Continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient internet-of-things (IOT) devices
A frame structure with continuous wave tones and asymmetric guard bands optimizes resource allocation and synchronization for ambient IoT devices, addressing communication challenges and enhancing performance in wireless networks.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2024/097185
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-04
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-11
AI Technical Summary
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently supporting continuous wave transmission for ambient Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, particularly in managing resource allocation and synchronization for energy harvesting-capable devices using backscattering links.
A frame structure is defined for wireless communication resources, incorporating continuous wave tones and guard bands to facilitate frequency-shifted backscattering, allowing ambient IoT devices to communicate using a midpoint frequency-based tone location and asymmetric guard bands, while accommodating always-on signals and charging signals.
This approach enables efficient communication for energy harvesting-capable devices by optimizing resource utilization and synchronization, enhancing the performance of ambient IoT devices in wireless networks.
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Figure CN2024097185_11122025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
CONTINUOUS WAVE TRANSMISSION FOR BACKSCATTERING LINK FOR AMBIENT INTERNET-OF-THINGS (IOT) DEVICES
[0001] INTRODUCTION
[0002] The following relates to wireless communications, including continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient internet-of-things (IoT) devices. Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power) . Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA) , time division multiple access (TDMA) , frequency division multiple access (FDMA) , orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA) , or discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM) . A wireless multiple-access communications system may include one or more base stations, each supporting wireless communication for communication devices, which may be known as user equipment (UE) .SUMMARY
[0003] The described techniques relate to improved methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses that support continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient internet-of-things (IoT) devices. For example, the described techniques provide for communications with energy harvesting (EH) -capable devices, such as ambient IoT devices, using resources within a communications resource pool that has a defined frame structure in time and frequency resources, and defined channels and signals within the time and frequency resources. Such a defined frame structure may provide that other non-ambient IoT devices may utilize the communications resource pool along with one or more ambient IoT devices. In some aspects, resource blocks (RBs) for EH-capable devices may include one or more continuous wave (CW) tones that support frequency shifted backscattering in a backward link (BL) for communications between a network entity and an EH-capable device. In some aspects, an EH-capable device may receive a CW signal from the network entity in the one or more CW tones of a set of tones, and backscatter a BL that includes uplink data or control information using a frequency shifted BL. In some aspects, a location of the one or more CW tones within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of a portion of a communication bandwidth associated with a RB. In some aspects, where one CW tone is used, a guard band around the RB may be asymmetric in which a lower frequency guard band may span a different quantity of frequency resources than a higher frequency guard band.
[0004] Additionally, or alternatively, one or more always-on signals may be present in a RB, and the one or more CW tones may include a CW signal that is transmitted in time domain resources that do not contain the always-on signals. Further, in some aspects, charging signals may be transmitted in time domain resources that do contain the always-on signals, using tones that are not used by the always-on signals. Additionally, or alternatively, a frame structure is provided that includes a CW for power-up (e.g., using one or more tones of a RB) , a time synchronization signal (e.g., using one or more tones of the RB) , a frequency synchronization signal (e.g., using one or more tones of the RB) , and a CW for BL generation (e.g., using one or more tones of the RB) , where many different combinations of quantities of tones for each of these signals are possible.
[0005] A method for wireless communication by an EH-capable device for wireless communication is described. The method may include receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0006] An EH-capable device for wireless communication for wireless communication is described. The EH-capable device for wireless communication may include one or more memories storing processor executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories. The one or more processors may individually or collectively be operable to execute the code to cause the EH-capable device for wireless communication to receive a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and communicate with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0007] Another EH-capable device for wireless communication for wireless communication is described. The EH-capable device for wireless communication may include means for receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and means for communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0008] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication is described. The code may include instructions executable by one or more processors to receive a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and communicate with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0009] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones.
[0010] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones.
[0011] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is received on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and where the first tone and second tone is located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones.
[0012] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, a frequency of the first tone is centered at the midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth.
[0013] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.
[0014] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.
[0015] Some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for backscattering the continuous wave signal to transmit a frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal that is symmetrical with respect to the first tone.
[0016] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, a frequency shift amount of the frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal is based on a location of the first tone within the resource block.
[0017] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and where the first subset of symbols are non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols.
[0018] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the charging signals include one or more reference signals that are received in a first subset of tones within the second subset of symbols, and one or more energy signals that are received in a second subset of tones within the second subset of symbols.
[0019] Some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device, receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the network entity, receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the network entity, and receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data.
[0020] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the first continuous wave signal and the second continuous wave signal are received on a same subset of tones of the set of tones or on different subsets of tones of the set of tones.
[0021] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the time synchronization signal and the frequency synchronization signal are each received on one or more tones of the set of tones.
[0022] In some examples of the method, EH-capable devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the time synchronization signal are received on all tones of the set of tones.
[0023] A method for wireless communication by a network entity is described. The method may include transmitting a continuous wave signal to an EH-capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0024] A network entity for wireless communication is described. The network entity may include one or more memories storing processor executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories. The one or more processors may individually or collectively be operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to transmit a continuous wave signal to an EH-capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and communicate with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0025] Another network entity for wireless communication is described. The network entity may include means for transmitting a continuous wave signal to an EH-capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and means for communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0026] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication is described. The code may include instructions executable by one or more processors to transmit a continuous wave signal to an EH-capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain and communicate with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0027] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones.
[0028] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones.
[0029] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is transmitted on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and where the first tone and second tone is located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones.
[0030] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, a frequency of the first tone is centered at the midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth.
[0031] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.
[0032] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.
[0033] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal is a frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal that is symmetrical with respect to the first tone.
[0034] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, a frequency shift amount of the frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal is based on a location of the first tone within the resource block.
[0035] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and where the first subset of symbols are non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols.
[0036] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the charging signals include one or more reference signals that are transmitted in a first subset of tones within the second subset of symbols, and one or more energy signals that are transmitted in a second subset of tones within the second subset of symbols.
[0037] Some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device, transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device, transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device, and transmit, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data to the EH-capable device.
[0038] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the first continuous wave signal and the second continuous wave signal is transmitted on a same subset of tones of the set of tones or on different subsets of tones of the set of tones.
[0039] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the time synchronization signal and the frequency synchronization signal is each transmitted on one or more tones of the set of tones.
[0040] In some examples of the method, network entities, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the time synchronization signal is transmitted on all tones of the set of tones.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless communications system that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient internet-of-things (IoT) devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0042] FIG. 2 shows an example of a wireless communications system that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0043] FIG. 3 shows examples of continuous wave tones in frequency domain resources that support continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0044] FIG. 4 shows examples of frequency shifted backward links in frequency domain resources that support continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0045] FIG. 5 shows an example of a time and frequency domain resources that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0046] FIG. 6 shows an example of signals for ambient IoT communications that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0047] FIGs. 7 and 8 show block diagrams of devices that support continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0048] FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a communications manager that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0049] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of a system including a device that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0050] FIGs. 11 and 12 show block diagrams of devices that support continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0051] FIG. 13 shows a block diagram of a communications manager that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0052] FIG. 14 shows a diagram of a system including a device that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0053] FIGs. 15 through 18 show flowcharts illustrating methods that support continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0054] Some wireless communication systems may support communications between ambient internet-of-things (IoT) devices (e.g., energy harvesting (EH) -capable devices) and an interrogator (e.g., a reader wireless device, which may be an example of a user equipment (UE) , a network entity, or another network node) . EH-capable device may include relatively low power and low complexity devices that are capable of harvesting energy from different sources, including radio frequency (RF) waves, solar energy, heat, or other ambient sources. EH-capable devices such as ambient IoT devices may be used for applications such as inventory tracking, sensing, positioning, or command systems. For example, for command systems, EH-capable devices may be used for such applications as control of irrigations systems, dispensing medicine, or providing alerts.
[0055] In some aspects, an EH-capable device may perform a backscatter based communication (e.g., transmit data) via backscattering an interrogating signal received from another wireless communications device (e.g., a network device such as a reader or interrogator device) . The interrogating signal may be a continuous wave (CW) signal. The link from a network device to an EH-capable device may be referred to as the forward link (FL) , and the link from the EH-capable device to the network device may be referred to as the backward link (BL) . The FL, the BL, or both, in some aspects, may include data or control signaling such as through modulation by a FM0 or Miller coded baseband signal with ASK / PSK modulation. The BL may include a frequency shifted backscattering signal that is a double-side-banded (DSB) signal that is symmetrical with respect to the CW signal.
[0056] In some aspects, the interrogator and an EH-capable device may operate using wireless resources that have a defined frame structure. For example, the defined frame structure may include a set of subcarriers that span a frequency bandwidth, and a set of symbols that span time domain resources of one or more resource blocks (RBs) . In some aspects, a RB may include seven symbols in the time domain, and may include 12 subcarriers (or tones) in the frequency domain. Further, the defined frame structure may include a guard band in the frequency domain above and below the set of subcarriers. As discussed, the BL may be frequency shifted relative to the CW signal using a reflected DSB signal that is symmetrical with respect to the CW signal. However, in aspects that use resources having the defined frame structure, an even number of tones of a RB may result in a tone that is used to provide the CW signal not being at a center, or midpoint frequency, of the frequency resources associated with the RB.
[0057] In accordance with various aspects, RBs having a frame structure for communications with multiple different types of devices, including ambient IoT devices, may be included in a resource pool. For ambient IoT communications, the RBs may include one or more CW tones that support frequency shifted backscattering in a BL for communications with a network device. In some cases, defined RB structures may have an even number of tones, and the RB for ambient IoT communications may include one or two CW tones. If one CW tone is used, the tone may be either a high frequency tone of a lower half of the RB bandwidth, or a low frequency tone of an upper half of the RB bandwidth. If two CW tones are used, the tones may be symmetric within the RB (e.g., tones 5 and 6, tones 3 and 8, or tones 4 and 7) . In cases where one CW tone is used, a guard band around the RB may be asymmetric in order to provide a backscattered DSB signal that is centered within a total frequency bandwidth of the RB tones and guard bands. In some aspects, to accommodate one or more always-on signals of other devices that may use the resource pool, the CW signal may be transmitted in symbols that do not contain the always-on signals, and charging signals may be transmitted in the symbols that do contain the always-on signals, using tones that are not used by the always-on signals. Additionally, or alternatively, a frame structure is provided that includes a CW for power-up (e.g., one or more tones) , a time synchronization signal (e.g., one or more tones) , a frequency synchronization signal (e.g., one or more tones) , and a CW for BL generation (e.g., one or more tones) , where different combinations of quantities of tones for each of these signals may be used.
[0058] Aspects of the disclosure are initially described in the context of wireless communications systems. Aspects of the disclosure are further illustrated by and described with reference to resource diagrams, frame structures, apparatus diagrams, system diagrams, and flowcharts that relate to continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices.
[0059] FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless communications system 100 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The wireless communications system 100 may include one or more devices, such as one or more network devices (e.g., network entities 105) , one or more UEs 115, and a core network 130. In some aspects, the wireless communications system 100 may be a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, an LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network, an LTE-A Pro network, a New Radio (NR) network, or a network operating in accordance with other systems and radio technologies, including future systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein.
[0060] The network entities 105 may be dispersed throughout a geographic area to form the wireless communication system 100 and may include devices in different forms or having different capabilities. In various aspects, a network entity 105 may be referred to as a network element, a mobility element, a radio access network (RAN) node, or network equipment, among other nomenclature. In some aspects, network entities 105 and UEs 115 may wirelessly communicate via communication link (s) 125 (e.g., a radio frequency (RF) access link) . For example, a network entity 105 may support a coverage area 110 (e.g., a geographic coverage area) over which the UEs 115 and the network entity 105 may establish the communication link (s) 125. The coverage area 110 may be an example of a geographic area over which a network entity 105 and a UE 115 may support the communication of signals according to one or more radio access technologies (RATs) .
[0061] The UEs 115 may be dispersed throughout a coverage area 110 of the wireless communication system 100, and each UE 115 may be stationary, or mobile, or both at different times. The UEs 115 may be devices in different forms or having different capabilities. Some example UEs 115 are illustrated in FIG. 1. The UEs 115 described herein may be capable of supporting communications with various types of devices in the wireless communication system 100 (e.g., other wireless communication devices, including UEs 115 or network entities 105) , as shown in FIG. 1.
