Wireless communication methods and equipment by user devices and by base stations

Abstract

The most relevant aspects of the invention relate to improved techniques for monitoring the downlink control channel, specifically the method and apparatus for wireless communication by user equipment and by base station. For example, the method involves switching, at first intervals, to monitoring the downlink control channel according to second-order search space sets in the licensing-free spectrum. The method also involves switching, after the first time interval, to monitoring the downlink control channel based on the first group of search space sets in the licensed domain spectrum based on at least one of the following: i) the timer expiration is initiated based on switching to monitoring the downlink control channel based on the second group of search space sets; or (i) the end of the channel occupancy time (COT) of the service cell, during which the UE monitors the downlink control channel according to the second set of search space sets.