determined by UE1 based on UE1's communication activity and channel sensing during time interval T. For example, if a non-idle channel is sensed during a detected transmission pause, LBT type 1 may be indicated. An LBT type 1 indication may also suggest that a shared COT is no longer valid. As another example, if no transmission pause has been identified, LBT type 2C may be indicated. In another example, if UE1 senses an idle channel during a detected transmission pause, LBT type 2A / 2B may be indicated. In this case, UE2 may still perform type 2A / 2B channel sensing, for example, for the sake of other non-3GPP technologies operating in unlicensed spectrum / fairness. In one embodiment, the second indication may implicitly suggest a specific LBT type, such as Type 2C or Type 1, that should be applied by UE2 and / or UE3. Therefore, if no second indication is sent, it means that UE2 and / or UE3 should apply another LBT type, such as Type 2A / 2B. This allows for simple detection of the second indication at UE2 and / or UE3. In one embodiment, to reduce the processing time of the second indication at UE2 and / or UE3, the second indication may be sent in a lightweight format, enabling UE2 and / or UE3 to quickly detect the second indication to unlock Type 2C or release the shared COT. For example, the lightweight format may include transmissions via the Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH), transmissions in Sidelink Control Information (SCI), and / or transmissions in Media Access Control (MAC) Control Elements (CE).

[0047] Therefore, UE2 and / or UE3 can perform their SL TX within the COT based on the indicated LBT type. If UE2 and / or UE3 do not receive a second indication or the proposed two-step COT sharing scheme is not activated, UE2 and / or UE3 can determine that LBT type 2 is configured for COT sharing (e.g., LBT type 2A / 2B is configured as the default LBT type during COT sharing, i.e., the case of COT sharing in the Uu interface). If UE2 and / or UE3 receive a second indication indicating the LBT type to be applied, UE2 and / or UE3 can apply the indicated LBT type for using shared COT. If UE2 receives a new COT duration in (multiple) second indications, UE2 and / or UE3 can apply the new COT duration.

[0048] Figure 6 An example signaling flowchart for a two-step COT sharing process according to certain embodiments is illustrated. For simplicity, Figure 6 Only UE2 is shown as the responding UE, but any number of additional UEs may be included as responding UEs. Figure 6 As shown, at 600, UE1 and / or UE2 may be configured with resource configurations for transmitting and receiving a second indication. This configuration may include at least multiple time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, and / or code-domain resources used for the second indication. In some embodiments, the UE may be configured, for example, via a network, via pre-configuration, via technical specifications, and / or via SL signaling. In one embodiment, the multiple resources for transmitting and / or receiving the second indication may or may not be implicitly associated with the first indication and / or the SL TX resources of UE2.

[0049] In one embodiment, the resources(s) used for the second indication in the time domain may be adjacent to or immediately preceding the SLTX resources of UE2. In one embodiment, the resources(s) used for the second indication in the time domain may be determined based on an identified transmission pause. For example, the resources used to send the second indication may appear at the end of the identified transmission pause, which may be predicted based on reserved resources from the SCI monitored by the relevant SL UE. In one embodiment, the resources(s) used for the second indication may be configured at the end of each Transmission Time Interval (TTI). Alternatively or additionally, in one embodiment, the second indication is sent only if there is no SL transmission in the TTI. In one embodiment, the resources(s) used for the second indication (e.g., frequency domain resources and / or code domain resources) may be associated with at least one piece of information included in the first indication, such as the identifier (ID) included in the SCI of the first indication, the resources used by the first indication, and / or the priority of the first indication, etc. In one embodiment, different second indication resources (e.g., in the time domain and / or frequency domain and / or code domain) may be configured to indicate different COT shared information. Along with the configuration for sending and receiving the second indication, UE2 can also be configured with at least a default LBT type to be used when no second indication is received.

[0050] like Figure 6 As further shown in the example, at 610, UE1 can successfully acquire the COT in LBT type 1. At 620, based on the acquired COT, UE1 can determine a first indication and send the first indication to at least one determined responding UE, for example, Figure 6 The example is UE2. In one embodiment, the indication may include any COT-shared information independent of communication activities during time interval T, such as the duration of the acquired COT. As described above, the first indication may also include the configuration / activation of the second indication, such as the configuration described with respect to procedure 600. In one embodiment, the configuration of the second indication may be determined based on or associated with the SL TX resources of UE2. For example, the resources used to send the second indication may appear immediately before the SL TX of UE2 in the time domain, allowing UE2 to apply LBT type 2C.

[0051] For example Figure 6As shown in the example, at 630, UE1 may determine a second indication before the SLTX from UE2 within the duration of its indicated COT, for example, as indicated at 620. The second indication may contain additional information that UE2 should consider when performing UE2's SLTX using the shared COT from UE1. In one embodiment, the second indication may be determined based on UE1's communication activity within the time gap T. As an example, if UE1 performs an SLTX immediately before UE2's SLTX begins, for example, if UE1 and / or another peer of UE1 performed continuous transmission without a pause, or UE1 sensed that the channel was idle during the transmission pause, then UE1 may determine that UE2 can use Type 2C. The SLTX immediately before UE2's SLTX may contain at least the second indication. If there is a pause between when UE1 and / or another peer of UE1 stops transmitting and when UE2's SLTX occurs, and UE1 senses that the channel is idle during the gap, then UE1 may perform Type 2A to perform the SLTX immediately before UE2's SLTX begins. In another example, if UE1 does not perform an SL TX immediately before UE2's SL TX begins, and if UE1 senses continuous idle during the SL transmission pause, UE1 can determine that UE2 can use type 2A / 2B. In another example, if UE1 performs LBT type 1 successfully during time interval T, UE1 can acquire a new COT before UE2's SL TX. In this case, UE1 can determine the new COT accordingly. In one embodiment, if different second indication resources are used to carry different indication information, UE1 can determine the appropriate second indication resource to reflect the corresponding information. In one example, UE2's SL TX resource can be scheduled / coordinated by UE1. In another example, UE1 may have previously received an SCI from UE2, where the SCI indicates the resources UE2 has selected for its future transmissions, and therefore UE1 can determine UE2's SL TX accordingly.

