WIRELESS DEVICES AND METHODS OF COMMUNICATION

Abstract

The invention relates to methods, systems, machines and devices for wireless communication. A central user device (UE) (hub) in a star network architecture can broadcast to a set of peripheral UEs indicating slots when the central UE is not in transmit mode. The central UE can broadcast slot format indicators to peripheral UEs to indicate operating modes within the slot set. In the first slot group, the central UE can operate in forwarding mode, transmitting sublink communications to peripheral UEs. In the second slot group, the central UE can operate in reverse mode, receiving sublink communications from peripheral UEs. In the slots when the central UE is operating in reverse mode, if a peripheral UE has no data or control information, the peripheral UE can enter sleep mode in one or more slots of the second group to conserve energy.