Sidelink Channel Access via Shared COT and Reduced LBT Overhead

The patent merges multiple channel access operations into a single unified channel occupancy time (COT). One terminal performs a type 1 LBT operation to acquire a COT, and then multiple terminals perform type 2 LBT operations within this shared COT. This combining approach eliminates redundant LBT operations while maintaining flexible channel access for multiple terminals, thereby resolving the contradiction between flexibility and efficiency.

The patent applies preliminary action by having one terminal perform the type 1 LBT operation and establish the COT in advance. Other terminals then perform simpler type 2 LBT operations within this pre-established COT, which requires less time and maintains reliability. The initial terminal's LBT result serves as a foundation for subsequent terminals, eliminating the need for each terminal to perform the full type 1 LBT sequence.

The patent extracts only the essential COT information (start time, duration, frequency resources) that terminals need to share for efficient resource utilization. By extracting and transmitting only these critical parameters rather than complete channel state information, the system achieves improved resource utilization while keeping the information exchange overhead and system complexity manageable.