[0052] In one embodiment, to reduce the processing time of the second indication at UE2, the second indication can be transmitted in a lightweight format, enabling UE2 to quickly detect the second indication to unlock Type 2C. As an example, the second indication can be transmitted in a manner similar to a Physical Side Link Feedback Channel (PSFCH), where one or more PSFCH-like resources are configured at UE1 and / or UE2 for transmitting and receiving the second indication. Therefore, due to the lightweight format used to transmit the second indication, the amount of information that can be indicated in the second indication is more limited compared to the first indication. In another embodiment, the second indication can be an SCI containing at least one Information Element (IE) that can be recognized by UE2 and / or UE3. For example, the second indication can be an SCI containing the identifier of UE1. The data associated with the SCI can be data to be received by UE2 and / or another UE.

[0053] exist Figure 6 In the example, at 640, UE1 can send the determined second instruction to UE2 using resources configured and / or determined for the second instruction. At 650, based on the first and second instructions, UE2 can determine how to perform the SL TX by using the shared COT from UE1, for example, as described above. Then, at 660, UE2 can perform its SL TX for the duration of the COT shared by UE1, based on the determination made in process 650.

[0054] Note that in one embodiment, COT sharing from UE1 to UE2 can be iterated / extended continuously based on the described process. For example, after UE2 performs a first SL TX after receiving a second instruction, and before a second SL TX from UE2, there may be another time gap T'. In this case, UE1 can send a third instruction containing the same information as described in 630 and 640 before the second SL TX from UE2. Therefore, after receiving the third instruction from UE1, UE2 can perform the same behavior as described above regarding the third instruction.

[0055] In one embodiment, for example, based on the priority of the SL TX from UE2, the provided two-step COT sharing scheme can be applied / activated for certain use cases. In one embodiment, UE1 can multicast / broadcast the first indication and / or the second indication to multiple responding devices (e.g., UE2 and UE3 and / or other devices) instead of unicasting. When UE1 multicasts / broadcasts the second indication to multiple responding devices, the configuration for the second indication can be configured at all responding devices.

[0056] Figure 7AAn example flowchart illustrating a method for COT sharing of SL in unlicensed spectrum according to an example embodiment is shown. In some example embodiments, Figure 7A The flowchart can be drawn from network entities or network nodes in communication systems such as LTE or 5G NR (e.g., Figure 8A The device 10 shown is used to perform this action. In some example embodiments, the action is performed... Figure 7A The network entity for the method may include a device or UE, or be included in a device or UE, such as an SL UE. In one embodiment, the execution Figure 7A The network node of the method may include the initiating UE, such as Figures 4 to 6 The example shown is UE1.

[0057] like Figure 7A As illustrated in the examples, in one embodiment, the method may include: acquiring the COT at 705. For example, the initiating UE may successfully acquire the COT in LBT type 1. After acquiring the COT, the method may include: sending a first indication to at least one responding UE at 710. In one embodiment, the first indication may include at least the duration of the COT and / or configuration information for at least one second indication. In some example embodiments, the first indication may include detailed COT sharing information, such as the COT duration, the identifier of(multiple) responding UEs, for example, using SCI, MAC CE, PC5-RRC, or other upper-layer messages. The configuration information for at least one second indication may be based on or associated with the SL TX resources of at least one responding UE. According to one embodiment, the first indication may also include activation of at least one second indication. In some embodiments, the first indication may also include information that(multiple) responding UEs do not need to detect transmission pauses and / or sense the channel during transmission pauses. In one embodiment, sending at 710 may include sending at least one second indication in a lightweight format, enabling the responding UE to quickly detect at least one second indication to unlock LBT type 2C. For example, sending at least one second indication in a lightweight format may include sending an indication signal via PSFCH, sending an indication as part of a first-level SCI, sending an indication as part of a second-level SCI, and / or sending an indication in MAC CE.

[0058] According to some embodiments, the initiating UE may be configured with one or more resources for sending a second indication, and this configuration may include at least one of the following for the second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources. In some embodiments, for example, the UE(s) may be configured by the network, through pre-configuration, through technical specifications, and / or through SL signaling. According to some embodiments, resources may (or may not) be associated with a first indication, and / or resources may be implicitly associated with an SL TX of at least one responding UE. In one embodiment, the resource for sending the second indication in the time domain may be placed immediately preceding the resource of the SL TX of at least one responding UE. In one embodiment, the resource for sending the second indication in the time domain may be determined based on an identified transmission pause. For example, the resource for sending the second indication may appear at the end of an identified transmission pause that can be predicted based on reserved resources of the SCI monitored from the relevant SL UE. In one embodiment, different second indication resources may be configured to indicate different COT sharing information.