[0062] As described herein, a network entity (which may alternatively be referred to as an entity, a node, a network node, or a wireless entity) may be, be similar to, include, or be included in (e.g., be a component of) a base station (e.g., any base station described herein, including a disaggregated base station) , a UE (e.g., any UE described herein) , a reduced capability (RedCap) device, an enhanced reduced capability (eRedCap) device, an ambient IoT device, an EH-capable device, a network controller, an apparatus, a device, a computing system, an integrated access and backhauling (IAB) node, a distributed unit (DU) , a central unit (CU) , a remote / radio unit (RU) (which may also be referred to as a remote radio unit (RRU) ) , and / or another processing entity configured to perform any of the techniques described herein. For example, a network entity may be a UE. As another example, a network entity may be a base station. As used herein, “network entity” may refer to an entity that is configured to operate in a network, such as the wireless communication system 100. For example, a “network entity” is not limited to an entity that is currently located in and / or currently operating in the network. Rather, a network entity may be any entity that is capable of communicating and / or operating in the network.
[0063] The adjectives “first, ” “second, ” “third, ” and so on are used for contextual distinction between two or more of the modified noun in connection with a discussion and are not meant to be absolute modifiers that apply only to a certain respective entity throughout the entire document. For example, a network entity may be referred to as a “first network entity” in connection with one discussion and may be referred to as a “second network entity” in connection with another discussion, or vice versa. As an example, a first network entity may be configured to communicate with a second network entity or a third network entity. In one aspect of this example, the first network entity may be a UE, the second network entity may be a base station, and the third network entity may be a UE. In another aspect of this example, the first network entity may be a UE, the second network entity may be a base station, and the third network entity may be a base station. In yet other aspects of this example, the first, second, and third network entities may be different relative to these examples.
[0064] Similarly, reference to a UE, base station, apparatus, device, computing system, or the like may include disclosure of the UE, base station, apparatus, device, computing system, or the like being a network entity. For example, disclosure that a UE is configured to receive information from a base station also discloses that a first network entity is configured to receive information from a second network entity. Consistent with this disclosure, once a specific example is broadened in accordance with this disclosure (e.g., a UE is configured to receive information from a base station also discloses that a first network entity is configured to receive information from a second network entity) , the broader example of the narrower example may be interpreted in the reverse, but in a broad open-ended way. In the example above where a UE is configured to receive information from a base station also discloses that a first network entity is configured to receive information from a second network entity, the first network entity may refer to a first UE, a first base station, a first apparatus, a first device, a first computing system, a first set of one or more one or more components, a first processing entity, or the like configured to receive the information; and the second network entity may refer to a second UE, a second base station, a second apparatus, a second device, a second computing system, a second set of one or more components, a second processing entity, or the like.
[0065] As described herein, communication of information (e.g., any information, signal, or the like) may be described in various aspects using different terminology. Disclosure of one communication term includes disclosure of other communication terms. For example, a first network entity may be described as being configured to transmit information to a second network entity. In this example and consistent with this disclosure, disclosure that the first network entity is configured to transmit information to the second network entity includes disclosure that the first network entity is configured to provide, send, output, communicate, or transmit information to the second network entity. Similarly, in this example and consistent with this disclosure, disclosure that the first network entity is configured to transmit information to the second network entity includes disclosure that the second network entity is configured to receive, obtain, or decode the information that is provided, sent, output, communicated, or transmitted by the first network entity.
[0066] As shown, the network entity (e.g., network entity 105) may include a processing system 106. Similarly, the network entity (e.g., UE 115) may include a processing system 112. A processing system may include one or more components (or subcomponents) , such as one or more components described herein. For example, a respective component of the one or more components may be, be similar to, include, or be included in at least one memory, at least one communication interface, or at least one processor. For example, a processing system may include one or more components. In such an example, the one or more components may include a first component, a second component, and a third component. In this example, the first component may be coupled to a second component and a third component. In this example, the first component may be at least one processor, the second component may be a communication interface, and the third component may be at least one memory. A processing system may generally be a system one or more components that may perform one or more functions, such as any function or combination of functions described herein. For example, one or more components may receive input information (e.g., any information that is an input, such as a signal, any digital information, or any other information) , one or more components may process the input information to generate output information (e.g., any information that is an output, such as a signal or any other information) , one or more components may perform any function as described herein, or any combination thereof. As described herein, an “input” and “input information” may be used interchangeably. Similarly, as described herein, an “output” and “output information” may be used interchangeably. Any information generated by any component may be provided to one or more other systems or components of, for example, a network entity described herein) . For example, a processing system may include a first component configured to receive or obtain information, a second component configured to process the information to generate output information, and / or a third component configured to provide the output information to other systems or components. In this example, the first component may be a communication interface (e.g., a first communication interface) , the second component may be at least one processor (e.g., that is coupled to the communication interface and / or at least one memory) , and the third component may be a communication interface (e.g., the first communication interface or a second communication interface) . For example, a processing system may include at least one memory, at least one communication interface, and / or at least one processor, where the at least one processor may, for example, be coupled to the at least one memory and the at least one communication interface.
[0067] A processing system of a network entity described herein may interface with one or more other components of the network entity, may process information received from one or more other components (such as input information) , or may output information to one or more other components. For example, a processing system may include a first component configured to interface with one or more other components of the network entity to receive or obtain information, a second component configured to process the information to generate one or more outputs, and / or a third component configured to output the one or more outputs to one or more other components. In this example, the first component may be a communication interface (e.g., a first communication interface) , the second component may be at least one processor (e.g., that is coupled to the communication interface and / or at least one memory) , and the third component may be a communication interface (e.g., the first communication interface or a second communication interface) . For example, a chip or modem of the network entity may include a processing system. The processing system may include a first communication interface to receive or obtain information, and a second communication interface to output, transmit, or provide information. In some examples, the first communication interface may be an interface configured to receive input information, and the information may be provided to the processing system. In some examples, the second system interface may be configured to transmit information output from the chip or modem. The second communication interface may also obtain or receive input information, and the first communication interface may also output, transmit, or provide information.
[0068] In some aspects, network entities 105 may communicate with a core network 130, or with one another, or both. For example, network entities 105 may communicate with the core network 130 via backhaul communication link (s) 120 (e.g., in accordance with an S1, N2, N3, or other interface protocol) . In some examples, network entities 105 may communicate with one another via backhaul communication link (s) 120 (e.g., in accordance with an X2, Xn, or other interface protocol) either directly (e.g., directly between network entities 105) or indirectly (e.g., via the core network 130) . In some examples, network entities 105 may communicate with one another via a midhaul communication link 162 (e.g., in accordance with a midhaul interface protocol) or a fronthaul communication link 168 (e.g., in accordance with a fronthaul interface protocol) , or any combination thereof. The backhaul communication link (s) 120, midhaul communication links 162, or fronthaul communication links 168 may be or include one or more wired links (e.g., an electrical link, an optical fiber link) or one or more wireless links (e.g., a radio link, a wireless optical link) , among other examples or various combinations thereof. A UE 115 may communicate with the core network 130 via a communication link 155.
[0069] One or more of the network entities 105 or network equipment described herein may include or may be referred to as a base station 140 (e.g., a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an NR base station, an access point, a radio transceiver, a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB) , a next-generation NodeB or giga-NodeB (either of which may be referred to as a gNB) , a 5G NB, a next-generation eNB (ng-eNB) , a Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, or other suitable terminology) . In some aspects, a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140) may be implemented in an aggregated (e.g., monolithic, standalone) base station architecture, which may be configured to utilize a protocol stack that is physically or logically integrated within one network entity (e.g., a network entity 105 or a single RAN node, such as a base station 140) .
[0070] In some aspects, a network entity 105 may be implemented in a disaggregated architecture (e.g., a disaggregated base station architecture, a disaggregated RAN architecture) , which may be configured to utilize a protocol stack that is physically or logically distributed among multiple network entities (e.g., network entities 105) , such as an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network, an open RAN (O-RAN) (e.g., a network configuration sponsored by the O-RAN Alliance) , or a virtualized RAN (vRAN) (e.g., a cloud RAN (C-RAN) ) . For example, a network entity 105 may include one or more of a central unit (CU) , such as a CU 160, a distributed unit (DU) , such as a DU 165, a radio unit (RU) , such as an RU 170, a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) , such as an RIC 175 (e.g., a Near-Real Time RIC (Near-RT RIC) , a Non-Real Time RIC (Non-RT RIC) ) , a Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) system, such as an SMO system 180, or any combination thereof. An RU 170 may also be referred to as a radio head, a smart radio head, a remote radio head (RRH) , a remote radio unit (RRU) , or a transmission reception point (TRP) . One or more components of the network entities 105 in a disaggregated RAN architecture may be co-located, or one or more components of the network entities 105 may be located in distributed locations (e.g., separate physical locations) . In some aspects, one or more of the network entities 105 of a disaggregated RAN architecture may be implemented as virtual units (e.g., a virtual CU (VCU) , a virtual DU (VDU) , a virtual RU (VRU) ) .
[0071] The split of functionality between a CU 160, a DU 165, and an RU 170 is flexible and may support different functionalities depending on which functions (e.g., network layer functions, protocol layer functions, baseband functions, RF functions, or any combinations thereof) are performed at a CU 160, a DU 165, or an RU 170. For example, a functional split of a protocol stack may be employed between a CU 160 and a DU 165 such that the CU 160 may support one or more layers of the protocol stack and the DU 165 may support one or more different layers of the protocol stack. In some aspects, the CU 160 may host upper protocol layer (e.g., layer 3 (L3) , layer 2 (L2) ) functionality and signaling (e.g., Radio Resource Control (RRC) , service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) , Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) ) . The CU 160 (e.g., one or more CUs) may be connected to a DU 165 (e.g., one or more DUs) or an RU 170 (e.g., one or more RUs) , or some combination thereof, and the DUs 165, RUs 170, or both may host lower protocol layers, such as layer 1 (L1) (e.g., physical (PHY) layer) or L2 (e.g., radio link control (RLC) layer, medium access control (MAC) layer) functionality and signaling, and may each be at least partially controlled by the CU 160. Additionally, or alternatively, a functional split of the protocol stack may be employed between a DU 165 and an RU 170 such that the DU 165 may support one or more layers of the protocol stack and the RU 170 may support one or more different layers of the protocol stack. The DU 165 may support one or multiple different cells (e.g., via one or multiple different RUs, such as an RU 170) . In some cases, a functional split between a CU 160 and a DU 165 or between a DU 165 and an RU 170 may be within a protocol layer (e.g., some functions for a protocol layer may be performed by one of a CU 160, a DU 165, or an RU 170, while other functions of the protocol layer are performed by a different one of the CU 160, the DU 165, or the RU 170) . A CU 160 may be functionally split further into CU control plane (CU-CP) and CU user plane (CU-UP) functions. A CU 160 may be connected to a DU 165 via a midhaul communication link 162 (e.g., F1, F1-c, F1-u) , and a DU 165 may be connected to an RU 170 via a fronthaul communication link 168 (e.g., open fronthaul (FH) interface) . In some aspects, a midhaul communication link 162 or a fronthaul communication link 168 may be implemented in accordance with an interface (e.g., a channel) between layers of a protocol stack supported by respective network entities (e.g., one or more of the network entities 105) that are in communication via such communication links.
