# US 11,451,432 B2 · Timer configuration for new radio-unlicensed and new radio-shared spectrum

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- Number: US 11,451,432 B2
- Document ID: US11451432B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/751,869
- Filed: 2020-01-24
- Published: 2021-07-29
- Granted: 2022-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-28
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Srinivas Yerramalli; Xiaoxia Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451432B2

## CPC

- H04W 74/0808: using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
- H04L 41/0659: by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
- H04L 41/0806: for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
- H04L 69/28: Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
- H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks}
- H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
- H04W 76/19: Connection re-establishment
- H04W 74/0833: Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
- H04W 74/0838: using contention-free random access [CFRA]
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Timer configurations for new radio (NR) unlicensed (NR-U) and NR shared spectrum (NR-SS) operations are disclosed. In NR-U and NR-SS operations, certain event timers may be interrupted by a user equipment (UE) when it detects that its serving base station has failed a listen before talk (LBT) procedure, thereby losing access to the shared communication spectrum. When the UE detects a subsequent successful LBT, it resumes the progression of the event timer. In NR-SS operations, the UE may also interrupt the applicable timers either in all slots dedicated to another operator or in all slots in which the serving base station does not have transmission access.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of wireless communication, comprising:
initiating, by a user equipment (UE), an event timer in response to performance by the UE of an event, a response to which is associated with the event timer, wherein the event timer is identified within one or more event timers subject to an interruption operation;
detecting, by the UE, a failed listen before talk (LBT) procedure of a serving base station;
suspending, by the UE, a progression of the event timer in response to the failed LBT procedure;
monitoring, by the UE, for a result of a subsequent LBT procedure of the serving base station; and
resuming, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the result as a successful LBT procedure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including:
identifying, by a user equipment (UE), the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation, wherein the identifying includes one of:
accessing a predefined event timer configuration in memory of the UE, or
receiving a configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the configuration message identifies the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including:
identifying, by the UE, one or more base station transmissions that upon detection by the UE identifies success of an LBT procedure conducted by the serving base station, wherein the identifying includes one of:
accessing a predefined interruption operation configuration in memory of the UE, or
receiving an interruption operation configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the interruption operation configuration message identifies the one or more base station transmissions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including:
initiating, by the UE, an absolute timer in response to the performance of the event associated with the event timer, wherein the absolute timer is not subject to the interruption operation;
ending, by the UE, the absolute timer prior to expiration of the absolute timer in response to expiration of the event timer; and
triggering, by the UE, a UE response associated with a failure to detect the response to the event, wherein the triggering is in response to the expiration of the absolute timer prior to the expiration of the event timer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including:
suspending, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response entry of a next slot associated with a dedicated priority access to the next slot by another operator;
monitoring, by the UE, for a next available slot for which the serving base station has one of: priority access or opportunistic access; and
resuming, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the next available slot.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further including:
receiving, by the UE, a slot configuration message, wherein the slot configuration message identifies assigned slot access priorities for a plurality of future slots.