[0059] like Figure 7A As shown in the example, the method may include: at 715, determining at least one second indication (e.g., as shown in the example) based on at least one of the following: initiating UE communication activities and / or channel sensing during the time gap T between transmitting the first indication and receiving SLTX. Figure 5 (As shown). In one embodiment, determining 715 may include determining that at least one responding UE should use LBT type 2C when the initiating UE performs an SL TX immediately before the start of an SL TX by at least one responding UE. In this case, the SL TX immediately before the start of an SL TX by at least one responding UE may include at least one second indication. In one example, if there is a pause between the initiating UE and / or another peer of the initiating UE ceasing transmission and the occurrence of an SL TX by the responding UE, and the initiating UE senses that the channel is idle during that gap, the initiating UE may perform LBT type 2A to perform the SL TX before the start of the SL TX by the responding UE.

[0060] According to one embodiment, when the initiating UE does not perform an SLTX immediately before the start of an SLTX by at least one responding UE, determination 715 may include determining that at least one responding UE should use LBT type 2A or 2B if continuous idle is sensed during the SLTX pause. In one embodiment, when the initiating UE performs LBT type 1 successfully during a time gap, determination 715 may include determining a new COT before an SLTX by at least one responding UE. In one embodiment, when different second indication resources are used to carry different indication information, determination 715 may include determining the resources used for at least one second indication to reflect the corresponding different indication information.

[0061] like Figure 7A As illustrated in the example, the method may include: at 720, sending at least one second indication to at least one responding UE prior to an SL TX from at least one responding UE. The at least one second indication may include at least one of the following: an indication of an SL TX occurring within the COT duration with an application of the LBT type and / or an indication of a new COT duration. In one embodiment, the at least one second indication may include an SCI comprising at least one IE that can be identified by the responding UE(s). For example, the at least one second indication may be an SCI containing an identifier of the initiating UE, and the data associated with the SCI may be data to be received by the responding UE(s) and / or another UE.

[0062] In one embodiment, the resources for sending the second indication may be configured at the end of each TTI, and sending 720 may include sending the second indication when there is no sidelink transmission within the transmission time interval (TTI). According to some embodiments, the resources for sending the second indication may be associated with at least one piece of information contained in the first indication, such as the ID contained in the SCI of the first indication, the resources used by the first indication, and / or the priority of the first indication.

[0063] Figure 7B An example flowchart illustrating a method for COT sharing of SL in unlicensed spectrum according to an example embodiment is shown. In some example embodiments, Figure 7B The flowchart can be drawn from network entities or network nodes in communication systems such as LTE or 5G NR (e.g., Figure 8B The device 20 shown is used to perform this action. In some example embodiments, the action is performed... Figure 7B The network entity for the method may include a device or UE, or be included in a device or UE, such as an SL UE. In one embodiment, the execution Figure 7B The network node of the method may include responding to the UE, such as Figures 4 to 6 The example shows UE2 and / or UE3.

[0064] like Figure 7B As illustrated in the example, the method may include: at 750, receiving a first indication from the initiating UE at the responding UE. In one embodiment, the first indication may include at least the duration of COT and / or configuration information for at least one second indication. In some example embodiments, the first indication may include detailed COT sharing information, such as the COT duration, the identifier of the responding UE, for example in SCI, MAC CE, PC5-RRC, or other upper-layer messages. The configuration information for at least one second indication may be based on or associated with the SL TX resources of at least one responding UE. According to one embodiment, the first indication may also include activation of at least one second indication. In some embodiments, the first indication may also include information that the responding UE does not need to detect transmission pauses and / or sense the channel during transmission pauses. In one embodiment, receiving 750 may include receiving at least one second indication in a lightweight format, enabling the responding UE to quickly detect at least one second indication to unlock LBT type 2C. For example, at least one second indication in the lightweight format may include an indication signal transmitted via the Physical Side Link Feedback Channel (PSFCH), an indication provided as part of the First-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), an indication provided as part of the Second-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), and / or an indication provided as a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

[0065] In some embodiments, the method may include: at 755, receiving at least one second indication prior to the SL TX in response to the UE. According to one embodiment, the at least one second indication may include at least one of an indication of an LBT type that the UE should apply for an SL TX occurring within the COT duration or an indication of a new COT duration.

[0066] In some embodiments, the responding UE may be configured with one or more resources for receiving at least one second indication, and this configuration may include at least one of the following for the at least one second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources. In one embodiment, the resources may be associated with a first indication, and / or the resources may be implicitly associated with the responding UE's SLTX. According to some embodiments, the resources for receiving at least one second indication in the time domain may immediately precede the resources for the responding UE's SLTX. In one embodiment, the resources for receiving at least one second indication in the time domain may be determined based on an identified transmission pause. In one embodiment, the resources for receiving at least one second indication may be configured at the end of each TTI, and the reception of at least one second indication may include receiving at least one second indication when there is no SLTX in the TTI. In one embodiment, the resources for receiving at least one second indication may be associated with at least one piece of information included in the first indication, such as the ID included in the SCI of the first indication, the resources used by the first indication, and / or the priority of the first indication. In some embodiments, different resources for at least one second indication may be configured to indicate different COT-shared information.

[0067] Based on information received in the first indication and / or the second indication, the method may include: at 760, determining at least one of the COT and / or LBT types to be applied to the SL TX. For example, the responding UE may use COT sharing information provided in the first indication and / or the second indication to determine how to perform the SL TX. In one embodiment, determining 760 may include determining that LBT type 2 is applied as the default LBT type for performing sidelink transmission. For example, in some embodiments, the responding UE may also be configured with a default LBT type to be used, e.g., if no second indication is received, along with the configuration for receiving the second indication. In one embodiment, determining 760 may include determining that the LBT type indicated by the indication of the LBT type in at least one second indication will be applied to the SL TX. In one embodiment, when at least one second indication includes a new COT duration, determining 760 may include applying the new COT duration to the SL TX. Figure 7B As further illustrated in the example, the method may also include: at 765, performing SL TX based on the determination made at 760.

