UE-TRP COT Sharing for Unlicensed-Band Uplink Coordination

The patent merges multiple separate COTs (UE COT and TRP COTs) into a shared common COT. The UE and TRPs coordinate to establish a unified channel occupancy time where the UE performs LBT to obtain the COT, and then both the UE and TRPs can perform transmissions within this shared COT period, thereby improving resource utilization while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized coordination procedures.

The patent makes the COT universal by enabling it to serve multiple functions and multiple devices. The same COT obtained by the UE through LBT is made available for both UE uplink transmissions and TRP downlink transmissions. This multi-functional use of the COT allows the channel to remain occupied and productive throughout the entire COT period, eliminating idle time and improving adaptability of the unlicensed band access mechanism.

The patent applies preliminary action by having the UE perform LBT and obtain the COT in advance, before any TRPs attempt to access the channel. The UE then shares this pre-obtained COT information with the TRPs, allowing them to perform transmissions without conducting their own independent LBT procedures. This preliminary acquisition and sharing of COT rights simplifies the overall channel access procedure while maximizing resource utilization.