IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,615,575
Granted Patent B2
US 12,615,575 · App. 18/000,334 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Sidelink synchronization signal block transmissions in a shared spectrum

Inventors: Chih-Hao Liu (San Diego, CA); Jing Sun (San Diego, CA); Xiaoxia Zhang (San Diego, CA); Yisheng Xue (San Diego, CA); Juan Montojo (San Diego, CA); Tao Luo (San Diego, CA); Peter Gaal (San Diego, CA); Changlong Xu (Beijing, CN); Ozcan Ozturk (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W48/08H04W74/0808
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,615,575
App. No.
18/000,334
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Generally, the described techniques provide for efficiently identifying resources for transmitting one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks (S-SSBs) in the shared spectrum or efficiently beam sweeping multiple S-SSBs in the shared spectrum. In one aspect, a user equipment (UE) may transmit an S-SSB in a sidelink bandwidth part (BWP) in the shared spectrum such that a lower edge of the S-SSB is aligned with or offset from a lower edge of the sidelink BWP. In another aspect, a UE may beam sweep S-SSBs in one or more S-SSB bursts in a S-SSB period to improve the chances that another UE may receive the S-SSBs. In yet another aspect, resources allocated for S-SSB transmissions may facilitate flexible S-SSB transmissions while minimizing gaps to prevent other UEs from incorrectly determining that a sidelink BWP in a shared spectrum is clear for transmission.

Claims (57)

1 . A method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

identifying a discovery reference signal (DRS) window in a shared spectrum comprising a plurality of starting positions for transmitting one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks;

performing a listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum; and

transmitting the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks at a first starting position of the plurality of starting positions after gaining access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum, wherein the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks are transmitted in a sidelink bandwidth part, and a lower edge in a frequency domain of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks is aligned with or offset from a lower edge in the frequency domain of the sidelink bandwidth part.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks comprises:

transmitting a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with an indication of a slot that includes the synchronization signal block.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks comprises:

transmitting a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with a demodulation reference signal scrambling sequence indicating a beam index of a beam used to transmit the synchronization signal block.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the listen-before-talk procedure comprises:

performing a category two listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the listen-before-talk procedure comprises:

performing a category four listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the listen-before-talk procedure comprises:

performing a category two or a category four listen-before-talk procedure with a highest available priority associated therewith to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

7 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:

one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:

identify a discovery reference signal (DRS) window in a shared spectrum comprising a plurality of starting positions for transmitting one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks;

perform a listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum; and

transmit the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks at a first starting position of the plurality of starting positions after gaining access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum, wherein the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks are transmitted in a sidelink bandwidth part, and a lower edge in a frequency domain of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks is aligned with or offset from a lower edge in the frequency domain of the sidelink bandwidth part.

8 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein to transmit the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:

transmit a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with an indication of a slot that includes the synchronization signal block.

9 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein to transmit the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:

transmitting a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with a demodulation reference signal scrambling sequence indicating a beam index of a beam used to transmit the synchronization signal block.

10 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein to perform the listen-before-talk procedure, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:

perform a category two listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

11 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein to perform the listen-before-talk procedure, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:

perform a category four listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

12 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein to perform the listen-before-talk procedure, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:

perform a category two or a category four listen-before-talk procedure using a highest available priority associated therewith to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

13 . A user equipment (UE) for wireless communications, comprising:

means for identifying a discovery reference signal (DRS) window in a shared spectrum comprising a plurality of starting positions for transmitting one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks;

means for performing a listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum; and

means for transmitting the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks at a first starting position of the plurality of starting positions after gaining access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum, wherein the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks are transmitted in a sidelink bandwidth part, and a lower edge in a frequency domain of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks is aligned with or offset from a lower edge in the frequency domain of the sidelink bandwidth part.

14 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the means for transmitting the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks comprise:

means for transmitting a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with an indication of a slot that includes the synchronization signal block.

15 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the means for transmitting the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks comprise:

means for transmitting a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with a demodulation reference signal scrambling sequence indicating a beam index of a beam used to transmit the synchronization signal block.