[0068] Figure 8AAn example of apparatus 10 according to an embodiment is illustrated. In one embodiment, apparatus 10 may be a node, host, or server in or serving a communications network. For example, apparatus 10 may be a network node, sensing node, satellite, base station, Node B, evolved Node B (eNB), 5G Node B or access point, next-generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), TRP, HAPS, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, and / or WLAN access point associated with a radio access network such as an LTE network, 5G, or NR. For example, in some example embodiments, apparatus 10 may be a mobile device, UE, SL UE, or other similar node or device.

[0069] It should be understood that in some example embodiments, device 10 may include an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, wherein the server and radio nodes may be separate devices communicating with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or they may reside in the same entity communicating via a wired connection. For example, in some example embodiments where device 10 represents a gNB, it may be configured in a central unit (CU) and distributed unit (DU) architecture that divides gNB functions. In such an architecture, the CU may be a logical node that includes gNB functions such as user data transmission, mobility control, radio access network sharing, location and / or session management, etc. The CU may control the operation of the DU(s) through a fronthaul interface. The DU may be a logical node that includes a subset of gNB functions, depending on the function splitting options. It should be noted that those skilled in the art will understand that device 10 may include Figure 8A Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0070] like Figure 8A As shown in the example, device 10 may include a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 12 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In fact, for example, processor 12 may include one or more of the following: a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor or any other processing unit based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although Figure 8A A single processor 12 is shown, but multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, device 10 may include two or more processors that can form a multiprocessor system capable of supporting multiple processing (e.g., in this case, processor 12 may represent multiple processors). In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0071] The processor 12 can perform functions associated with the operation of the device 10, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of the device 10, including processes related to managing communication or communication resources.

[0072] Device 10 may also include or be coupled to memory 14 (internal or external), which may be coupled to processor 12, for storing information and instructions executable by processor 12. Memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, memory 14 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage devices such as disks or optical discs, hard disk drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transient memory or computer-readable medium, or other suitable storage components. Instructions stored in memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 12, enable device 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0073] In one embodiment, device 10 may further include or be coupled to (internal or external) a drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disc, USB drive, flash drive, or any other storage media. For example, the external computer-readable storage media may store computer programs or software executed by processor 12 and / or device 10.

[0074] In some embodiments, device 10 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for transmitting signals and / or data to and from device 10. Device 10 may also include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 18 may include, for example, multiple radio interfaces that may be coupled to antenna(s) 15, or may include any other suitable transceiver components. The radio interfaces may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, MulteFire, etc. The radio interfaces may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), mappers, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules, etc., to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks and to receive symbols (e.g., via an uplink).

[0075] Therefore, transceiver 18 can be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s)15 and demodulate information received via antenna(s)15 for further processing by other elements of device 10. In other embodiments, transceiver 18 may be able to directly transmit and receive signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, device 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices) or input / output components.

[0076] In one embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality for device 10. Components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0077] According to some embodiments, the processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in or form part of a processing circuit system / component or a control circuit system / component. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included in or form part of a transceiver circuit system / component.

[0078] As used herein, the term "circuit system" can refer to a hardware circuit implementation only (e.g., analog and / or digital circuit systems), a combination of hardware circuits and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuits with software / firmware, any part of a hardware processor(s) (including digital signal processors) having software working together to enable a device (e.g., device 10) to perform various functions, and / or a hardware circuit and / or processor(s) or a portion thereof that operates using software but may be absent when operation is not required. As another example, as used herein, the term "circuit system" can also encompass a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) only, or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor, and its accompanying software and / or firmware implementation. The term "circuit system" can also encompass baseband integrated circuits, for example, in servers, cellular network nodes or devices, or other computing or networking devices.

[0079] As described above, in some embodiments, device 10 may be a network element or node, such as a mobile device, UE, SLUE, or other similar node or device. According to some embodiments, device 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, device 10 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes depicted in any flowchart or signaling diagram described herein, such as in Figure 6 , Figure 7A or Figure 7B Those shown, or any other methods described herein. In some embodiments, such as those discussed herein, for example, apparatus 10 may be configured to perform processes relating to COT sharing of SL in unlicensed spectrum.

[0080] Figure 8B An example of apparatus 20 according to another embodiment is illustrated. In one embodiment, apparatus 20 may be a node or element in or associated with a communication network, such as a UE, communication node, mobile device (ME), mobile station, mobile device, fixed device, IoT device, or other device. As described herein, UE may alternatively be referred to as, for example, mobile station, mobile unit of mobile device, mobile device, user equipment, user station, wireless terminal, tablet computer, smartphone, IoT device, sensor or NB-IoT device, watch or other wearable device, head-mounted display (HMD), vehicle, drone, medical device and its applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial device and its applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in industrial and / or automated processing chain environments), consumer electronics devices, devices operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, etc. As an example, apparatus 20 may be implemented in, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, etc.

[0081] In some example embodiments, device 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage device, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modem, transceiver, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, device 20 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that those skilled in the art will understand that device 20 may include... Figure 8B Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0082] like Figure 8B As shown in the example, device 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 22 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In practice, processor 22 may include one or more of the following: general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although Figure 8B A single processor 22 is shown, but multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, device 20 may include two or more processors that can form a multiprocessor system capable of supporting multiple processing (e.g., in this case, processor 22 may represent multiple processors). In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0083] The processor 22 can perform functions associated with the operation of the device 20, including, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of the device 20, including processes related to the management of communication resources.