[0072] In some wireless communications systems (e.g., the wireless communications system 100) , infrastructure and spectral resources for radio access may support wireless backhaul link capabilities to supplement wired backhaul connections, providing an IAB network architecture (e.g., to a core network 130) . In some cases, in an IAB network, one or more of the network entities 105 (e.g., network entities 105 or IAB node (s) 104) may be partially controlled by each other. The IAB node (s) 104 may be referred to as a donor entity or an IAB donor. A DU 165 or an RU 170 may be partially controlled by a CU 160 associated with a network entity 105 or base station 140 (such as a donor network entity or a donor base station) . The one or more donor entities (e.g., IAB donors) may be in communication with one or more additional devices (e.g., IAB node (s) 104) via supported access and backhaul links (e.g., backhaul communication link (s) 120) . IAB node (s) 104 may include an IAB mobile termination (IAB-MT) controlled (e.g., scheduled) by one or more DUs (e.g., DUs 165) of a coupled IAB donor. An IAB-MT may be equipped with an independent set of antennas for relay of communications with UEs 115 or may share the same antennas (e.g., of an RU 170) of IAB node (s) 104 used for access via the DU 165 of the IAB node (s) 104 (e.g., referred to as virtual IAB-MT (vIAB-MT) ) . In some aspects, the IAB node (s) 104 may include one or more DUs (e.g., DUs 165) that support communication links with additional entities (e.g., IAB node (s) 104, UEs 115) within the relay chain or configuration of the access network (e.g., downstream) . In such cases, one or more components of the disaggregated RAN architecture (e.g., the IAB node (s) 104 or components of the IAB node (s) 104) may be configured to operate according to the techniques described herein.
[0073] In the case of the techniques described herein applied in the context of a disaggregated RAN architecture, one or more components of the disaggregated RAN architecture may be configured to support test as described herein. For example, some operations described as being performed by a UE 115 or a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140) may additionally, or alternatively, be performed by one or more components of the disaggregated RAN architecture (e.g., components such as an IAB node, a DU 165, a CU 160, an RU 170, an RIC 175, an SMO system 180) .
[0074] A UE 115 may include or may be referred to as a mobile device, a wireless device, a remote device, a handheld device, or a subscriber device, or some other suitable terminology, where the “device” may also be referred to as a unit, a station, a terminal, or a client, among other examples. A UE 115 may also include or may be referred to as a personal electronic device such as a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) , a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or a personal computer. In some aspects, a UE 115 may include or be referred to as a wireless local loop (WLL) station, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, an Internet of Everything (IoE) device, or a machine type communications (MTC) device, among other examples, which may be implemented in various objects such as appliances, vehicles, or meters, among other examples.
[0075] The UEs 115 described herein may be able to communicate with various types of devices, such as UEs 115 that may sometimes operate as relays, as well as the network entities 105 and the network equipment including macro eNBs or gNBs, small cell eNBs or gNBs, or relay base stations, among other examples, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0076] The UEs 115 and the network entities 105 may wirelessly communicate with one another via the communication link (s) 125 (e.g., one or more access links) using resources associated with one or more carriers. The term “carrier” may refer to a set of RF spectrum resources having a defined PHY layer structure for supporting the communication link (s) 125. For example, a carrier used for the communication link (s) 125 may include a portion of an RF spectrum band (e.g., a bandwidth part (BWP) ) that is operated according to one or more PHY layer channels for a given RAT (e.g., LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, NR) . Each PHY layer channel may carry acquisition signaling (e.g., synchronization signals, system information) , control signaling that coordinates operation for the carrier, user data, or other signaling. The wireless communications system 100 may support communication with a UE 115 using carrier aggregation or multi-carrier operation. A UE 115 may be configured with multiple downlink component carriers and one or more uplink component carriers according to a carrier aggregation configuration. Carrier aggregation may be used with both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD) component carriers. Communication between a network entity 105 and other devices may refer to communication between the devices and any portion (e.g., entity, sub-entity) of a network entity 105. For example, the terms “transmitting, ” “receiving, ” or “communicating, ” when referring to a network entity 105, may refer to any portion of a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, a CU 160, a DU 165, a RU 170) of a RAN communicating with another device (e.g., directly or via one or more other network entities, such as one or more of the network entities 105) .
[0077] Signal waveforms transmitted via a carrier may be made up of multiple subcarriers (e.g., using multi-carrier modulation (MCM) techniques such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM) ) . In a system employing MCM techniques, a resource element may refer to resources of one symbol period (e.g., a duration of one modulation symbol) and one subcarrier, in which case the symbol period and subcarrier spacing may be inversely related. The quantity of bits carried by each resource element may depend on the modulation scheme (e.g., the order of the modulation scheme, the coding rate of the modulation scheme, or both) , such that a relatively higher quantity of resource elements (e.g., in a transmission duration) and a relatively higher order of a modulation scheme may correspond to a relatively higher rate of communication. A wireless communications resource may refer to a combination of an RF spectrum resource, a time resource, and a spatial resource (e.g., a spatial layer, a beam) , and the use of multiple spatial resources may increase the data rate or data integrity for communications with a UE 115.
[0078] The time intervals for the network entities 105 or the UEs 115 may be expressed in multiples of a basic time unit which may, for example, refer to a sampling period of Ts=1 / (Δfmax·Nf) seconds, for which Δfmax may represent a supported subcarrier spacing, and Nf may represent a supported discrete Fourier transform (DFT) size. Time intervals of a communications resource may be organized according to radio frames each having a specified duration (e.g., 10 milliseconds (ms) ) . Each radio frame may be identified by a system frame number (SFN) (e.g., ranging from 0 to 1023) .
[0079] Each frame may include multiple consecutively-numbered subframes or slots, and each subframe or slot may have the same duration. In some aspects, a frame may be divided (e.g., in the time domain) into subframes, and each subframe may be further divided into a quantity of slots. Alternatively, each frame may include a variable quantity of slots, and the quantity of slots may depend on subcarrier spacing. Each slot may include a quantity of symbol periods (e.g., depending on the length of the cyclic prefix prepended to each symbol period) . In some wireless communications systems, such as the wireless communications system 100, a slot may further be divided into multiple mini-slots associated with one or more symbols. Excluding the cyclic prefix, each symbol period may be associated with one or more (e.g., Nf) sampling periods. The duration of a symbol period may depend on the subcarrier spacing or frequency band of operation.
[0080] A subframe, a slot, a mini-slot, or a symbol may be the smallest scheduling unit (e.g., in the time domain) of the wireless communications system 100 and may be referred to as a transmission time interval (TTI) . In some aspects, the TTI duration (e.g., a quantity of symbol periods in a TTI) may be variable. Additionally, or alternatively, the smallest scheduling unit of the wireless communications system 100 may be dynamically selected (e.g., in bursts of shortened TTIs (sTTIs) ) .
[0081] Physical channels may be multiplexed for communication using a carrier according to various techniques. A physical control channel and a physical data channel may be multiplexed for signaling via a downlink carrier, for example, using one or more of time division multiplexing (TDM) techniques, frequency division multiplexing (FDM) techniques, or hybrid TDM-FDM techniques. A control region (e.g., a control resource set (CORESET) ) for a physical control channel may be defined by a set of symbol periods and may extend across the system bandwidth or a subset of the system bandwidth of the carrier. One or more control regions (e.g., CORESETs) may be configured for a set of the UEs 115. For example, one or more of the UEs 115 may monitor or search control regions for control information according to one or more search space sets, and each search space set may include one or multiple control channel candidates in one or more aggregation levels arranged in a cascaded manner. An aggregation level for a control channel candidate may refer to an amount of control channel resources (e.g., control channel elements (CCEs) ) associated with encoded information for a control information format having a given payload size. Search space sets may include common search space sets configured for sending control information to UEs 115 (e.g., one or more UEs) or may include UE-specific search space sets for sending control information to a UE 115 (e.g., a specific UE) .
[0082] In some aspects, a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170) may be movable and therefore provide communication coverage for a moving coverage area, such as the coverage area 110. In some aspects, coverage areas 110 (e.g., different coverage areas) associated with different technologies may overlap, but the coverage areas 110 (e.g., different coverage areas) may be supported by the same network entity (e.g., a network entity 105) . In some other aspects, overlapping coverage areas, such as a coverage area 110, associated with different technologies may be supported by different network entities (e.g., the network entities 105) . The wireless communications system 100 may include, for example, a heterogeneous network in which different types of the network entities 105 support communications for coverage areas 110 (e.g., different coverage areas) using the same or different RATs.
[0083] Some UEs 115, such as MTC or IoT devices, may be relatively low cost or low complexity devices and may provide for automated communication between machines (e.g., via Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication) . M2M communication or MTC may refer to data communication technologies that allow devices to communicate with one another or a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140) without human intervention. In some aspects, M2M communication or MTC may include communications from devices that integrate sensors or meters to measure or capture information and relay such information to a central server or application program that uses the information or presents the information to humans interacting with the application program. Some UEs 115 may be designed to collect information or enable automated behavior of machines or other devices. Examples of applications for MTC devices include smart metering, inventory monitoring, water level monitoring, equipment monitoring, healthcare monitoring, wildlife monitoring, weather and geological event monitoring, fleet management and tracking, remote security sensing, physical access control, and transaction-based business charging.
[0084] Some UEs 115 may be configured to employ operating modes that reduce power consumption, such as half-duplex communications (e.g., a mode that supports one-way communication via transmission or reception, but not transmission and reception concurrently) . In some aspects, half-duplex communications may be performed at a reduced peak rate. Other power conservation techniques for the UEs 115 may include entering a power saving deep sleep mode when not engaging in active communications, operating using a limited bandwidth (e.g., according to narrowband communications) , or a combination of these techniques. For example, some UEs 115 may be configured for operation using a narrowband protocol type that is associated with a defined portion or range (e.g., set of subcarriers or resource blocks (RBs) ) within a carrier, within a guard-band of a carrier, or outside of a carrier.
[0085] The wireless communications system 100 may be configured to support ultra-reliable communications or low-latency communications, or various combinations thereof. For example, the wireless communications system 100 may be configured to support ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) . The UEs 115 may be designed to support ultra-reliable, low-latency, or critical functions. Ultra-reliable communications may include private communication or group communication and may be supported by one or more services such as push-to-talk, video, or data. Support for ultra-reliable, low-latency functions may include prioritization of services, and such services may be used for public safety or general commercial applications. The terms ultra-reliable, low-latency, and ultra-reliable low-latency may be used interchangeably herein.
[0086] In some aspects, a UE 115 may be configured to support communicating directly with other UEs (e.g., one or more of the UEs 115) via a device-to-device (D2D) communication link, such as a D2D communication link 135 (e.g., in accordance with a peer-to-peer (P2P) , D2D, or sidelink protocol) . In some aspects, one or more UEs 115 of a group that are performing D2D communications may be within the coverage area 110 of a network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170) , which may support aspects of such D2D communications being configured by (e.g., scheduled by) the network entity 105. In some aspects, one or more UEs 115 of such a group may be outside the coverage area 110 of a network entity 105 or may be otherwise unable to or not configured to receive transmissions from a network entity 105. In some aspects, groups of the UEs 115 communicating via D2D communications may support a one-to-many (1: M) system in which each UE 115 transmits to one or more of the UEs 115 in the group. In some aspects, a network entity 105 may facilitate the scheduling of resources for D2D communications. In some other aspects, D2D communications may be carried out between the UEs 115 without an involvement of a network entity 105.
[0087] The core network 130 may provide user authentication, access authorization, tracking, Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity, and other access, routing, or mobility functions. The core network 130 may be an evolved packet core (EPC) or 5G core (5GC) , which may include at least one control plane entity that manages access and mobility (e.g., a mobility management entity (MME) , an access and mobility management function (AMF) ) and at least one user plane entity that routes packets or interconnects to external networks (e.g., a serving gateway (S-GW) , a Packet Data Network (PDN) gateway (P-GW) , or a user plane function (UPF) ) . The control plane entity may manage non-access stratum (NAS) functions such as mobility, authentication, and bearer management for the UEs 115 served by the network entities 105 (e.g., base stations 140) associated with the core network 130. User IP packets may be transferred through the user plane entity, which may provide IP address allocation as well as other functions. The user plane entity may be connected to IP services 150 for one or more network operators. The IP services 150 may include access to the Internet, Intranet (s) , an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) , or a Packet-Switched Streaming Service.
[0088] The wireless communications system 100 may operate using one or more frequency bands, which may be in the range of 300 megahertz (MHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz) . Generally, the region from 300 MHz to 3 GHz is known as the ultra-high frequency (UHF) region or decimeter band because the wavelengths range from approximately one decimeter to one meter in length. UHF waves may be blocked or redirected by buildings and environmental features, which may be referred to as clusters, but the waves may penetrate structures sufficiently for a macro cell to provide service to the UEs 115 located indoors. Communications using UHF waves may be associated with smaller antennas and shorter ranges (e.g., less than one hundred kilometers) compared to communications using the smaller frequencies and longer waves of the high frequency (HF) or very high frequency (VHF) portion of the spectrum below 300 MHz.
