Sidelink COT Transmission Gaps for Lower Unlicensed Interference

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, UEs may face challenges in transmitting packets or transport blocks without continuous channel occupancy, leading to interference and dropped communications when configured to transmit in unlicensed spectrum.

Innovation Solution

UEs employ discontinuous transmission techniques within a channel occupancy time (COT) by determining transmission criteria such as channel sensing, transmission priority, and congestion level to selectively transmit in non-continuous slots, thereby avoiding interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UEs transmit continuously in unlicensed spectrum, then communication reliability is improved, but interference with other systems increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidinterference

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements discontinuous transmission within channel occupancy time by periodically sensing channel availability and transmitting only when conditions are met. The UE performs channel sensing at specific intervals and transmits data packets at discontinuous time points rather than continuously, reducing interference while maintaining communication reliability through periodic monitoring and transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If UEs perform channel sensing before each transmission, then interference is reduced, but transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveinterferenceVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing channel sensing in advance and establishing channel occupancy time before actual data transmission. The UE senses the channel, determines availability, and secures transmission rights for a predetermined COT period, allowing subsequent transmissions within this period to proceed without repeated sensing, thus reducing overall transmission delay while maintaining interference reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If UEs transmit in non-continuous slots, then interference is reduced, but communication efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveinterferenceVSAvoidcommunication efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains continuity of useful action by establishing channel occupancy time that spans multiple slots, allowing the UE to transmit multiple data packets continuously within the secured COT period without repeated channel sensing. This approach reduces interference through discontinuous transmission between COTs while maintaining high communication efficiency through continuous transmission within each COT.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS20260012976A1Discontinuous transmission in shared channel occupancy time for sidelink communication in unlicensed spectrum

Publication Date: 2026.01.08 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment may transmit, in a first slot within a channel occupancy time (COT), a first communication; determine whether one or more transmission criteria are satisfied for transmission of a second communication in a second slot within the COT; and selectively transmit the second communication in the second slot within the COT based at least in part on a result of determining whether the one or more transmission criteria are satisfied. Numerous other aspects are provided.