IP Library Granted Patent US 12,563,499
Granted Patent B2
US 12,563,499 · App. 17/965,600 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Power optimizations for transmission opportunity (TXOP) monitoring

Inventors: Kapil Bhattad (Bangalore, IN); Jing Sun (San Diego, CA); Xiaoxia Zhang (San Diego, CA); Ananta Narayanan Thyagarajan (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W52/0248H04W16/14H04W72/23H04W74/006H04W74/0808
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,563,499
App. No.
17/965,600
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Wireless communications systems and methods related monitoring the start of a transmission opportunity (TXOP) in unlicensed or shared frequency bands are provided. In one embodiment, a first wireless communication device communicates, with a second wireless communication device, a first configuration including a set of first control channel monitoring periods outside of a TXOP. The first wireless communication device communicates, with the second wireless communication device, a communication signal during the TXOP based on a second control channel monitoring period longer than each of the first control channel monitoring periods. In one embodiment, a first wireless communication device communicates, with a second wireless communication device, a configuration including a first search space for a control channel monitoring outside of a TXOP and a second search space for a control channel monitoring within the TXOP, the second search space being partially-overlapped with the first search space.

Claims (53)

1 . A method of wireless communication performed in an unlicensed frequency band at a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving a configuration indicating a first set of one or more downlink (DL) control channel monitoring periods and a second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods, wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods and the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are configured for monitoring DL control information (DCI), wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first DL control channel monitoring parameter, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second DL control channel monitoring parameter different from the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, wherein a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is different from a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods;

receiving, based on the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, a first DCI in a first DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods; and

receiving, based on a trigger to switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods and the second DL control channel monitoring parameter, a second DCI in a second DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods,

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are outside of, and prior to, a transmission opportunity (TXOP), and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are within the TXOP, and

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is a subset among two or more subsets of DL control channel monitoring periods outside the TXOP.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods partially overlaps with the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first priority, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second priority different from the first priority.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a first time interval that is less than a slot duration, and wherein the second DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a second time interval that is greater than or equal to one slot duration.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a scheduling grant including the trigger indicating the switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first DCI includes the trigger indicating the switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring period is within a first slot, wherein the TXOP begins within a second slot subsequent to the first slot, and wherein the first slot and the second slot are periodic scheduling intervals each comprising a plurality of symbols, and each comprising a same duration.

8 . A method of wireless communication performed in at unlicensed frequency band at a network entity, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a configuration indicating a first set of one or more downlink (DL) control channel monitoring periods and a second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods, wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods and the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are configured for monitoring DL control information (DCI), wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first DL control channel monitoring parameter, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second DL control channel monitoring parameter different from the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, wherein a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is different from a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods;

transmitting, to the UE based on the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, a first DCI in a first DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods; and

transmitting, to the UE based on the second DL control channel monitoring parameter, a second DCI in a second DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods,

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are outside of, and prior to, a transmission opportunity (TXOP), and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are within the TXOP, and

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is a subset among two or more subsets of DL control channel monitoring periods outside the TXOP.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods partially overlaps with the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first priority, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second priority different from the first priority.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a first time interval that is less than a slot duration, and wherein the second DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a second time interval that is greater than or equal to one slot duration.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the UE, a trigger indicating a switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the transmitting the first DCI comprises the transmitting the trigger indicating the switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the transmitting the trigger comprises transmitting a scheduling grant.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring period is within a first slot, wherein the TXOP begins within a second slot subsequent to the first slot, and wherein the first slot and the second slot are periodic scheduling intervals each comprising a plurality of symbols, and each comprising a same duration.

16 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories and a transceiver in communication with the one or more processors, wherein the UE is configured to:

receive a configuration for an unlicensed frequency band indicating a first set of one or more downlink (DL) control channel monitoring periods and a second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods, wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods and the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are configured for monitoring DL control information (DCI), wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first DL control channel monitoring parameter, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second DL control channel monitoring parameter different from the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, wherein a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is different from a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods;

receive, in the unlicensed frequency band based on the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, a first DCI in a first DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods; and

receive, in the unlicensed frequency band based on a trigger to switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods and the second DL control channel monitoring parameter, a second DCI in a second DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods,

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are outside of, and prior to, a transmission opportunity (TXOP), and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are within the TXOP, and

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is a subset among two or more subsets of DL control channel monitoring periods outside the TXOP.

17 . The UE of claim 16 , wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods partially overlaps with the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

18 . The UE of claim 16 , wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first priority, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second priority different from the first priority.

19 . The UE of claim 16 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a first time interval that is less than a slot duration, and wherein the second DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a second time interval that is greater than or equal to one slot duration.

20 . The UE of claim 16 , wherein the UE is further configured to:

receive a scheduling grant including the trigger indicating the switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

21 . The UE of claim 16 , wherein the first DCI includes the trigger indicating the switch to the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods.

22 . The UE of claim 16 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring period is within a first slot, wherein the TXOP begins within a second slot subsequent to the first slot, and wherein the first slot and the second slot are periodic scheduling intervals each comprising a plurality of symbols, and each comprising a same duration.

23 . A network entity, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories and a transceiver in communication with the one or more processors, wherein the network entity is configured to:

transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a configuration for an unlicensed frequency band indicating a first set of one or more downlink (DL) control channel monitoring periods and a second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods, wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods and the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are configured for monitoring DL control information (DCI), wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first DL control channel monitoring parameter, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second DL control channel monitoring parameter different from the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, wherein a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is different from a duration of a DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods;

transmit, in the unlicensed frequency band to the UE based on the first DL control channel monitoring parameter, a first DCI in a first DL control channel monitoring period of the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods; and

transmit, in the unlicensed frequency band to the UE based on the second DL control channel monitoring parameter, a second DCI in a second DL control channel monitoring period of the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods,

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are outside of, and prior to, a transmission opportunity (TXOP), and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods are within the TXOP, and

wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is a subset among two or more subsets of DL control channel monitoring periods outside the TXOP.

24 . The network entity of claim 23 , wherein the first set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a first priority, and wherein the second set of one or more DL control channel monitoring periods is associated with a second priority different from the first priority.

25 . The network entity of claim 23 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a first time interval that is less than a slot duration, and wherein the second DL control channel monitoring parameter indicates a second time interval that is greater than or equal to one slot duration.

26 . The network entity of claim 23 , wherein the first DL control channel monitoring period is within a first slot, wherein the TXOP begins within a second slot subsequent to the first slot, and where in the first slot and the second slot are periodic scheduling intervals each comprising a plurality of symbols and each comprising a same duration.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2022
From: BHATTAD, KAPIL; SUN, JING; ZHANG, XIAOXIA; THYAGARAJAN, ANANTA NARAYANAN
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 061438/0193 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 201841011089 · Mar 26, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16363654 · Mar 25, 2019
Related Publication 20230032957A1 · Feb 2, 2023
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