[0084] Device 20 may also include or be coupled to memory 24 (internal or external), which may be coupled to processor 22 for storing information and instructions executable by processor 22. Memory 24 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, memory 24 may include any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage devices such as disks or optical discs, hard disk drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transitory memory or computer-readable medium. Instructions stored in memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 22, enable device 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0085] In one embodiment, device 20 may further include or be coupled to (internal or external) a drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disc, USB drive, flash drive, or any other storage media. For example, the external computer-readable storage media may store computer programs or software executed by processor 22 and / or device 20.

[0086] In some embodiments, device 20 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals and for transmitting from device 20 via an uplink. Device 20 may also include a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 28 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to antenna 25. The radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The radio interface may include other components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDMA symbols.

[0087] For example, transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s)25 and demodulate information received via antenna(s)25 for further processing by other elements of device 20. In other embodiments, transceiver 28 may be able to directly transmit and receive signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, device 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In some embodiments, device 20 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touchscreen.

[0088] In one embodiment, memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality to device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality for device 20. Components of device 20 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, device 20 may optionally be configured to communicate with device 10 via wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology such as NR.

[0089] According to some embodiments, the processor 22 and the memory 24 may be included in or form part of a processing circuitry or control circuitry. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be included in or form part of a transceiver circuitry.

[0090] As described above, according to some embodiments, device 20 may be, for example, a UE, SL UE, relay UE, mobile device, mobile station, ME, IoT device, and / or NB-IoT device, etc. According to some embodiments, device 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as... Figure 6 , Figure 7A or Figure 7B Shown or about Figure 6 , Figure 7A or Figure 7B And one or more of the operations described herein, or any other methods described herein. For example, in one embodiment, device 20 may be controlled to perform processes related to COT sharing of SL in unlicensed spectrum, as described in detail elsewhere herein.

[0091] In some embodiments, an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and / or apparatus 20) may include components for performing the methods, processes, or any variations discussed herein. Examples of such components may include one or more processors, memory, controllers, transmitters, receivers, displays, and / or computer program code for causing the execution of any of the operations described herein.

[0092] In light of the foregoing, certain example embodiments provide several technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages over prior art processes and constitute improvements at least in the field of wireless network control and / or management technology. For example, as discussed in detail above, certain example embodiments can provide methods and / or apparatus for COT sharing of SLs in unlicensed spectrum. As a result, certain embodiments reduce the workload of responding UEs in identifying transmission pauses during the COT duration and sensing the channel during the identified transmission pauses. Furthermore, some embodiments can address communication uncertainties of the initiating UE in (large) time gap T to enable the use of LBT type 2C. Therefore, the initiating UE (and its peer SL UE) does not need to continue transmitting in time gap T, which provides greater flexibility for the initiating UE. In addition to enabling LBT type 2C, the same second indication can also serve to extend the COT duration, for example, in the case where the initiating UE acquires a new COT in time gap T. Therefore, the use of certain example embodiments results in improved functionality of the communication network and its nodes (such as base stations, eNBs, gNBs, and / or IoT devices, UEs, or mobile stations).

[0093] In some example embodiments, the functionality of any methods, processes, signaling diagrams, algorithms, or flowcharts described herein may be implemented by software and / or computer program code or code portions stored in memory or other computer-readable or tangible media and executable by a processor.

[0094] In some example embodiments, an apparatus may include at least one software application, module, unit, or entity or associated therewith, which is configured to perform arithmetic operations or be configured as a program or program portion (including added or updated software routines) executed by at least one operating processor or controller. The program (also referred to as a program product or computer program, including software routines, applets, and macros) may be stored in any device-readable data storage medium and may include program instructions for performing a specific task. The computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components that, when the program runs, are configured to perform some example embodiments. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one piece of software code or code. Modifications and configurations required to implement the functionality of the example embodiments may be executed as routines, which may be implemented as added or updated software routines. In one example, the software routines may be downloaded to the apparatus.

[0095] As an example, software or computer program code or code portions may be in the form of source code, object code, or some intermediate form, and may be stored on some carrier, distribution medium, or computer-readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, such a carrier may include recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, optoelectronic and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and / or software distribution packages. Depending on the required processing power, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer or distributed across multiple computers. The computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium may be a non-transient medium.

[0096] In other example embodiments, the functionality of the example embodiments may be performed by hardware or circuitry systems included in the device, such as by using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another example embodiment, the functionality of the example embodiments may be implemented as a signal, such as an intangible component that can be carried by an electromagnetic signal downloaded from the Internet or another network.

[0097] According to the example embodiments, devices such as nodes, equipment or corresponding components can be configured as circuit systems, computers or microprocessors, such as monolithic computer elements, or configured as chipsets, which may include at least a memory for providing storage capacity for arithmetic operations(s) and / or an arithmetic processor for performing arithmetic operations(s).

[0098] The exemplary embodiments described herein can be applied to both singular and plural implementations, regardless of whether singular or plural language is used in conjunction with the description of certain embodiments. For example, an embodiment describing the operation of a single network node can also be applied to embodiments that include multiple instances of network nodes, and vice versa.

