IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,414,094
Granted Patent B2
US 12,414,094 · App. 17/999,484 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Method and apparatus for slot format indication in NTN system

Inventors: Hongmei Liu (Changping District, CN); Zhi Yan (Xicheng District, CN); Yuantao Zhang (Dongcheng District, CN); Bingchao Liu (Changping District, CN); Haiming Wang (Xicheng District, CN)
Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
H04W72/0446H04W72/232
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,414,094
App. No.
17/999,484
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present application relates to method and apparatus for slot format indication in Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) system. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) is disclosed, wherein the method comprises: receiving information indicating one or more slot formats, wherein each slot format comprises a plurality of symbols each indicated as a downlink symbol, a uplink symbol or a flexible symbol; and performing transmission or reception based on the one or more slot formats.

Claims (35)

1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving information comprising a plurality of symbols each indicated as a downlink symbol, an uplink symbol or a flexible symbol,

wherein the information indicates shifting one or more continuous uplink symbols at an ending of one or more slot formats or before downlink symbols for a duration, or the information indicates invalidating a first number of continuous uplink symbols at the ending of the one or more slot formats or before downlink symbols for a duration; and

performing transmission or reception based on the received information.

2. A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and operable to cause the UE to:

receive information comprising a plurality of symbols each indicated as a downlink symbol, an uplink symbol or a flexible symbol,

wherein the information indicates shifting one or more continuous uplink symbols at an ending of one or more slot formats or before downlink symbols for a duration, or the information indicates invalidating a first number of continuous uplink symbols at the ending of the one or more slot formats or before downlink symbols for a duration; and

performing transmission or reception based on the received information.

3. A base station for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and operable to cause the base station to:

send information comprising a plurality of symbols each indicated as a downlink symbol, an uplink symbol or a flexible symbol,

wherein the information indicates shifting one or more continuous uplink symbols at an ending of one or more slot formats before performing transmission or reception, or the information indicates invalidating a first number of continuous uplink symbols at the ending of the one or more slot formats before performing the transmission or the reception based on the information.

4. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the information is configured by Radio Resource Control (RRC), Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) or group common Downlink Control Information (DCI).

5. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further operable to cause the UE to shift the one or more continuous uplink symbols by decreasing a time domain index of each of the one or more continuous uplink symbols with a first number.

6. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the information further indicates a second value, wherein a difference between a smallest time domain index of the shifted one or more continuous uplink symbols and a largest time domain index of one or more downlink symbols is greater than the second value.

7. The UE of claim 6 , wherein the second value is configured by Radio Resource Control (RRC), or predefined.

8. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further operable to cause the UE to invalidate the first number of continuous uplink symbols by replacing the first number of continuous uplink symbols with a first number of flexible symbols.

9. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the duration of the one or more slot formats is configured by RRC signalling or is predefined.

10. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the duration of the one or more slot formats is periodicity of semi-static common or a user equipment (UE) specific Time Division Duplexing (TDD) configuration.

11. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the duration of the one or more slot formats is a Downlink Control Information (DCI) 2-0 monitoring periodicity.

12. The UE of claim 2 , wherein a duration of the one or more slot formats is a number of slots indicated by a Downlink Control Information (DCI) 2-0.

13. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the information further comprises a second value, wherein a smallest uplink symbol index after shifting a number of uplink symbols is larger than a largest downlink symbol index plus the second value.

14. The UE of claim 13 , wherein the second value is configured by Radio Resource Control (RRC) signalling or is predefined.

15. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the information indicates that the one or more slot formats consist of at least one flexible symbol, followed by at least one uplink symbol, and followed by at least one flexible symbol.

16. The UE of claim 15 , wherein the one or more slot formats are configured by at least one of Radio Resource Control (RRC), Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) and Downlink Control Information (DCI) signalling.

17. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the information indicates that the one or more slot formats consist of at least one downlink symbol, followed by at least one flexible symbol, followed by at least one uplink symbol, followed by at least one flexible symbol, followed by at least one downlink symbol, followed by at least one flexible symbol, followed by at least one uplink symbol, and followed by at least one flexible symbol.

18. The UE of claim 17 , wherein the one or more slot formats are configured by at least one of Radio Resource Control (RRC), Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) and Downlink Control Information (DCI) signalling.

19. A method performed by a base station, the method comprising:

sending information comprising a plurality of symbols each indicated as a downlink symbol, an uplink symbol or a flexible symbol,

wherein the information indicates shifting one or more continuous uplink symbols at an ending of one or more slot formats before performing transmission or reception, or the information indicates invalidating a first number of continuous uplink symbols at the ending of the one or more slot formats before performing the transmission or the reception based on the information.

20. The base station of claim 3 , wherein the information is configured by Radio Resource Control (RRC), Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) or group common Downlink Control Information (DCI).

21. The base station of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further operable to cause the base station to shift the one or more continuous uplink symbols by decreasing a time domain index of each of the one or more continuous uplink symbols with a first number.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2022
From: LIU, HONGMEI; YAN, ZHI; ZHANG, YUANTAO; LIU, BINGCHAO; WANG, HAIMING
To: LENOVO (BEIJING) LTD.
Reel/Frame 061842/0955 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230199729A1 · Jun 22, 2023
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