[0089] The wireless communications system 100 may utilize both licensed and unlicensed RF spectrum bands. For example, the wireless communications system 100 may employ License Assisted Access (LAA) , LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) RAT, or NR technology using an unlicensed band such as the 5 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band. While operating using unlicensed RF spectrum bands, devices such as the network entities 105 and the UEs 115 may employ carrier sensing for collision detection and avoidance. In some aspects, operations using unlicensed bands may be based on a carrier aggregation configuration in conjunction with component carriers operating using a licensed band (e.g., LAA) . Operations using unlicensed spectrum may include downlink transmissions, uplink transmissions, P2P transmissions, or D2D transmissions, among other examples.
[0090] A network entity 105 (e.g., a base station 140, an RU 170) or a UE 115 may be equipped with multiple antennas, which may be used to employ techniques such as transmit diversity, receive diversity, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications, or beamforming. The antennas of a network entity 105 or a UE 115 may be located within one or more antenna arrays or antenna panels, which may support MIMO operations or transmit or receive beamforming. For example, one or more base station antennas or antenna arrays may be co-located at an antenna assembly, such as an antenna tower. In some aspects, antennas or antenna arrays associated with a network entity 105 may be located at diverse geographic locations. A network entity 105 may include an antenna array with a set of rows and columns of antenna ports that the network entity 105 may use to support beamforming of communications with a UE 115. Likewise, a UE 115 may include one or more antenna arrays that may support various MIMO or beamforming operations. Additionally, or alternatively, an antenna panel may support RF beamforming for a signal transmitted via an antenna port.
[0091] Beamforming, which may also be referred to as spatial filtering, directional transmission, or directional reception, is a signal processing technique that may be used at a transmitting device or a receiving device (e.g., a network entity 105, a UE 115) to shape or steer an antenna beam (e.g., a transmit beam, a receive beam) along a spatial path between the transmitting device and the receiving device. Beamforming may be achieved by combining the signals communicated via antenna elements of an antenna array such that some signals propagating along particular orientations with respect to an antenna array experience constructive interference while others experience destructive interference. The adjustment of signals communicated via the antenna elements may include a transmitting device or a receiving device applying amplitude offsets, phase offsets, or both to signals carried via the antenna elements associated with the device. The adjustments associated with each of the antenna elements may be defined by a beamforming weight set associated with a particular orientation (e.g., with respect to the antenna array of the transmitting device or receiving device, or with respect to some other orientation) .
[0092] In some aspects of the wireless communication system 100, a reader wireless device (e.g., a network device, such as a network entity 105, a UE 115, a network node, or the like) may communicate with one or more EH-capable devices (e.g., ambient IoT devices, which may be examples of UEs 115) . Such EH-capable devices may be examples of wireless devices with limited capabilities, such as devices implemented in various objects and configured to reflect received signals (e.g., a backscattering device) , perform relatively simple operations (e.g., reporting an inventory ID, a sensor measurement, or the like) , or both.
[0093] In some aspects, EH-capable devices may perform radio frequency identification (RFID) procedures with a reader wireless device (e.g., an interrogator) . For example, the reader wireless device may transmit a query command to an RFID tag (e.g., an EH-capable device) and the RFID tag may backscatter a sequence of numbers (e.g., 16 random numbers (RN16) ) . To acknowledge the RFID tag, the reader wireless device may transmit an ACK by echoing the RN16 back to the RFID tag. If the RFID tag successfully receives the echoed RN16 transmission, the RFID tag may respond to the ACK by transmitting information associated with the RFID tag, such as protocol control (PC) or extended PC (XPC) information and an electronic product code (EPC) associated with the RFID tag. Alternatively, if the RFID tag does not successfully receive the echoed RN16 transmission, the RFID tag may refrain from transmitting a response to the reader wireless device. The interrogating signal, in accordance with various aspects as discussed herein, may include a CW signal that is reflected or backscattered by the RFID tag (e.g., EH-capable device) and modulated with the information to be transmitted to the reader wireless device.
[0094] In some aspects, such procedures (e.g., RFID procedures) may be performed using wireless time and frequency resources from a configured resource pool that uses a defined frame structure. For example, the resource pool may include resources that are defined in a series of RBs, in which some RBs are configured for communications with EH-capable devices for ambient IoT communications. In accordance with various aspects as discussed herein, RBs configured for ambient IoT communications may include one or more CW tones that support frequency shifted backscattering in a BL for communications between a network entity 105 and an EH-capable device (e.g., a UE 115) . In some aspects, an EH-capable device may receive a CW signal from the network entity 105 in the one or more CW tones of a set of tones, and backscatter a BL that includes uplink data or control information using a frequency shifted BL. In some aspects, a location of the one or more CW tones within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of a portion of a communication bandwidth associated with the RB configure for ambient IoT communications. In some aspects, where one CW tone is used, a guard band around the RB may be asymmetric in which a lower frequency guard band may span a different quantity of frequency resources than a higher frequency guard band.
[0095] Additionally, or alternatively, one or more always-on signals (e.g., one or more reference signals) may be present in RBs of the resource pool, and RBs configured for ambient IoT communications may include the one or more CW tones that carry CW signals in time domain resources that do not contain the always-on signals. Further, in some aspects, charging signals may be transmitted in time domain resources that do contain the always-on signals, using tones that are not used by the always-on signals. Additionally, or alternatively, a frame structure is provided that includes a CW for power-up (e.g., using one or more tones of a RB) , a time synchronization signal (e.g., using one or more tones of the RB) , a frequency synchronization signal (e.g., using one or more tones of the RB) , and a CW for BL generation (e.g., using one or more tones of the RB) , where many different combinations of quantities of tones for each of these signals are possible.
[0096] FIG. 2 shows an example of a wireless communications system 200 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The wireless communications system 200 may implement aspects of the wireless communications system 100.
[0097] The wireless communications system 200 may include a wireless device 205, which may be an example of a UE 115 or a network entity 105 as described herein. The wireless device 205 may also be referred to as a wireless communication device. In some aspects, the wireless device 205 may be an example of an energy transfer device or an RFID reader. The wireless communications system 200 may include an EH-capable device 210. In some aspects, the EH-capable device 210 may be a UE 115 as described herein. The EH-capable device 210 may be capable of performing backscattering based communication. In some aspects, the EH-capable device 210 may be an example of an IoT device, an ambient IoT device, an RFID tag, or any combination thereof. EH-capable devices may harvest energy over the air (e.g., via reception of an interrogating signal 215) and power transmission / reception circuitry 225 via using the energy of the interrogating signal to transmit a responsive signal 220 to the interrogating signal. Responsive signals 220 transmitted by RFID devices may be backscatter modulated (e.g., referred to as backscatter responses) . In some aspects, RFID devices may be semi-passive or active and may include an energy storage device (e.g., a battery) . In some aspects, a wireless communications system may support a bistatic structure, where one network device (e.g., the wireless device 205) transmits an energy transfer signal (e.g., the interrogating signal 215) to the EH-capable device 210 and another network device may receive the responsive signal 220 (e.g., may communicate with the EH-capable device) .
[0098] As described herein, ambient IoT devices such as the EH-capable device 210 may communicate using resources within a resource pool that has a defined frame structure. For example, the resource pool may include RBs having a frame structure for communications with multiple different types of devices, such as active narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) devices (e.g., devices that do not rely on backscattering for communications) and ambient IoT devices such as wireless device 205 and EH-capable device 210. For ambient IoT communications, the RBs may include one or more CW tones that support frequency shifted backscattering in a BL. In some cases, defined RB structures may have an even number of tones, and the RB for ambient IoT communications may include one or two CW tones. If one CW tone is used, in some aspects, the tone may be either a high frequency tone of a lower half of the RB bandwidth, or a low frequency tone of an upper half of the RB bandwidth. If two CW tones are used, the tones may be symmetric within the RB (e.g., tones 5 and 6, tones 3 and 8, or tones 4 and 7) . In cases where one CW tone is used, a guard band around the RB may be asymmetric in order to provide a backscattered DSB signal that is centered within a total frequency bandwidth of the RB tones and guard bands. In some aspects, to accommodate one or more always-on signals of other devices that may use the resource pool, the CW signal may be transmitted in symbols that do not contain the always-on signals, and charging signals may be transmitted in the symbols that do contain the always-on signals, using tones that are not used by the always-on signals. Additionally, or alternatively, a frame structure is provided that includes a CW for power-up (e.g., one or more tones) , a time synchronization signal (e.g., one or more tones) , a frequency synchronization signal (e.g., one or more tones) , and a CW for BL generation (e.g., one or more tones) , where different combinations of quantities of tones for each of these signals may be used.
[0099] In some aspects, the wireless device 205 may be implemented with one or more of the structures, or may be implemented to perform one or more of the operations described with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, or FIG. 6. Additionally, or alternatively, the EH-capable device 210 may be implemented with one or more of the structures, or may be implemented to perform one or more of the operations described with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, or FIG. 6.
[0100] FIG. 3 shows examples of CW tones in frequency domain resources 300 that support CW transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The CW tones in frequency domain resources 300 may be implemented in aspects of the wireless communications systems 100 or 200.
[0101] In the examples of FIG. 3, a resource block may include frequency domain resources for a set of subcarriers 315 and guard bands, including low guard bands 305 (e.g., that occupy a band of frequencies that has a lower frequency than a lowest-frequency subcarrier 315-a (subcarrier k=0) ) and high guard bands 310 (e.g., that occupy a band of frequencies that has a higher frequency than a highest-frequency subcarrier 315-d (subcarrier k=11) ) . Further, the frequency resources may include resources that are used for one or more CW tones for use in backscattering by an ambient IoT device.
[0102] In accordance with various aspects, a location of the one or more CW tones within the frequency resources may be selected to provide compatibility with a RB structure of a resource pool that contains the frequency domain resources. In a first example of frequency domain resources 300-a, a CW tone 320 may be located at a center, or midpoint frequency, of the frequency domain resources. In this example, because the set of subcarriers 315 include an even number of subcarriers 315 (e.g., 12 subcarriers) , the centered CW tone 320 is located between a center frequency of subcarrier 315-b (subcarrier k=5) and a center frequency of subcarrier 315-c (subcarrier k=6) . Due to the CW tone 320 in this example being located at the center of the frequency domain resources, the low guard band 305-a and the high guard band 310-amay be symmetric, occupying a same quantity of frequency resources. In some aspects, such a location of CW tone 320 may be implemented in systems where reader devices are able to generate a CW between two existing subcarrier positions.
[0103] In some cases, reader devices may be manufactured using hardware that is not compatible with generation of a CW between subcarrier positions of the defined frame structure that includes the set of subcarriers 315. For example, reader devices may include fast Fourier transform (FFT) hardware blocks that are designed to generate tones in accordance with the defined frame structure and tone locations associated with the set of subcarriers 315, and such FFT blocks may not be capable of generating a tone in-between existing subcarrier positions. In some aspects, one or more CW tones may be generated at one of more of the existing tones. In a second example of frequency domain resources 300-b, a CW tone 325 may be located to correspond to subcarrier 315-b (subcarrier k=5) . In this example, a reader device using existing FFT hardware may generate the CW tone 325 without new hardware. Further, in this example, due to the CW tone 325 not being centered within the frequency resources of the set of subcarriers 315, the low guard band 305-b may be extended relative to the high guard band 310-b. Similarly, in a third example of frequency domain resources 300-c, a CW tone 330 may be located to correspond to subcarrier 315-c (subcarrier k=6) . In this example, a reader device using existing FFT hardware may generate the CW tone 330 without new hardware. Further, in this example, due to the CW tone 330 not being centered within the frequency resources of the set of subcarriers 315, the high guard band 310-c may be extended relative to the low guard band 305-c.