16 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the means for performing the listen-before-talk procedure comprise:

means for performing a category two listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

17 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the means for performing the listen-before-talk procedure comprise:

means for performing a category four listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

18 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the means for performing the listen-before-talk procedure comprise:

means for performing a category two or a category four listen-before-talk procedure with a highest available priority associated therewith to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communications, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to:

identify a discovery reference signal (DRS) window in a shared spectrum comprising a plurality of starting positions for transmitting one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks;

perform a listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum; and

transmit the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks at a first starting position of the plurality of starting positions after gaining access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum, wherein the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks are transmitted in a sidelink bandwidth part, and a lower edge in a frequency domain of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks is aligned with or offset from a lower edge in the frequency domain of the sidelink bandwidth part.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions to transmit the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks are executable by the one or more processors to:

transmit a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with an indication of a slot that includes the synchronization signal block.

21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions to transmit the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks are executable by the one or more processors to:

transmit a sidelink synchronization signal block of the one or more sidelink synchronization signal blocks in a physical sidelink broadcast channel with a demodulation reference signal scrambling sequence indicating a beam index of a beam used to transmit the synchronization signal block.

22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions to perform the listen-before-talk procedure are executable by the one or more processors to:

perform a category two listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions to perform the listen-before-talk procedure are executable by the one or more processors to:

perform a category four listen-before-talk procedure to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions to perform the listen-before-talk procedure are executable by the one or more processors to:

perform a category two or a category four listen-before-talk procedure with a highest available priority associated therewith to gain access to the discovery reference signal window in the shared spectrum.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2022
From: LIU, CHIH-HAO; SUN, JING; ZHANG, XIAOXIA; XUE, YISHENG; MONTOJO, JUAN; LUO, TAO; GAAL, PETER; XU, CHANGLONG; OZTURK, OZCAN
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 061926/0507 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230247528A1 · Aug 3, 2023
References Cited (36)
US 10541851B2 · Malik et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11064424B2 · Zhang et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20180049142A1 · Yang · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180241526A1 · Chendamarai Kannan · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190150068A1 · Montojo · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200053637A1 · Tsai · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200084739A1 · Si · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200329494A1 · Mondal · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200367184A1 · Huang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210282079A1 · Wu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220263618A1 · Harada · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220264646A1 · Wang · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220311575A1 · He · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220394638A1 · Yang · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230121866A1 · Wu · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CN 110582113A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110692276A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 110971362A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018512782A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018217471 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019023241 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020001285A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020020031A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020027635A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020032203A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020032781A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020033795A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2021237654A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Catt: “Sidelink Synchronization Mechanism in NR V2X”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #98bis, R1-1910330 Sidelink Synchronization Mechanism in NR V2X—Final, 3rd Generation Partnership Project, Mobile Competence Centre, 650, Ro… [cited by applicant]
Fujitsu: “Enhancements to Initial Access Procedure and Scheduling Request Procedure for NR-U”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #96bis, R1-1904588, Xi'an, China, Apr. 8-12, 2019, Apr. 12, 2019 (Apr. 12, 2019) Section 2.1, pp. 1-7. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion—PCT/CN2020/095067—ISA/EPO—Mar. 8, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Vivo: “NR Sidelink Synchronization Mechanism”, 3GPP Draft, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #95, R1-1812308_NR Sidelink Synchronization Mechanism, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Mobile Competence Centre, 650, Route … [cited by applicant]
Huawei, et al., “Sidelink Synchronization Mechanisms for NR V2X”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #98bis, R1-1910057, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Mobile Competence Centre, 650, Route Des Lucioles, F-06921 Sophia… [cited by applicant]
Samsung: “Discussion on Resource Allocation Mechanisms for NR V2X”, 3GPP Draft, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #95, R1-1812987 Discussion on Resource Allocation Mechanisms for NR V2X, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)… [cited by applicant]
Supplementary European Search Report—EP20939827—Search Authority—The Hague—Feb. 7, 2024. [cited by applicant]
Ericsson: “On Details of S-SSB Design”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 Meeting #96bis, R1-1905503, Xi'an, China, Apr. 8-12, 2019, pp. 1-5. [cited by applicant]