[0099] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments discussed above can be practiced using different sequences of processes and / or different configurations of hardware elements compared to those disclosed. Therefore, although some embodiments have been described based on these exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be readily apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising: After acquiring the Channel Occupancy Time (COT), the initiating user equipment sends a first indication to at least one responding user equipment, wherein the first indication includes at least one of the duration of the Channel Occupancy Time (COT) or configuration information for at least one second indication; as well as The at least one second indication is sent to the at least one responding user equipment prior to a sidelink transmission from the at least one responding user equipment, wherein the at least one second indication includes at least one of the following: a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type indication or an indication of a new Channel Occupied Time (COT) duration, wherein the at least one responding user equipment shall apply the LBT type for the sidelink transmission occurring within the COT duration, wherein sending the at least one second indication includes sending the at least one second indication when there is no sidelink transmission within the Transmission Time Interval (TTI).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indication further includes activation of the at least one second indication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information for the at least one second indication is based on or associated with the sidelink transmission resources of the at least one responding user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the at least one second indication comprises transmitting the at least one second indication in a lightweight format, and wherein the at least one second indication in the lightweight format comprises at least one of the following: an indication signal transmitted via the Physical Side Link Feedback Channel (PSFCH), an indication provided as part of a First-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), an indication provided as part of a Second-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), or an indication provided as a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating user equipment is configured with one or more resources for transmitting the at least one second indication, and wherein the configuration includes at least one of the following for the at least one second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the resource is associated with the first indication, or wherein the resource is implicitly associated with the sidelink transmission of the at least one responding user equipment.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication in the time domain immediately precedes the resource for the sidelink transmission of the at least one responsive user equipment.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication in the time domain is determined based on the identified transmission pause.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the resource for sending the at least one second indication is configured at the end of each transmission time interval (TTI).

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the resource for sending the at least one second instruction is associated with at least one piece of information contained in the first instruction.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein different second indication resources are configured to indicate different Channel Occupancy Time (COT) sharing information.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising: During the time gap between sending the first indication and receiving-side link transmission, the at least one second indication is determined based on at least one of the communication activities of the initiating user equipment or channel sensing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determination comprises: When the initiating user equipment performs a sidelink transmission immediately before the start of a sidelink transmission through the at least one responding user equipment, it is determined that the at least one responding user equipment should use Listen-Before-Speak LBT Type 2C, and wherein the sidelink transmission immediately before the start of the sidelink transmission through the at least one responding user equipment includes the at least one second indication.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the determination comprises: If the initiating user equipment does not perform a sidelink transmission immediately before the start of a sidelink transmission through the at least one responding user equipment, and if continuous idleness is sensed during the sidelink transmission pause, it is determined that the at least one responding user equipment should use Listen-Before-Speak LBT type 2A or 2B.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the determination comprises: When the initiating user equipment performs a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type 1 operation during the time gap and succeeds, a new Channel Occupancy Time (COT) is determined before the sidelink transmission of the at least one responding user equipment.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the determination comprises: When different second indication resources are used to carry different indication information, the resource used for the at least one second indication is determined to reflect the corresponding different indication information.

17. A method of communication, comprising: At the responding user equipment, a first indication is received from the initiating user equipment, wherein the first indication includes at least one of the duration of channel occupancy time (COT) or configuration information for at least one second indication; The at least one second indication is received before a sidelink transmission occurs through the responding user equipment, wherein the at least one second indication includes at least one of the following: a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type indication or an indication of a new Channel Occupied Time (COT) duration, the responding user equipment shall apply the LBT type for the sidelink transmission occurring within the COT duration, wherein receiving the at least one second indication includes receiving the at least one second indication when there is no sidelink transmission within the Transmission Time Interval (TTI). Based on at least one of the first indication and the second indication, determine at least one of the Channel Occupancy Time (COT) or the Listen-Before-Speak (LBT) type to be applied to sidelink transmission; as well as Based on the determination, the side link transmission is executed.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first indication further includes activation of the at least one second indication.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the configuration information for the at least one second indication is based on or associated with the sidelink transmission resources of the responding user equipment.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving the at least one second indication comprises receiving the at least one second indication in a lightweight format, and wherein the at least one second indication in the lightweight format comprises at least one of the following: an indication signal transmitted via the Physical Side Link Feedback Channel (PSFCH), an indication provided as part of a First-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), an indication provided as part of a Second-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), or an indication provided as a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the responding user equipment is configured to receive one or more resources for the at least one second indication, and wherein the configuration includes at least one of the following for the at least one second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the resource is associated with the first indication, or wherein the resource is implicitly associated with the sidelink transmission of the responding user equipment.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication in the time domain immediately precedes the resource transmitted by the sidelink of the responding user equipment.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication in the time domain is determined based on an identified transmission pause.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication is configured at the end of each transmission time interval (TTI).

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second instruction is associated with at least one piece of information contained in the first instruction.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein different second indication resources are configured to indicate different Channel Occupancy Time (COT) sharing information.

28. The method of any one of claims 17 to 27, wherein the determination includes determining to apply Listen-Before-Speak LBT type 2 as the default Listen-Before-Speak LBT type for performing the sidelink transmission.

29. The method of any one of claims 17 to 27, wherein the determination includes determining that the Listen-After-Speak LBT type indicated by the Listen-After-Speak LBT type indication in the at least one second indication will be applied to the sidelink transmission.

30. The method of any one of claims 17 to 27, wherein when the at least one second indication includes the new channel occupancy time (COT) duration, the determination includes applying the new COT duration to the sidelink transmission.

31. A device for communication, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory, including computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to make the device at least: After acquiring the Channel Occupancy Time (COT), a first indication is sent to at least one responding user equipment, wherein the first indication includes at least one of the duration of the Channel Occupancy Time (COT) or configuration information for at least one second indication; as well as The at least one second indication is sent to the at least one responding user equipment prior to a sidelink transmission from the at least one responding user equipment, wherein the at least one second indication includes at least one of the following: a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type indication or an indication of a new Channel Occupied Time (COT) duration, wherein the at least one responding user equipment shall apply the LBT type for the sidelink transmission occurring within the COT duration, wherein sending the at least one second indication includes sending the at least one second indication when there is no sidelink transmission within the Transmission Time Interval (TTI).