[0104] In a fourth example of frequency domain resources 300-d, two or more contiguous or dis-contiguous tones at symmetric positions may be generated. In this example, a first CW tone 335-a may be located to correspond to subcarrier 315-b (subcarrier k=5) and a second CW tone 335-b may be located to correspond to subcarrier 315-c (subcarrier k=6) . In this example, a reader device using existing FFT hardware may generate the CW tones 335 without new hardware. Further, in this example, due to the symmetric location of CW tones 335, the low guard band 305-d and the high guard band 310-d may be symmetric. While this example shows CW tones 335 at subcarriers k=5 and k=6, other positions may be selected for CW tones 335 to provide symmetric positions within the set of subcarriers 315, such as at subcarriers k=4 and k=7, or at subcarriers k=3, k=5, k=6, and k=8) .
[0105] FIG. 4 shows examples of frequency shifted backward links in frequency domain resources 400 that support continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The frequency shifted backward links in frequency domain resources 300 may be implemented in aspects of the wireless communications systems 100 or 200.
[0106] In the examples of FIG. 4, similarly as the examples of FIG. 3, a resource block may include frequency domain resources for a set of subcarriers 415 and guard bands, including low guard bands 405 (e.g., that occupy a band of frequencies that has a lower frequency than a lowest-frequency subcarrier 415-a (subcarrier k=0) ) and high guard bands 410 (e.g., that occupy a band of frequencies that has a higher frequency than a highest-frequency subcarrier 415-d (subcarrier k=11) ) . Further, the frequency resources may include resources that are used for one or more CW tones for use in backscattering by an ambient IoT device. In accordance with various aspects, a DBS backscattered BL may be generated based on the one or more CW tones within the frequency resources, where an amount of frequency shift may be in accordance with a location of the one or more CW tones.
[0107] In a first example of frequency domain resources 400-a, a CW tone 420 may be located at a center, or midpoint frequency, of the frequency domain resources. In this example, because the set of subcarriers 415 include an even number of subcarriers 415 (e.g., 12 subcarriers) , the centered CW tone 420 is located between a center frequency of subcarrier 415-b (subcarrier k=5) and a center frequency of subcarrier 415-c (subcarrier k=6) . An ambient IoT device (e.g., an EH-capable device) may backscatter the CW tone 420 using DSB backscattering to generate BL 420-a located at a frequency fs1 425-a below the midpoint frequency and BL 420-b located at frequency fs1 425-b above the midpoint frequency. In this example, due to the CW tone 420 being located at the center of the frequency domain resources, the low guard band 405-a and the high guard band 410-a may be symmetric.
[0108] In a second example of frequency domain resources 400-b, a CW tone 430 may be located at subcarrier k=5 which, as discussed with reference to FIG. 3, is offset from the midpoint frequency. An ambient IoT device (e.g., an EH-capable device) may backscatter the CW tone 430 using DSB backscattering to generate BL 435-a located at a frequency fs 440-a below the frequency of subcarrier k=5 and BL 435-b located at frequency fs 440-b above the frequency of subcarrier k=5. In this example, due to the CW tone 430 being located away from the center of the frequency domain resources, the low guard band 405-b is extended relative to the high guard band 410-b. In some cases, if the size of guard bands are different, the amount of frequency shift fs 440 may be the same as fs1 425.
[0109] In a third example of frequency domain resources 400-c, a CW tone 445 may be located at subcarrier k=6 which, as discussed with reference to FIG. 3, is offset from the midpoint frequency. An ambient IoT device (e.g., an EH-capable device) may backscatter the CW tone 445 using DSB backscattering to generate BL 450-a located at a frequency fs 455-a below the frequency of subcarrier k=6 and BL 450-b located at frequency fs 455-b above the frequency of subcarrier k=6. In this example, due to the CW tone 445 being located away from the center of the frequency domain resources, the high guard band 410-c is extended relative to the low guard band 405-c. In some cases, if the size of guard bands are different, the amount of frequency shift fs 455 may be the same as fs1 425.
[0110] In a fourth example of frequency domain resources 400-d, two CW tones 460 may be provided, in which a first CW tone 460-a may be located at subcarrier k=5 and a second CW tone 460-b may be located at subcarrier k=6 which. Due to the symmetric location of CW tones 460 about the midpoint frequency, an ambient IoT device (e.g., an EH-capable device) may backscatter the CW tones 460 using DSB backscattering to generate BL 465-a located at a frequency fs 470-a below the midpoint frequency and BL 465-b located at frequency fs 470-b above the midpoint frequency. In this example, due to the CW tones 460 being symmetric relative to the center of the frequency domain resources, the low guard band 405-d is symmetric with the high guard band 410-d.
[0111] FIG. 5 shows an example of a time and frequency domain resources 500 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The time and frequency domain resources 500 may be implemented in aspects of the wireless communications systems 100 or 200. In this example, an ambient IoT resource pool 505 may include a first RB 510 and a second RB 515, which together may be referred to as a physical RB (PRB) . Each of the first RB 510 and the second RB 515 include seven symbols in the time domain and 12 tones, or subcarriers, in the frequency domain.
[0112] In some aspects, the ambient IoT resource pool 505 may be included in resources that may also be used by other types of devices, such as NB-IoT. Further, such other devices may operate using one or more aways-on channels and signals (e.g., narrowband physical broadcast channel (NPBCH) , narrowband primary synchronization signal (NPSS) , narrowband secondary synchronization signal (NSSS) , and narrowband reference signal (NRS) . NPBCH, NPSS, and NSSS may occupy full subframes, and a network entity that scheduled resources may avoid collision with these channels and signals. However, NRS may be transmitted in every slot or subframe, and thus one or more resource elements (REs) within the ambient IoT resource pool 505 may be configured for such always-on signals. In the example of FIG. 5, reference signal REs 525 may be present in the sixth and seventh symbols of each of the first RB 510 and the second RB 515, in tones 0, 3, 6, and 9. In such cases, the CW tone may be provided in CW REs 520 that avoid the reference signal REs 525. Further, in order to provide ambient IoT devices (e.g., EH-capable devices) with sufficient energy to perform backscattering operations, charging REs 530 may be provided, which may be used by the ambient IoT devices to charge or maintain a charge (e.g., by charging one or more capacitors that are used to provide power to components of the device) . In the example of FIG. 5, charging REs 530 may be provided at tones 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 at symbol k=5, 6, 12, and 13, such that these charging REs 530 may be filled with an additional energy signal. Additionally, an ambient IoT device may use reference signal REs 525 as an energy signal. In some aspects, the RE location for the reference signal REs 525 and the charging REs 530 may be indicated based on, for example, a cell identification (cell ID) . Additionally, the CW REs 520 at tones 5 and 6 for OFDM symbols (e.g., k=0-4, and 7-11) , alone with the reference signal REs 525 and the charging REs 530, may provide a continuous CW signal for use by ambient IoT devices.
[0113] FIG. 6 shows an example of a signals for ambient IoT communications 600 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The signals for ambient IoT communications 600 may be implemented in aspects of the wireless communications systems 100 or 200. In this example, a series of signals may be exchanged between a network device and an ambient IoT device (e.g., an EH-capable device) .
[0114] In this example, an initial signal may be provided as a CW power up signal 605. In the example of FIG. 6, the CW power up signal 605 may be provided using two tones, although more or fewer tones may be used. A time synchronization signal 610 may be transmitted by the network device that may provide for time alignment between the network device and the ambient IoT device. In the example of FIG. 6, the time synchronization signal 610 may occupy the entire available frequency domain bandwidth (e.g., 12 tones or subcarriers) , although such a signal may occupy a single tone or multiple tones that occupy less than the entire available frequency domain bandwidth. A frequency synchronization signal 615 may be transmitted by the network device that may provide for clock frequency synchronization between the network device and the ambient IoT device. In the example of FIG. 6, the frequency synchronization signal 615 may occupy one tone, although such a signal may occupy more than one tone.
[0115] A FL control / data signal 620 may be transmitted by the network device that may provide control information, data, or both. In the example of FIG. 6, the FL control / data signal 620 may occupy the entire available frequency domain bandwidth (e.g., 12 tones or subcarriers) , although such a signal may occupy less than the entire available frequency domain bandwidth. BL control / data signals 625 may be transmitted by the ambient IoT device that are backscattered and frequency shifted based on a CW for BL 630 that is transmitted in accordance with techniques as discussed herein. In this example, an ambient IoT device may also transmit an uplink scheduling trigger signal 635 that is backscattered and frequency shifted based on a CW for BL 630.
[0116] While FIG. 6 shows example signals and associate tones for the signals, multiple different combinations of a quantity of tones for each of the signals are possible. Table 1 below shows several examples for different combinations of quantities of tones for different signals:
[0117] Table 1
[0118] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram 700 of a device 705 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 705 may be an example of aspects of a UE 115 as described herein. The device 705 may include a receiver 710, a transmitter 715, and a communications manager 720. The device 705, or one or more components of the device 705 (e.g., the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, the communications manager 720) , may include at least one processor, which may be coupled with at least one memory, to, individually or collectively, support or enable the described techniques. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) .
[0119] The receiver 710 may provide a means for receiving information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices) . Information may be passed on to other components of the device 705. The receiver 710 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.
[0120] The transmitter 715 may provide a means for transmitting signals generated by other components of the device 705. For example, the transmitter 715 may transmit information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices) . In some aspects, the transmitter 715 may be co-located with a receiver 710 in a transceiver module. The transmitter 715 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.
[0121] The communications manager 720, the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, or various combinations or components thereof may be examples of means for performing various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein. For example, the communications manager 720, the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, or various combinations or components thereof may be capable of performing one or more of the functions described herein.
[0122] In some aspects, the communications manager 720, the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communications management circuitry) . The hardware may include at least one of a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP) , a central processing unit (CPU) , an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) , a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure. In some aspects, at least one processor and at least one memory coupled with the at least one processor may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., by one or more processors, individually or collectively, executing instructions stored in the at least one memory) .
[0123] Additionally, or alternatively, the communications manager 720, the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in code (e.g., as communications management software or firmware) executed by at least one processor (e.g., referred to as a processor-executable code) . If implemented in code executed by at least one processor, the functions of the communications manager 720, the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, a microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure) .
[0124] In some aspects, the communications manager 720 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, or both. For example, the communications manager 720 may receive information from the receiver 710, send information to the transmitter 715, or be integrated in combination with the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.
[0125] The communications manager 720 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. For example, the communications manager 720 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The communications manager 720 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0126] By including or configuring the communications manager 720 in accordance with aspects as described herein, the device 705 (e.g., at least one processor controlling or otherwise coupled with the receiver 710, the transmitter 715, the communications manager 720, or a combination thereof) may support techniques for ambient IoT communication with EH-capable devices using an established frame structure, which may provide for efficient communications with both ambient IoT devices and other devices that may use the established frame structure, and may allow EH-capable devices and network entities to perform ambient IoT communications using hardware that has reduced processing complexity and reduced power consumption, while providing efficient utilization of communication resources.
[0127] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram 800 of a device 805 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 805 may be an example of aspects of a device 705 or a UE 115 as described herein. The device 805 may include a receiver 810, a transmitter 815, and a communications manager 820. The device 805, or one of more components of the device 805 (e.g., the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, the communications manager 820) , may include at least one processor, which may be coupled with at least one memory, to support the described techniques. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) .
[0128] The receiver 810 may provide a means for receiving information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices) . Information may be passed on to other components of the device 805. The receiver 810 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.
[0129] The transmitter 815 may provide a means for transmitting signals generated by other components of the device 805. For example, the transmitter 815 may transmit information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices) . In some aspects, the transmitter 815 may be co-located with a receiver 810 in a transceiver module. The transmitter 815 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas.
[0130] The device 805, or various components thereof, may be an example of means for performing various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein. For example, the communications manager 820 may include a CW manager 825 a BL manager 830, or any combination thereof. The communications manager 820 may be an example of aspects of a communications manager 720 as described herein. In some aspects, the communications manager 820, or various components thereof, may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or both. For example, the communications manager 820 may receive information from the receiver 810, send information to the transmitter 815, or be integrated in combination with the receiver 810, the transmitter 815, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.
[0131] The communications manager 820 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. The CW manager 825 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The BL manager 830 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0132] FIG. 9 shows a block diagram 900 of a communications manager 920 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The communications manager 920 may be an example of aspects of a communications manager 720, a communications manager 820, or both, as described herein. The communications manager 920, or various components thereof, may be an example of means for performing various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein. For example, the communications manager 920 may include a CW manager 925, a BL manager 930, an RB manager 935, a trigger manager 940, a time synchronization manager 945, a frequency synchronization manager 950, a forward link manager 955, or any combination thereof. Each of these components, or components or subcomponents thereof (e.g., one or more processors, one or more memories) , may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) .
