COT Sharing Scheduling for Unlicensed Channel Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing channel occupancy time (COT) sharing among multiple user equipment (UEs) in wireless networks, leading to inefficiencies in unlicensed channel utilization and scheduling complexities, especially when UEs have different COT durations and LBT parameters.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves scheduling transmissions in wireless communication systems by overlapping and non-overlapping portions of COTs, using listen-before-talk (LBT) operations, and adjusting pause durations to optimize channel access priority, allowing for flexible scheduling of transmissions in shared COTs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple UEs with different COT durations perform LBT operations to access the channel, then channel access priority can be controlled, but scheduling complexity increases due to overlapping and non-overlapping COT portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the COT period into different portions based on which UE's COT is active (first UE's COT portion, second UE's COT portion, or shared COT portion). This segmentation allows the base station to apply different LBT operation requirements and scheduling rules to different time segments, simplifying the overall scheduling complexity while maintaining control over channel access priority for multiple UEs with different COT durations.
2Productivity
If the base station schedules transmissions in shared COT portions, then unlicensed channel utilization improves, but the base station must perform additional LBT operations which increases transmission time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary LBT operations at the boundaries of COT periods and shared portions, rather than requiring continuous LBT operations throughout the entire transmission. By performing LBT operations in advance at critical transition points, the base station ensures proper channel access while minimizing the time lost to repeated LBT operations during shared COT portions, thus improving overall channel utilization efficiency.
3Productivity
If the base station allows overlapping COTs from multiple UEs, then channel utilization increases, but conflicts may arise in shared COT intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the base station receives COT duration information from multiple UEs and uses this feedback to determine the shared COT portions. The base station then schedules transmissions accordingly, using the feedback to avoid conflicts and ensure reliable communication in overlapping COT intervals while maximizing channel utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for channel occupancy time (COT) sharing arrangements when two or more COTs are associated with different durations, and provides arrangements for base station scheduling of downlink transmissions and selection of a listen-before-talk (LBT) configuration when two or more COTs are associated with different user equipment (UE) transmission endpoints. Furthermore, this disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for UE-side communication in accordance with scheduling information determined based on such COT sharing arrangements. By providing COT sharing arrangements when two or more COTs are associated with different durations, unlicensed channel utilization may be improved and throughput may be increased relative to when only one UE's COT can be used by the base station. By providing arrangements for scheduling downlink transmissions and selecting an LBT configuration, unlicensed channel utilization may be improved and access to the unlicensed medium may be streamlined.