Overlapping COT Selection for UE-to-UE Unlicensed Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, overlapping channel occupancy times (COTs) shared between user equipment (UEs) in unlicensed spectrum communication lead to inefficiencies and reduced quality due to lack of proper processing methods for managing multiple overlapping COTs.
Innovation Solution
A communication method where a responding UE selects and prioritizes COTs based on preset conditions, such as priority, location, and overlap duration, to ensure efficient use and improve SL-U communication quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a responding UE receives multiple overlapping COT sharing messages from multiple initiating UEs, then channel access opportunities increase, but communication reliability deteriorates due to conflicts and uncertainties in selecting which COT to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of COT sharing by introducing priority levels and selective acceptance mechanisms. The responding UE evaluates multiple COT sharing messages based on priority parameters and selectively accepts or rejects them, transforming the random conflict into a controlled selection process that maintains both high channel access efficiency and communication reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The responding UE autonomously manages the selection and conflict resolution of overlapping COT sharing messages using predefined criteria and algorithms. The system enables self-service by allowing the UE to independently determine which COT to accept based on priority comparisons, overlap duration analysis, and communication requirements without external intervention
2Adaptability or versatility
If the responding UE accepts all overlapping COT sharing messages, then communication opportunities increase, but device complexity increases due to the need to manage multiple simultaneous COTs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary COT sharing messages that meet specific acceptance criteria from the pool of received messages. The responding UE applies filtering rules to extract high-priority, non-conflicting COTs while discarding redundant or low-priority ones, thereby maintaining communication opportunities while reducing management complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the COT management process into distinct evaluation stages: receiving messages, evaluating priority levels, checking overlap conditions, and making acceptance decisions. This segmentation transforms a complex monolithic problem into manageable sequential steps, reducing overall system complexity while preserving adaptability
3Reliability
If the responding UE performs LBT before each transmission, then channel access reliability improves, but channel access efficiency deteriorates due to repeated LBT overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The initiating UE performs LBT in advance to acquire a COT and then shares it with the responding UE. This preliminary action allows the responding UE to skip LBT for subsequent transmissions within the shared COT duration, thereby maintaining reliable channel access (through the initial LBT) while significantly improving efficiency (by eliminating repeated LBT overhead)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the LBT operation into a single action performed by the initiating UE, whose results are then shared with the responding UE. Instead of each UE performing separate LBT operations, the system combines the LBT effort into one instance and distributes the benefits to multiple UEs, achieving both reliability (through proper LBT) and efficiency (through shared results)
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a communication method and a related communication apparatus. In the communication method in this application, responding UE selects, based on a first preset condition from a plurality of pieces of received COT sharing information that overlap in time domain, one piece of COT sharing information for communication, and properly uses overlapping COT sharing information, thereby improving SL-U communication quality. Optionally, according to the communication method in this application, indication information may be sent to peer UE that does not use COT sharing information, so that the COT sharing information or a COT of a non-overlapping part of the COT sharing information does not affect transmission of another COT, thereby avoiding a channel access conflict.