[0133] The communications manager 920 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. The CW manager 925 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The BL manager 930 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0134] In some aspects, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones. In some aspects, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones. In some aspects, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is received on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and where the first tone and second tone are located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones. In some aspects, a frequency of the first tone is centered at the midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth.
[0135] In some aspects, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.
[0136] In some aspects, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.
[0137] In some aspects, the BL manager 930 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for backscattering the continuous wave signal to transmit a frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal that is symmetrical with respect to the first tone. In some aspects, a frequency shift amount of the frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal is based on a location of the first tone within the resource block. In some aspects, the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and where the first subset of symbols is non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols. In some aspects, the charging signals include one or more reference signals that are received in a first subset of tones within the second subset of symbols, and one or more energy signals that are received in a second subset of tones within the second subset of symbols.
[0138] In some aspects, the trigger manager 940 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device. In some aspects, the time synchronization manager 945 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the network entity. In some aspects, the frequency synchronization manager 950 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the network entity. In some aspects, the forward link manager 955 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data.
[0139] In some aspects, the first continuous wave signal and the second continuous wave signal are received on a same subset of tones of the set of tones or on different subsets of tones of the set of tones. In some aspects, the time synchronization signal and the frequency synchronization signal are each received on one or more tones of the set of tones. In some aspects, the time synchronization signal is received on all tones of the set of tones.
[0140] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of a system 1000 including a device 1005 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 1005 may be an example of or include components of a device 705, a device 805, or a UE 115 as described herein. The device 1005 may communicate (e.g., wirelessly) with one or more other devices (e.g., network entities 105, UEs 115, or a combination thereof) . The device 1005 may include components for bi-directional voice and data communications including components for transmitting and receiving communications, such as a communications manager 1020, an input / output (I / O) controller, such as an I / O controller 1010, a transceiver 1015, one or more antennas 1025, at least one memory 1030, code 1035, and at least one processor 1040. These components may be in electronic communication or otherwise coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more buses (e.g., a bus 1045) .
[0141] The I / O controller 1010 may manage input and output signals for the device 1005. The I / O controller 1010 may also manage peripherals not integrated into the device 1005. In some cases, the I / O controller 1010 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral. In some cases, the I / O controller 1010 may utilize an operating system such as or another known operating system. Additionally, or alternatively, the I / O controller 1010 may represent or interact with a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, or a similar device. In some cases, the I / O controller 1010 may be implemented as part of one or more processors, such as the at least one processor 1040. In some cases, a user may interact with the device 1005 via the I / O controller 1010 or via hardware components controlled by the I / O controller 1010.
[0142] In some cases, the device 1005 may include a single antenna. However, in some other cases, the device 1005 may have more than one antenna, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions. The transceiver 1015 may communicate bi-directionally via the one or more antennas 1025 using wired or wireless links as described herein. For example, the transceiver 1015 may represent a wireless transceiver and may communicate bi-directionally with another wireless transceiver. The transceiver 1015 may also include a modem to modulate the packets, to provide the modulated packets to one or more antennas 1025 for transmission, and to demodulate packets received from the one or more antennas 1025. The transceiver 1015, or the transceiver 1015 and one or more antennas 1025, may be an example of a transmitter 715, a transmitter 815, a receiver 710, a receiver 810, or any combination thereof or component thereof, as described herein.
[0143] The at least one memory 1030 may include random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM) . The at least one memory 1030 may store computer- readable, computer-executable, or processor-executable code, such as the code 1035. The code 1035 may include instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor 1040, cause the device 1005 to perform various functions described herein. The code 1035 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as system memory or another type of memory. In some cases, the code 1035 may not be directly executable by the at least one processor 1040 but may cause a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform functions described herein. In some cases, the at least one memory 1030 may include, among other things, a basic I / O system (BIOS) which may control basic hardware or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices.
[0144] The at least one processor 1040 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices (e.g., one or more general-purpose processors, one or more DSPs, one or more CPUs, one or more graphics processing units (GPUs) , one or more neural processing units (NPUs) (also referred to as neural network processors or deep learning processors (DLPs) ) , one or more microcontrollers, one or more ASICs, one or more FPGAs, one or more programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, one or more discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof) . In some cases, the at least one processor 1040 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In some other cases, a memory controller may be integrated into the at least one processor 1040. The at least one processor 1040 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the at least one memory 1030) to cause the device 1005 to perform various functions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices) . For example, the device 1005 or a component of the device 1005 may include at least one processor 1040 and at least one memory 1030 coupled with or to the at least one processor 1040, the at least one processor 1040 and the at least one memory 1030 configured to perform various functions described herein.
[0145] In some aspects, the at least one processor 1040 may include multiple processors and the at least one memory 1030 may include multiple memories. One or more of the multiple processors may be coupled with one or more of the multiple memories, which may, individually or collectively, be configured to perform various functions described herein. In some aspects, the at least one processor 1040 may be a component of a processing system, which may refer to a system (such as a series) of machines, circuitry (including, for example, one or both of processor circuitry (which may include the at least one processor 1040) and memory circuitry (which may include the at least one memory 1030) ) , or components, that receives or obtains inputs and processes the inputs to produce, generate, or obtain a set of outputs. The processing system may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein. For example, the at least one processor 1040 or a processing system including the at least one processor 1040 may be configured to, configurable to, or operable to cause the device 1005 to perform one or more of the functions described herein. Further, as described herein, being “configured to, ” being “configurable to, ” and being “operable to” may be used interchangeably and may be associated with a capability, when executing code 1035 (e.g., processor-executable code) stored in the at least one memory 1030 or otherwise, to perform one or more of the functions described herein.
[0146] The communications manager 1020 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. For example, the communications manager 1020 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The communications manager 1020 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0147] By including or configuring the communications manager 1020 in accordance with aspects as described herein, the device 1005 may support techniques for ambient IoT communication with EH-capable devices using an established frame structure, which may provide for efficient communications with both ambient IoT devices and other devices that may use the established frame structure, and may allow EH-capable devices and network entities to perform ambient IoT communications using hardware that has reduced processing complexity and reduced power consumption, while providing efficient utilization of communication resources.
[0148] In some aspects, the communications manager 1020 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, monitoring, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the transceiver 1015, the one or more antennas 1025, or any combination thereof. Although the communications manager 1020 is illustrated as a separate component, in some aspects, one or more functions described with reference to the communications manager 1020 may be supported by or performed by the at least one processor 1040, the at least one memory 1030, the code 1035, or any combination thereof. For example, the code 1035 may include instructions executable by the at least one processor 1040 to cause the device 1005 to perform various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein, or the at least one processor 1040 and the at least one memory 1030 may be otherwise configured to, individually or collectively, perform or support such operations.
[0149] FIG. 11 shows a block diagram 1100 of a device 1105 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 1105 may be an example of aspects of a network entity 105 as described herein. The device 1105 may include a receiver 1110, a transmitter 1115, and a communications manager 1120. The device 1105, or one or more components of the device 1105 (e.g., the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, the communications manager 1120) , may include at least one processor, which may be coupled with at least one memory, to, individually or collectively, support or enable the described techniques. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) .
[0150] The receiver 1110 may provide a means for obtaining (e.g., receiving, determining, identifying) information such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack) . Information may be passed on to other components of the device 1105. In some aspects, the receiver 1110 may support obtaining information by receiving signals via one or more antennas. Additionally, or alternatively, the receiver 1110 may support obtaining information by receiving signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof.
[0151] The transmitter 1115 may provide a means for outputting (e.g., transmitting, providing, conveying, sending) information generated by other components of the device 1105. For example, the transmitter 1115 may output information such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack) . In some aspects, the transmitter 1115 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more antennas. Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitter 1115 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof. In some aspects, the transmitter 1115 and the receiver 1110 may be co-located in a transceiver, which may include or be coupled with a modem.
[0152] The communications manager 1120, the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, or various combinations or components thereof may be examples of means for performing various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein. For example, the communications manager 1120, the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, or various combinations or components thereof may be capable of performing one or more of the functions described herein.
[0153] In some aspects, the communications manager 1120, the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communications management circuitry) . The hardware may include at least one of a processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, a microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure. In some aspects, at least one processor and at least one memory coupled with the at least one processor may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., by one or more processors, individually or collectively, executing instructions stored in the at least one memory) .
[0154] Additionally, or alternatively, the communications manager 1120, the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in code (e.g., as communications management software or firmware) executed by at least one processor (e.g., referred to as a processor-executable code) . If implemented in code executed by at least one processor, the functions of the communications manager 1120, the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, a microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure) .
[0155] In some aspects, the communications manager 1120 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, or both. For example, the communications manager 1120 may receive information from the receiver 1110, send information to the transmitter 1115, or be integrated in combination with the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.
[0156] The communications manager 1120 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. For example, the communications manager 1120 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The communications manager 1120 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0157] By including or configuring the communications manager 1120 in accordance with aspects as described herein, the device 1105 (e.g., at least one processor controlling or otherwise coupled with the receiver 1110, the transmitter 1115, the communications manager 1120, or a combination thereof) may support techniques for ambient IoT communication with EH-capable devices using an established frame structure, which may provide for efficient communications with both ambient IoT devices and other devices that may use the established frame structure, and may allow EH-capable devices and network entities to perform ambient IoT communications using hardware that has reduced processing complexity and reduced power consumption, while providing efficient utilization of communication resources.
[0158] FIG. 12 shows a block diagram 1200 of a device 1205 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 1205 may be an example of aspects of a device 1105 or a network entity 105 as described herein. The device 1205 may include a receiver 1210, a transmitter 1215, and a communications manager 1220. The device 1205, or one of more components of the device 1205 (e.g., the receiver 1210, the transmitter 1215, the communications manager 1220) , may include at least one processor, which may be coupled with at least one memory, to support the described techniques. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) .
[0159] The receiver 1210 may provide a means for obtaining (e.g., receiving, determining, identifying) information such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack) . Information may be passed on to other components of the device 1205. In some aspects, the receiver 1210 may support obtaining information by receiving signals via one or more antennas. Additionally, or alternatively, the receiver 1210 may support obtaining information by receiving signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof.
[0160] The transmitter 1215 may provide a means for outputting (e.g., transmitting, providing, conveying, sending) information generated by other components of the device 1205. For example, the transmitter 1215 may output information such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack) . In some aspects, the transmitter 1215 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more antennas. Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitter 1215 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof. In some aspects, the transmitter 1215 and the receiver 1210 may be co-located in a transceiver, which may include or be coupled with a modem.
[0161] The device 1205, or various components thereof, may be an example of means for performing various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein. For example, the communications manager 1220 may include a CW manager 1225 a BL manager 1230, or any combination thereof. The communications manager 1220 may be an example of aspects of a communications manager 1120 as described herein. In some aspects, the communications manager 1220, or various components thereof, may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the receiver 1210, the transmitter 1215, or both. For example, the communications manager 1220 may receive information from the receiver 1210, send information to the transmitter 1215, or be integrated in combination with the receiver 1210, the transmitter 1215, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.
[0162] The communications manager 1220 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. The CW manager 1225 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The BL manager 1230 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0163] FIG. 13 shows a block diagram 1300 of a communications manager 1320 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The communications manager 1320 may be an example of aspects of a communications manager 1120, a communications manager 1220, or both, as described herein. The communications manager 1320, or various components thereof, may be an example of means for performing various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein. For example, the communications manager 1320 may include a CW manager 1325, a BL manager 1330, an RB manager 1335, a trigger manager 1340, a time synchronization manager 1345, a frequency synchronization manager 1350, a forward link manager 1355, or any combination thereof. Each of these components, or components or subcomponents thereof (e.g., one or more processors, one or more memories) , may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) . The communications may include communications within a protocol layer of a protocol stack, communications associated with a logical channel of a protocol stack (e.g., between protocol layers of a protocol stack, within a device, component, or virtualized component associated with a network entity 105, between devices, components, or virtualized components associated with a network entity 105) , or any combination thereof.