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first indication further includes activation of the at least one second indication.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the configuration information for the at least one second indication is based on or associated with the sidelink transmission resources of the at least one responding user equipment.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured together with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to transmit the at least one second indication in at least a lightweight format, and wherein the at least one second indication in the lightweight format includes at least one of the following: an indication signal transmitted via a Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH), an indication provided as part of a First-Level Sidelink Control Information (SCI), an indication provided as part of a Second-Level Sidelink Control Information (SCI), or an indication provided as a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit one or more resources of the at least one second indication, and wherein the configuration includes at least one of the following for the at least one second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the resource is associated with the first indication, or wherein the resource is implicitly associated with the sidelink transmission of the at least one responding user equipment.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication in the time domain immediately precedes the resource for the sidelink transmission of the at least one responsive user equipment.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication in the time domain is determined based on an identified transmission pause.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication is configured at the end of each transmission time interval (TTI).

40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second instruction is associated with at least one piece of information contained in the first instruction.

41. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein different second indication resources are configured to indicate different Channel Occupancy Time (COT) sharing information.

42. The apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 41, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least: During the time gap between sending the first indication and receiving-side link transmission, the at least one second indication is determined based on at least one of the device's communication activity or channel sensing.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein, in order to determine the at least one second instruction, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, such that the apparatus at least: When the device performs a sidelink transmission immediately before the start of a sidelink transmission via the at least one responding user equipment, it determines that the at least one responding user equipment should use Listen-Before-Speak LBT Type 2C, and wherein the sidelink transmission immediately before the start of the sidelink transmission via the at least one responding user equipment includes the at least one second instruction.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein, in order to determine the at least one second instruction, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, such that the apparatus at least: If the device does not perform a sidelink transmission immediately before the start of a sidelink transmission through the at least one responding user equipment, and if continuous idleness is sensed during the sidelink transmission pause, it is determined that the at least one responding user equipment should use Listen-Before-Speak LBT type 2A or 2B.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein, in order to determine the at least one second instruction, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, such that the apparatus at least: When the device performs a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) Type 1 operation during the time gap and succeeds, a new Channel Occupancy Time (COT) is determined before the sidelink transmission of the at least one responding user equipment.

46. ​​The apparatus of claim 42, wherein, in order to determine the at least one second instruction, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, such that the apparatus at least: When different second indication resources are used to carry different indication information, the resource used for the at least one second indication is determined to reflect the corresponding different indication information.

47. A communication apparatus, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory, including computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to make the device at least: Receive a first indication from the initiating user equipment, wherein the first indication includes at least one of the duration of channel occupancy time (COT) or configuration information for at least one second indication; The at least one second indication is received before a sidelink transmission occurs through the device, wherein the at least one second indication includes at least one of the following: a Listen-Before-Speak (LBT) type indication or an indication of a new Channel Occupied Time (COT) duration, the device shall apply the LBT type to the sidelink transmission occurring within the COT duration, wherein receiving the at least one second indication includes receiving the at least one second indication when there is no sidelink transmission within the Transmission Time Interval (TTI). The Channel Occupancy Time (COT) or the Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type to be applied to sidelink transmission is determined based on at least one of the first indication and the second indication. as well as Based on the determination, the side link transmission is executed.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the first indication further includes activation of the at least one second indication.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the configuration information for the at least one second indication is based on or associated with the sidelink transmission resources of the apparatus.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive the at least one second indication in a lightweight format, and wherein the at least one second indication in the lightweight format includes at least one of the following: an indication signal transmitted via a physical sidelink feedback channel PSFCH, an indication provided as part of a first-level sidelink control information (SCI), an indication provided as part of a second-level sidelink control information (SCI), or an indication provided as a media access control (MAC) control element (CE).

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive one or more resources of the at least one second indication, and wherein the configuration includes at least one of the following for the at least one second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the resource is associated with the first indication, or wherein the resource is implicitly associated with the sidelink transmission of the apparatus.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication in the time domain immediately precedes the resource transmitted by the side link of the apparatus.

54. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication in the time domain is determined based on an identified transmission pause.

55. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication is configured at the end of each transmission time interval (TTI).

56. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second instruction is associated with at least one piece of information contained in the first instruction.

57. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein different second indication resources are configured to indicate different Channel Occupancy Time (COT) sharing information.

58. The apparatus according to any one of claims 47 to 57, wherein, in order to determine at least one of the Channel Occupancy Time (COT) or the Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type to be applied to the sidelink transmission, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least determine that Listen-After-Speak LBT type 2 is applied as the default Listen-After-Speak LBT type for performing the sidelink transmission.

59. The apparatus of any one of claims 47 to 57, wherein, in order to determine at least one of the Channel Occupancy Time (COT) or the Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type to be applied to the sidelink transmission, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, such that the apparatus at least determines that the Listen-After-Speak LBT type indicated by the Listen-After-Speak LBT type indication in the at least one second indication will be applied to the sidelink transmission.

60. The apparatus of any one of claims 47 to 57, wherein when the at least one second indication includes the new Channel Occupancy Time (COT) duration, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least determine that the new COT duration is applied to the sidelink transmission.

