Method and apparatus for applying slot format indication (SFI) to a cell in unlicensed spectrum in a wireless communication system

A communication device, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause performance of operations, the operations comprising:
• receiving a Slot Format Indication (SFI) within a first Channel Occupancy Time (COT) of a serving cell, wherein the SFI is indicative of one or more slot formats of one or more slots of the serving cell;
• receiving a first signal indicative of an ending position of the first COT, wherein a beginning of at least one slot of the one or more slots is after the ending position;
• and
• determining whether to apply a slot format, of a slot of the one or more slots, to the slot based upon whether the slot is within the first COT, wherein the slot format of the slot is indicated by the SFI.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed cause performance of operations, comprising:

• receiving a Slot Format Indication (SFI) within a first Channel Occupancy Time (COT) of a serving cell, wherein the SFI is indicative of one or more slot formats of one or more slots of
• the serving cell;
• receiving a first signal indicative of an ending position of the first COT, wherein a beginning of at least one slot of the one or more slots is after the ending position;
• and
• determining whether to apply a slot format, of a slot of the one or more slots, to the slot based upon whether the slot is within the first COT, wherein the slot format of the slot is indicated by the SFI.

A method of a User Equipment (UE), comprising:

• receiving a Slot Format Indication (SFI) within a first Channel Occupancy Time (COT) of a serving cell, wherein the SFI is indicative of one or more slot formats of one or more slots of
• the serving cell;
• receiving a first signal indicative of an ending position of the first COT, wherein a beginning of at least one slot of the one or more slots is after the ending position;
• applying a slot format, of a first slot of the one or more slots, to the first slot, wherein the first slot is within the first COT, and the slot format of the first slot is indicated by the SFI;
• and
• not performing reception of at least one of a configured physical channel or a reference signal on a second slot if the second slot is outside the first COT, wherein a second slot format of
• the second slot is indicated by the SFI.