[0164] The communications manager 1320 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. The CW manager 1325 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The BL manager 1330 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0165] In some aspects, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones. In some aspects, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and where the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones. In some aspects, the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is transmitted on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and where the first tone and second tone are located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones. In some aspects, a frequency of the first tone is centered at the midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth.
[0166] In some aspects, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.
[0167] In some aspects, the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.
[0168] In some aspects, the backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal is a frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal that is symmetrical with respect to the first tone. In some aspects, a frequency shift amount of the frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal is based on a location of the first tone within the resource block. In some aspects, the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and where the first subset of symbols is non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols. In some aspects, the charging signals include one or more reference signals that are transmitted in a first subset of tones within the second subset of symbols, and one or more energy signals that are transmitted in a second subset of tones within the second subset of symbols.
[0169] In some aspects, the trigger manager 1340 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device. In some aspects, the time synchronization manager 1345 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device. In some aspects, the frequency synchronization manager 1350 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device. In some aspects, the forward link manager 1355 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmit, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data to the EH-capable device.
[0170] In some aspects, the first continuous wave signal and the second continuous wave signal are transmitted on a same subset of tones of the set of tones or on different subsets of tones of the set of tones. In some aspects, the time synchronization signal and the frequency synchronization signal are each transmitted on one or more tones of the set of tones. In some aspects, the time synchronization signal is transmitted on all tones of the set of tones.
[0171] FIG. 14 shows a diagram of a system 1400 including a device 1405 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The device 1405 may be an example of or include components of a device 1105, a device 1205, or a network entity 105 as described herein. The device 1405 may communicate with other network devices or network equipment such as one or more of the network entities 105, UEs 115, or any combination thereof. The communications may include communications over one or more wired interfaces, over one or more wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof. The device 1405 may include components that support outputting and obtaining communications, such as a communications manager 1420, a transceiver 1410, one or more antennas 1415, at least one memory 1425, code 1430, and at least one processor 1435. These components may be in electronic communication or otherwise coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more buses (e.g., a bus 1440) .
[0172] The transceiver 1410 may support bi-directional communications via wired links, wireless links, or both as described herein. In some aspects, the transceiver 1410 may include a wired transceiver and may communicate bi-directionally with another wired transceiver. Additionally, or alternatively, in some aspects, the transceiver 1410 may include a wireless transceiver and may communicate bi-directionally with another wireless transceiver. In some aspects, the device 1405 may include one or more antennas 1415, which may be capable of transmitting or receiving wireless transmissions (e.g., concurrently) . The transceiver 1410 may also include a modem to modulate signals, to provide the modulated signals for transmission (e.g., by one or more antennas 1415, by a wired transmitter) , to receive modulated signals (e.g., from one or more antennas 1415, from a wired receiver) , and to demodulate signals. In some implementations, the transceiver 1410 may include one or more interfaces, such as one or more interfaces coupled with the one or more antennas 1415 that are configured to support various receiving or obtaining operations, or one or more interfaces coupled with the one or more antennas 1415 that are configured to support various transmitting or outputting operations, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, the transceiver 1410 may include or be configured for coupling with one or more processors or one or more memory components that are operable to perform or support operations based on received or obtained information or signals, or to generate information or other signals for transmission or other outputting, or any combination thereof. In some implementations, the transceiver 1410, or the transceiver 1410 and the one or more antennas 1415, or the transceiver 1410 and the one or more antennas 1415 and one or more processors or one or more memory components (e.g., the at least one processor 1435, the at least one memory 1425, or both) , may be included in a chip or chip assembly that is installed in the device 1405. In some aspects, the transceiver 1410 may be operable to support communications via one or more communications links (e.g., communication link (s) 125, backhaul communication link (s) 120, a midhaul communication link 162, a fronthaul communication link 168) .
[0173] The at least one memory 1425 may include RAM, ROM, or any combination thereof. The at least one memory 1425 may store computer-readable, computer-executable, or processor-executable code, such as the code 1430. The code 1430 may include instructions that, when executed by one or more of the at least one processor 1435, cause the device 1405 to perform various functions described herein. The code 1430 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as system memory or another type of memory. In some cases, the code 1430 may not be directly executable by a processor of the at least one processor 1435 but may cause a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform functions described herein. In some cases, the at least one memory 1425 may include, among other things, a BIOS which may control basic hardware or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices. In some aspects, the at least one processor 1435 may include multiple processors and the at least one memory 1425 may include multiple memories. One or more of the multiple processors may be coupled with one or more of the multiple memories which may, individually or collectively, be configured to perform various functions herein (for example, as part of a processing system) .
[0174] The at least one processor 1435 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices (e.g., one or more general-purpose processors, one or more DSPs, one or more CPUs, one or more graphics processing units (GPUs) , one or more neural processing units (NPUs) (also referred to as neural network processors or deep learning processors (DLPs) ) , one or more microcontrollers, one or more ASICs, one or more FPGAs, one or more programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, one or more discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof) . In some cases, the at least one processor 1435 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In some other cases, a memory controller may be integrated into one or more of the at least one processor 1435. The at least one processor 1435 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (e.g., one or more of the at least one memory 1425) to cause the device 1405 to perform various functions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices) . For example, the device 1405 or a component of the device 1405 may include at least one processor 1435 and at least one memory 1425 coupled with one or more of the at least one processor 1435, the at least one processor 1435 and the at least one memory 1425 configured to perform various functions described herein. The at least one processor 1435 may be an example of a cloud-computing platform (e.g., one or more physical nodes and supporting software such as operating systems, virtual machines, or container instances) that may host the functions (e.g., by executing code 1430) to perform the functions of the device 1405. The at least one processor 1435 may be any one or more suitable processors capable of executing scripts or instructions of one or more software programs stored in the device 1405 (such as within one or more of the at least one memory 1425) .
[0175] In some aspects, the at least one processor 1435 may include multiple processors and the at least one memory 1425 may include multiple memories. One or more of the multiple processors may be coupled with one or more of the multiple memories, which may, individually or collectively, be configured to perform various functions herein. In some aspects, the at least one processor 1435 may be a component of a processing system, which may refer to a system (such as a series) of machines, circuitry (including, for example, one or both of processor circuitry (which may include the at least one processor 1435) and memory circuitry (which may include the at least one memory 1425) ) , or components, that receives or obtains inputs and processes the inputs to produce, generate, or obtain a set of outputs. The processing system may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein. For example, the at least one processor 1435 or a processing system including the at least one processor 1435 may be configured to, configurable to, or operable to cause the device 1405 to perform one or more of the functions described herein. Further, as described herein, being “configured to, ” being “configurable to, ” and being “operable to” may be used interchangeably and may be associated with a capability, when executing code stored in the at least one memory 1425 or otherwise, to perform one or more of the functions described herein.
[0176] In some aspects, a bus 1440 may support communications of (e.g., within) a protocol layer of a protocol stack. In some aspects, a bus 1440 may support communications associated with a logical channel of a protocol stack (e.g., between protocol layers of a protocol stack) , which may include communications performed within a component of the device 1405, or between different components of the device 1405 that may be co-located or located in different locations (e.g., where the device 1405 may refer to a system in which one or more of the communications manager 1420, the transceiver 1410, the at least one memory 1425, the code 1430, and the at least one processor 1435 may be located in one of the different components or divided between different components) .
[0177] In some aspects, the communications manager 1420 may manage aspects of communications with a core network 130 (e.g., via one or more wired or wireless backhaul links) . For example, the communications manager 1420 may manage the transfer of data communications for client devices, such as one or more UEs 115. In some aspects, the communications manager 1420 may manage communications with one or more other network entities 105, and may include a controller or scheduler for controlling communications with UEs 115 (e.g., in cooperation with the one or more other network devices) . In some aspects, the communications manager 1420 may support an X2 interface within an LTE / LTE-A wireless communications network technology to provide communication between network entities 105.
[0178] The communications manager 1420 may support wireless communication in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. For example, the communications manager 1420 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The communications manager 1420 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0179] By including or configuring the communications manager 1420 in accordance with aspects as described herein, the device 1405 may support techniques for ambient IoT communication with EH-capable devices using an established frame structure, which may provide for efficient communications with both ambient IoT devices and other devices that may use the established frame structure, and may allow EH-capable devices and network entities to perform ambient IoT communications using hardware that has reduced processing complexity and reduced power consumption, while providing efficient utilization of communication resources.
[0180] In some aspects, the communications manager 1420 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the transceiver 1410, the one or more antennas 1415 (e.g., where applicable) , or any combination thereof. Although the communications manager 1420 is illustrated as a separate component, in some aspects, one or more functions described with reference to the communications manager 1420 may be supported by or performed by the transceiver 1410, one or more of the at least one processor 1435, one or more of the at least one memory 1425, the code 1430, or any combination thereof (for example, by a processing system including at least a portion of the at least one processor 1435, the at least one memory 1425, the code 1430, or any combination thereof) . For example, the code 1430 may include instructions executable by one or more of the at least one processor 1435 to cause the device 1405 to perform various aspects of continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices as described herein, or the at least one processor 1435 and the at least one memory 1425 may be otherwise configured to, individually or collectively, perform or support such operations.
[0181] FIG. 15 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1500 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1500 may be implemented by a UE or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 1500 may be performed by a UE 115 as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 10. In some aspects, a UE may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.
[0182] At 1505, the method may include receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The operations of 1505 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1505 may be performed by a CW manager 925 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0183] At 1510, the method may include communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone. The operations of 1510 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1510 may be performed by a BL manager 930 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0184] FIG. 16 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1600 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1600 may be implemented by a UE or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 1600 may be performed by a UE 115 as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 10. In some aspects, a UE may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.
[0185] At 1605, the method may include receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device. The operations of 1605 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1605 may be performed by a trigger manager 940 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0186] At 1610, the method may include receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the network entity. The operations of 1610 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1610 may be performed by a time synchronization manager 945 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0187] At 1615, the method may include receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the network entity. The operations of 1615 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1615 may be performed by a frequency synchronization manager 950 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0188] At 1620, the method may include receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data. The operations of 1620 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1620 may be performed by a forward link manager 955 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0189] At 1625, the method may include receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The operations of 1625 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1625 may be performed by a CW manager 925 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0190] At 1630, the method may include communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone. The operations of 1630 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1630 may be performed by a BL manager 930 as described with reference to FIG. 9.
[0191] FIG. 17 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1700 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1700 may be implemented by a network entity or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 1700 may be performed by a network entity as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 6 and 11 through 14. In some aspects, a network entity may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the network entity to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the network entity may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.
[0192] At 1705, the method may include transmitting a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The operations of 1705 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1705 may be performed by a CW manager 1325 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0193] At 1710, the method may include communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone. The operations of 1710 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1710 may be performed by a BL manager 1330 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0194] FIG. 18 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1800 that supports continuous wave transmission for backscattering link for ambient IoT devices in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1800 may be implemented by a network entity or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 1800 may be performed by a network entity as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 6 and 11 through 14. In some aspects, a network entity may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the network entity to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the network entity may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.
[0195] At 1805, the method may include transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device. The operations of 1805 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1805 may be performed by a trigger manager 1340 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0196] At 1810, the method may include transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device. The operations of 1810 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1810 may be performed by a time synchronization manager 1345 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0197] At 1815, the method may include transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device. The operations of 1815 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1815 may be performed by a frequency synchronization manager 1350 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0198] At 1820, the method may include transmit, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data to the EH-capable device. The operations of 1820 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1820 may be performed by a forward link manager 1355 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0199] At 1825, the method may include transmitting a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, where each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain. The operations of 1825 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1825 may be performed by a CW manager 1325 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0200] At 1830, the method may include communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, where the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and where the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone. The operations of 1830 may be performed in accordance with aspects as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1830 may be performed by a BL manager 1330 as described with reference to FIG. 13.
[0201] The following provides an overview of aspects of the present disclosure:
[0202] Aspect 1: A method for wireless communication by an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device for wireless communication, comprising: receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, wherein each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain; and communicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, wherein the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based at least in part on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0203] Aspect 2: The method of aspect 1, wherein the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones.
[0204] Aspect 3: The method of aspect 1, wherein the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones.