61. A communication apparatus, comprising: A component for sending a first indication to at least one responding user equipment after acquiring the channel occupancy time (COT), wherein the first indication includes at least one of the duration of the channel occupancy time (COT) or configuration information for at least one second indication; as well as A component for sending the at least one second indication to the at least one responding user equipment prior to a sidelink transmission from the at least one responding user equipment, wherein the at least one second indication includes at least one of the following: a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type indication or an indication of a new Channel Occupied Time (COT) duration, wherein the at least one responding user equipment shall apply the LBT type for the sidelink transmission occurring within the COT duration, wherein sending the at least one second indication includes sending the at least one second indication when there is no sidelink transmission within a Transmission Time Interval (TTI).

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the first indication further includes activation of the at least one second indication.

63. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the configuration information for the at least one second indication is based on or associated with the sidelink transmission resources of the at least one responding user equipment.

64. The apparatus of claim 61, comprising: A component for transmitting the at least one second indication in a lightweight format, wherein the at least one second indication in the lightweight format includes at least one of the following: an indication signal transmitted via the Physical Side Link Feedback Channel (PSFCH), an indication provided as part of the First-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), an indication provided as part of the Second-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), or an indication provided as a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

65. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit one or more resources of the at least one second indication, and wherein the configuration includes at least one of the following for the at least one second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the resource is associated with the first indication, or wherein the resource is implicitly associated with the sidelink transmission of the at least one responding user equipment.

67. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication in the time domain immediately precedes the resource for the sidelink transmission of the at least one responsive user equipment.

68. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication in the time domain is determined based on an identified transmission pause.

69. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second indication is configured at the end of each transmission time interval (TTI).

70. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the resource for transmitting the at least one second instruction is associated with at least one piece of information contained in the first instruction.

71. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein different second indication resources are configured to indicate different Channel Occupancy Time (COT) sharing information.

72. The apparatus according to any one of claims 61 to 71, comprising: A component for determining the at least one second indication based on at least one of the device's communication activity or channel sensing during the time gap between sending the first indication and receiving-side link transmission.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the component for determining the at least one second indication comprises: When the device performs a sidelink transmission immediately before the start of a sidelink transmission through the at least one responding user equipment, it is used to determine that the at least one responding user equipment should use a Listen-Before-Speak type 2C component, and wherein the sidelink transmission immediately before the start of the sidelink transmission through the at least one responding user equipment includes the at least one second indication.

74. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the component for determining the at least one second indication comprises: When the device does not perform a sidelink transmission immediately before the start of the sidelink transmission of the at least one responding user equipment, it is used to determine that the at least one responding user equipment should use a Listen-Before-Speak LBT type 2A or 2B component if continuous idleness is sensed during the sidelink transmission pause.

75. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the component for determining the at least one second indication comprises: When the device performs a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) type 1 operation during the time gap and succeeds, it is a component for determining a new Channel Occupancy Time (COT) before the sidelink transmission of the at least one responding user equipment.

76. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the component for determining the at least one second indication comprises: When different second indication resources are used to carry different indication information, a component is used to determine the resource for the at least one second indication to reflect the corresponding different indication information.

77. An apparatus for communication, comprising: A component for receiving a first indication from an initiating user equipment, wherein the first indication includes at least one of a channel occupancy time (COT) duration or configuration information for at least one second indication; A component for receiving the at least one second indication prior to a sidelink transmission through the device, wherein the at least one second indication includes at least one of the following: a listen-before-speak LBT type indication or an indication of a new channel occupancy time (COT) duration, wherein the device shall apply the LBT type for the sidelink transmission occurring within the COT duration, wherein receiving the at least one second indication includes receiving the at least one second indication when there is no sidelink transmission within a transmission time interval (TTI). A component for determining, based on at least one of the first indication and the second indication, the Channel Occupancy Time (COT) or at least one of the Listen-After-Speak (LBT) types to be applied to sidelink transmission; as well as Components used to perform the sidelink transmission based on the determination.

78. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the first indication further includes activation of the at least one second indication.

79. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the configuration information for the at least one second indication is based on or associated with the sidelink transmission resources of the apparatus.

80. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the component for receiving the at least one second indication includes a component for receiving the at least one second indication in a lightweight format, and wherein the at least one second indication in the lightweight format includes at least one of the following: an indication signal transmitted via the Physical Side Link Feedback Channel (PSFCH), an indication provided as part of a First-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), an indication provided as part of a Second-Level Side Link Control Information (SCI), or an indication provided as a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

81. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive one or more resources of the at least one second indication, and wherein the configuration includes at least one of the following for the at least one second indication: time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or code-domain resources.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the resource is associated with the first indication, or wherein the resource is implicitly associated with the sidelink transmission of the apparatus.

83. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication in the time domain immediately precedes the resource transmitted by the side link of the apparatus.

84. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication in the time domain is determined based on an identified transmission pause.

85. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second indication is configured at the end of each transmission time interval (TTI).

86. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the resource for receiving the at least one second instruction is associated with at least one piece of information contained in the first instruction.

87. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein different second indication resources are configured to indicate different Channel Occupancy Time (COT) sharing information.

88. The apparatus according to any one of claims 77 to 87, wherein the determining component includes a component for determining the application of Listen-Before-Speak LBT type 2 as the default Listen-Before-Speak LBT type for performing the sidelink transmission.

89. The apparatus according to any one of claims 77 to 87, wherein the determining component includes a component for determining that the Listen-After-Speak LBT type indicated by the Listen-After-Speak LBT type indication in the at least one second indication will be applied to the side link transmission.

90. The apparatus of any one of claims 77 to 87, wherein when the at least one second indication includes the new channel occupancy time (COT) duration, the determining component includes a component for determining to apply the new COT duration to the sidelink transmission.

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