COT-SI Reserving Channel Occupancy Time for Sidelink
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, especially in unlicensed bands, there is a need for efficient mechanisms to reserve and share channel occupancy times (COTs) for sidelink communications, as existing slot-by-slot reservations are inefficient for handling data traffic in use cases like enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), leading to underutilization of reserved resources.
Innovation Solution
The transmission of channel occupancy time-sharing information (COT-SI) carrying reservation information allows a COT-initiating UE to reserve future COTs and share this information with other UEs, enabling them to access unused portions of the COT, thereby improving resource utilization and handling data traffic more efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If slot-by-slot reservation is used for COT, then the reservation mechanism is simple and compatible with existing systems, but resource utilization is low and data traffic handling is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The COT reservation mechanism is segmented into two distinct information types: Slot Format Indicator (SFI) for slot-by-slot reservations and COT-SI for COT-level reservations. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simple slot-by-slot reservations while adding efficient COT-level reservations, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of reservation granularity by adding COT-SI that operates at the COT level rather than just slot level. This dimensional change enables more efficient resource utilization for data traffic while preserving the existing slot-by-slot reservation mechanism through SFI.
2Productivity
If COT-initiating UE reserves all COT resources, then the UE has guaranteed access to resources, but other UEs cannot utilize unused portions leading to resource underutilization
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reserving all COT resources exclusively, the COT-initiating UE performs partial reservation by indicating specific slots or mini-slots that it intends to use. The remaining unused resources are made available to other UEs through the COT-SI mechanism, achieving both high resource utilization and maintained reliability for the initiating UE.
Solution Approach 2:
Other UEs autonomously access unused portions of the COT by decoding the COT-SI and identifying available resources without requiring additional centralized allocation. This self-service mechanism improves resource utilization while the COT-initiating UE's reserved resources remain protected, maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Wireless communications systems and methods related to channel occupancy time-sharing information (COT-SI) reservation of a COT for sidelink communications in an unlicensed band are provided. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) performs a channel access procedure to acquire one or more COTs in a sidelink channel over an unlicensed new radio (NR) band. Further, the UE transmits a COT sharing information (COT-SI) configured to reserve the one or more COTs for a future transmission via the sidelink channel.