[0205] Aspect 4: The method of aspect 1, wherein the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is received on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first tone and second tone are located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones.
[0206] Aspect 5: The method of aspect 1, wherein a frequency of the first tone is centered at the midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth.
[0207] Aspect 6: The method of any of aspects 1 through 5, wherein the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.
[0208] Aspect 7: The method of any of aspects 1 through 5, wherein the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.
[0209] Aspect 8: The method of any of aspects 1 through 7, further comprising: backscattering the continuous wave signal to transmit a frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal that is symmetrical with respect to the first tone.
[0210] Aspect 9: The method of aspect 8, wherein a frequency shift amount of the frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal is based at least in part on a location of the first tone within the resource block.
[0211] Aspect 10: The method of any of aspects 1 through 9, wherein the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first subset of symbols is non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols.
[0212] Aspect 11: The method of aspect 10, wherein the charging signals include one or more reference signals that are received in a first subset of tones within the second subset of symbols, and one or more energy signals that are received in a second subset of tones within the second subset of symbols.
[0213] Aspect 12: The method of any of aspects 1 through 11, further comprising: receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device; receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the network entity; receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the network entity; and receiving, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data.
[0214] Aspect 13: The method of aspect 12, wherein the first continuous wave signal and the second continuous wave signal are received on a same subset of tones of the set of tones or on different subsets of tones of the set of tones.
[0215] Aspect 14: The method of any of aspects 12 through 13, wherein the time synchronization signal and the frequency synchronization signal are each received on one or more tones of the set of tones.
[0216] Aspect 15: The method of aspect 14, wherein the time synchronization signal is received on all tones of the set of tones.
[0217] Aspect 16: A method for wireless communication by a network entity, comprising: transmitting a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, wherein each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain; and communicating with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, wherein the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
[0218] Aspect 17: The method of aspect 16, wherein the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones.
[0219] Aspect 18: The method of aspect 16, wherein the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones.
[0220] Aspect 19: The method of aspect 16, wherein the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is transmitted on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first tone and second tone are located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones.
[0221] Aspect 20: The method of aspect 16, wherein a frequency of the first tone is centered at the midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth.
[0222] Aspect 21: The method of any of aspects 16 through 20, wherein the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.
[0223] Aspect 22: The method of any of aspects 16 through 20, wherein the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.
[0224] Aspect 23: The method of any of aspects 16 through 22, wherein the backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal is a frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal that is symmetrical with respect to the first tone.
[0225] Aspect 24: The method of aspect 23, wherein a frequency shift amount of the frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal is based at least in part on a location of the first tone within the resource block.
[0226] Aspect 25: The method of any of aspects 16 through 24, wherein the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first subset of symbols is non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols.
[0227] Aspect 26: The method of aspect 25, wherein the charging signals include one or more reference signals that are transmitted in a first subset of tones within the second subset of symbols, and one or more energy signals that are transmitted in a second subset of tones within the second subset of symbols.
[0228] Aspect 27: The method of any of aspects 16 through 26, further comprising: transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device; transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device; transmitting, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the EH-capable device; and transmit, prior to transmission of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data to the EH-capable device.
[0229] Aspect 28: The method of aspect 27, wherein the first continuous wave signal and the second continuous wave signal are transmitted on a same subset of tones of the set of tones or on different subsets of tones of the set of tones.
[0230] Aspect 29: The method of any of aspects 27 through 28, wherein the time synchronization signal and the frequency synchronization signal are each transmitted on one or more tones of the set of tones.
[0231] Aspect 30: The method of aspect 29, wherein the time synchronization signal is transmitted on all tones of the set of tones.
[0232] Aspect 31: An energy harvesting (EH) -capable device for wireless communication for wireless communication, comprising one or more memories storing processor-executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the energy harvesting (EH) -capable device for wireless communication to perform a method of any of aspects 1 through 15.
[0233] Aspect 32: An energy harvesting (EH) -capable device for wireless communication for wireless communication, comprising at least one means for performing a method of any of aspects 1 through 15.
[0234] Aspect 33: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method of any of aspects 1 through 15.
[0235] Aspect 34: A network entity for wireless communication, comprising one or more memories storing processor-executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to perform a method of any of aspects 16 through 30.
[0236] Aspect 35: A network entity for wireless communication, comprising at least one means for performing a method of any of aspects 16 through 30.
[0237] Aspect 36: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method of any of aspects 16 through 30.
[0238] The methods described herein describe possible implementations, and the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified and other implementations are possible. Further, aspects from two or more of the methods may be combined.
[0239] Although aspects of an LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR system may be described for purposes of example, and LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR terminology may be used in much of the description, the techniques described herein are applicable beyond LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR networks. For example, the described techniques may be applicable to various other wireless communications systems such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) , Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi) , IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) , IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, as well as other systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein.
[0240] Information and signals described herein may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.
[0241] The various illustrative blocks and components described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, a CPU, a graphics processing unit (GPU) , a neural processing unit (NPU) , an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor but, in the alternative, the processor may be any processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration) . Any functions or operations described herein as being capable of being performed by a processor may be performed by multiple processors that, individually or collectively, are capable of performing the described functions or operations.
[0242] The functions described herein may be implemented using hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented using software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored as or transmitted using one or more instructions or code of a computer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope of the disclosure and claims. For example, due to the nature of software, functions described herein may be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. Features implementing functions may also be physically located at various positions, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented at different physical locations.
[0243] Computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A non-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) , flash memory, compact disk (CD) ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that may be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL) , or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of computer-readable medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include CD, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD) , floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc. Disks may reproduce data magnetically, and discs may reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media. Any functions or operations described herein as being capable of being performed by a memory may be performed by multiple memories that, individually or collectively, are capable of performing the described functions or operations.
[0244] As used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” unless limiting language is used relative to the alternatives listed. For example, reference to “X being based on A or B” shall be construed as including within its scope X being based on A, X being based on B, and X being based on A and B. In this regard, reference to “X being based on A or B” refers to “at least one of A or B” or “one or more of A or B” due to “or” being inclusive. Similarly, reference to “X being based on A, B, or C” shall be construed as including within its scope X being based on A, X being based on B, X being based on C, X being based on A and B, X being based on A and C, X being based on B and C, and X being based on A, B, and C. In this regard, reference to “X being based on A, B, or C” refers to “at least one of A, B, or C” or “one or more of A, B, or C” due to “or” being inclusive. As an example of limiting language, reference to “X being based on only one of A or B” shall be construed as including within its scope X being based on A as well as X being based on B, but not X being based on A and B. Also , as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of information, one or more conditions, one or more factors, or the like. In other words, the phrase “based on A” (where “A” may be information, a condition, a factor, or the like) shall be construed as “based at least on A” unless specifically recited differently. Also , as used herein, the phrase “a set” shall be construed as including the possibility of a set with one member. That is, the phrase “a set” shall be construed in the same manner as “one or more” or “at least one of. ”
[0245] As used herein, including in the claims, the article “a” before a noun is open-ended and understood to refer to “at least one” of those nouns or “one or more” of those nouns. Thus, the terms “a, ” “at least one, ” “one or more, ” and “at least one of one or more” may be interchangeable. For example, if a claim recites “a component” that performs one or more functions, each of the individual functions may be performed by a single component or by any combination of multiple components. Thus, the term “acomponent” having characteristics or performing functions may refer to “at least one of one or more components” having a particular characteristic or performing a particular function. Subsequent reference to a component introduced with the article “a” using the terms “the” or “said” may refer to any or all of the one or more components. For example, a component introduced with the article “a” may be understood to mean “one or more components, ” and referring to “the component” subsequently in the claims may be understood to be equivalent to referring to “at least one of the one or more components. ” Similarly, subsequent reference to a component introduced as “one or more components” using the terms “the” or “said” may refer to any or all of the one or more components. For example, referring to “the one or more components” subsequently in the claims may be understood to be equivalent to referring to “at least one of the one or more components. ”
[0246] The term “determine” or “determining” encompasses a variety of actions and, therefore, “determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (such as via looking up in a table, a database, or another data structure) , ascertaining, and the like. Also, “determining” can include receiving (e.g., receiving information) , accessing (e.g., accessing data stored in memory) , and the like. Also, “determining” can include resolving, obtaining, selecting, choosing, establishing, and other such similar actions.
[0247] In the figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If just the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label or other subsequent reference label.
[0248] The description set forth herein, in connection with the drawings, describes example configurations and does not represent all the examples that may be implemented or that are within the scope of the claims. The term “example” used herein means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration” and not “preferred” or “advantageous over other aspects. ” The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques. These techniques, however, may be practiced without these specific details. In some figures, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.
[0249] The description herein is provided to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1.An energy harvesting (EH) -capable device for wireless communication, comprising:a processing system configured to:receive a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, wherein each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain; andcommunicate with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, wherein the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.2.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein:the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones.3.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein:the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones.4.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein:the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is received on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first tone and second tone are located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones.5.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein:a frequency of the first tone is centered at the midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth.6.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein:the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.7.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein:the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.8.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein to communicate with the network entity via the backward link, the processing system is further configured to:backscatter the continuous wave signal to transmit a frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal that is symmetrical with respect to the first tone.9.The EH-capable device of claim 8, wherein:a frequency shift amount of the frequency shifted reflected double side-banded signal is based on a location of the first tone within the resource block.10.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein:the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first subset of symbols is non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols.11.The EH-capable device of claim 10, wherein:the charging signals include one or more reference signals that are received in a first subset of tones within the second subset of symbols, and one or more energy signals that are received in a second subset of tones within the second subset of symbols.12.The EH-capable device of claim 1, wherein the continuous wave signal is a second continuous wave signal, and wherein the processing system is further configured to:receive, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a first continuous wave signal for powering up the EH-capable device;receive, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a time synchronization signal that provides time synchronization for communication with the network entity;receive, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a frequency synchronization signal that provides frequency synchronization for communication with the network entity; andreceive, prior to reception of the second continuous wave signal, a forward link signal that provides control information or data.13.A network entity, comprising:a processing system configured to:transmit a continuous wave signal to an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, wherein each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain; andcommunicate with the EH-capable device via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, wherein the continuous wave signal is transmitted in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.14.The network entity of claim 13, wherein:the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a highest frequency subcarrier of a lower half of the set of tones.15.The network entity of claim 13, wherein:the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and wherein the first subcarrier of the first tone is a lowest frequency subcarrier of an upper half of the set of tones.16.The network entity of claim 13, wherein:the set of tones include an even quantity of tones, and the continuous wave signal is transmitted on the first tone of the set of tones and a second tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first tone and second tone are located at symmetric positions within an upper half of the set of tones and a lower half of the set of tones.17.The network entity of claim 13, wherein:the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a different quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a single tone of the set of tones.18.The network entity of claim 13, wherein:the communication bandwidth includes a first guard band located in a second portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources below the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and a second guard band located in a third portion of the communication bandwidth that occupies frequency resources above the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the second portion of the communication bandwidth and the third portion of the communication bandwidth occupy a same quantity of frequency resources when the continuous wave signal is received in a two tones of the set of tones.19.The network entity of claim 13, wherein:the continuous wave signal occupies a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols within the first tone, and charging signals occupy a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols for each tone of the set of tones, and wherein the first subset of symbols is non-overlapping with the second subset of symbols.20.A method for wireless communication by an energy harvesting (EH) -capable device for wireless communication, comprising:receiving a continuous wave signal from a network entity in a resource block within a communication bandwidth, the resource block including a set of tones that span a first portion of the communication bandwidth in a frequency domain and a set of symbols that span a time period associated with the resource block in a time domain, wherein each tone of the set of tones corresponds to a different subcarrier in the frequency domain, and each symbol spans a symbol period in the time domain; andcommunicating with the network entity via a backward link that includes a backscattered signal of the continuous wave signal, wherein the continuous wave signal is received in at least a first tone of the set of tones, and a location of the first tone within the set of tones is based on a midpoint frequency of the first portion of the communication bandwidth, and wherein the backscattered signal is frequency shifted within the first portion of the communication bandwidth by a frequency shift value relative to a first frequency of a first subcarrier of the first tone.
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