Terminal Device COT Sharing in Unlicensed Spectrum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently utilizing shared spectrum, particularly in unlicensed bands, due to limitations in channel access and resource sharing between network devices and terminal devices.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a wireless communication method where a terminal device and a network device exchange first downlink control information (DCI) to determine whether an uplink transmission can be performed within a channel occupancy time (COT) obtained by the network device. This method includes determining the content of COT sharing indication information in configured grant uplink control information (CG-UCI), which indicates whether the COT can be shared between the terminal device and the network device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a terminal device performs LBT to obtain its own channel occupancy time (COT) in unlicensed spectrum, then the terminal device can independently access the channel for uplink transmission, but the overall spectrum utilization efficiency decreases due to repeated channel access procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the COT of the network device and the terminal device into a shared COT. The network device obtains a COT through LBT, and then shares this COT with the terminal device for uplink transmission, eliminating the need for the terminal device to perform separate LBT procedures. This combining approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable channel access (through the network device's LBT) while improving spectrum utilization (by allowing multiple devices to share the same COT).
Solution Approach 2:
The network device acts as an intermediary that performs LBT on behalf of both itself and the terminal device. Instead of each device independently performing LBT, the network device obtains the COT and then allocates resources within this COT to the terminal device. This intermediary approach ensures reliable channel access while improving overall spectrum efficiency by reducing redundant LBT operations.
2Productivity
If the network device shares its COT with the terminal device for uplink transmission, then the spectrum utilization efficiency improves, but the complexity of channel access coordination and resource management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shared COT into distinct resource regions for downlink and uplink transmissions. The network device is allocated a downlink resource region, while the terminal device is allocated an uplink resource region within the same shared COT. This segmentation simplifies the coordination complexity by clearly defining resource boundaries and access rules for each device, while still maintaining the efficiency benefits of shared COT.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the terminal device determines whether to share its COT with the network device, then the flexibility of resource allocation improves, but the signaling overhead and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the COT sharing indication as a separate, dedicated field within the DCI message. Rather than embedding COT sharing information within other control fields, a specific indication field is allocated to convey whether the terminal device's COT can be shared with the network device. This extraction approach maintains allocation flexibility while minimizing signaling overhead by using a compact, purpose-specific indication mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication method, a terminal device, and a network device, comprising: according to first downlink control information (DCI) sent by the network device, the terminal device performs at least one of determining whether uplink transmission can be performed within a channel occupancy time (COT) obtained by the network device and determining content of first COT sharing indication information comprised in configured grant uplink control information (CG-UCI), wherein the first COT sharing indication information is used to indicate whether the network device can share a COT obtained by the terminal device, and wherein a resource used in the uplink transmission is a CG uplink resource of the COT obtained by the network device.