### Claim 7

An apparatus configured for wireless communication, comprising:
means for initiating, by a user equipment (UE), an event timer in response to performance by the UE of an event, a response to which is associated with the event timer, wherein the event timer is identified within one or more event timers subject to an interruption operation;
means for detecting, by the UE, a failed listen before talk (LBT) procedure of a serving base station;
means for suspending, by the UE, a progression of the event timer in response to the failed LBT procedure;
means for monitoring, by the UE, for a result of a subsequent LBT procedure of the serving base station; and
means for resuming, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the result as a successful LBT procedure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, further including:
means for identifying, by a user equipment (UE), the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation, wherein the means for identifying includes one of:
means for accessing a predefined event timer configuration in memory of the UE, or
means for receiving a configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the configuration message identifies the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, further including:
means for identifying, by the UE, one or more base station transmissions that upon detection by the UE identifies success of an LBT procedure conducted by the serving base station, wherein the means for identifying includes one of:
means for accessing a predefined interruption operation configuration in memory of the UE, or
means for receiving an interruption operation configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the interruption operation configuration message identifies the one or more base station transmissions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, further including:
means for initiating, by the UE, an absolute timer in response to the performance of the event associated with the event timer, wherein the absolute timer is not subject to the interruption operation;
means for ending, by the UE, the absolute timer prior to expiration of the absolute timer in response to expiration of the event timer; and
means for triggering, by the UE, a UE response associated with a failure to detect the response to the event, wherein the means for triggering is executed in response to the expiration of the absolute timer prior to the expiration of the event timer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, further including:
means for suspending, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response entry of a next slot associated with a dedicated priority access to the next slot by another operator;
means for monitoring, by the UE, for a next available slot for which the serving base station has one of: priority access or opportunistic access; and
means for resuming, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the next available slot.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, further including:
means for receiving, by the UE, a slot configuration message, wherein the slot configuration message identifies assigned slot access priorities for a plurality of future slots.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising:
program code executable by a computer for causing the computer to initiate, by a user equipment (UE), an event timer in response to performance by the UE of an event, a response to which is associated with the event timer, wherein the event timer is identified within one or more event timers subject to an interruption operation;
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to detect, by the UE, a failed listen before talk (LBT) procedure of a serving base station;
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to suspend, by the UE, a progression of the event timer in response to the failed LBT procedure;
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to monitor, by the UE, for a result of a subsequent LBT procedure of the serving base station; and
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to resume, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the result as a successful LBT procedure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further including:
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to identify, by a UE, the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation, wherein the program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to identify includes one of:
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to access a predefined event timer configuration in memory of the UE, or
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to receive a configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the configuration message identifies the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further including:
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to identify, by the UE, one or more base station transmissions that upon detection by the UE identifies success of an LBT procedure conducted by the serving base station, wherein the program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to identify includes one of:
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to access a predefined interruption operation configuration in memory of the UE, or
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to receive an interruption operation configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the interruption operation configuration message identifies the one or more base station transmissions.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further including:
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to initiate, by the UE, an absolute timer in response to the performance of the event associated with the event timer, wherein the absolute timer is not subject to the interruption operation;
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to end, by the UE, the absolute timer prior to expiration of the absolute timer in response to expiration of the event timer; and
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to trigger, by the UE, a UE response associated with a failure to detect the response to the event, wherein the program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to trigger is executed in response to the expiration of the absolute timer prior to the expiration of the event timer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further including:
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to suspend, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response entry of a next slot associated with a dedicated priority access to the next slot by another operator;
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to monitor, by the UE, for a next available slot for which the serving base station has one of: priority access or opportunistic access; and
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to resume, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the next available slot.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further including:
program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to receive, by the UE, a slot configuration message, wherein the slot configuration message identifies assigned slot access priorities for a plurality of future slots.

### Claim 19

An apparatus configured for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor,
wherein the at least one processor is configured:
to initiate, by a user equipment (UE), an event timer in response to performance by the UE of an event, a response to which is associated with the event timer, wherein the event timer is identified within one or more event timers subject to an interruption operation;
to detect, by the UE, a failed listen before talk (LBT) procedure of a serving base station;
to suspend, by the UE, a progression of the event timer in response to the failed LBT procedure;
to monitor, by the UE, for a result of a subsequent LBT procedure of the serving base station; and
to resume, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the result as a successful LBT procedure.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, further including configuration of the at least one processor:
to identify, by a UE, the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation, wherein the configuration of the at least one processor to identify includes configuration of the at least one processor to one of:
access a predefined event timer configuration in memory of the UE, or
receive a configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the configuration message identifies the one or more event timers subject to the interruption operation.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, further including configuration of the at least one processor:
to identify, by the UE, one or more base station transmissions that upon detection by the UE identifies success of an LBT procedure conducted by the serving base station, wherein the configuration of the at least one processor to identify includes configuration of the at least one processor to one of:
access a predefined interruption operation configuration in memory of the UE, or
receive an interruption operation configuration message from the serving base station, wherein the interruption operation configuration message identifies the one or more base station transmissions.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, further including configuration of the at least one processor:
to initiate, by the UE, an absolute timer in response to the performance of the event associated with the event timer, wherein the absolute timer is not subject to the interruption operation;
to end, by the UE, the absolute timer prior to expiration of the absolute timer in response to expiration of the event timer; and
to trigger, by the UE, a UE response associated with a failure to detect the response to the event, wherein the configuration of the at least one processor to trigger is executed in response to the expiration of the absolute timer prior to the expiration of the event timer.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, further including configuration of the at least one processor:
to suspend, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response entry of a next slot associated with a dedicated priority access to the next slot by another operator;
to monitor, by the UE, for a next available slot for which the serving base station has one of: priority access or opportunistic access; and
to resume, by the UE, the progression of the event timer in response to detection of the next available slot.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23, further including configuration of the at least one processor to receive, by the UE, a slot configuration message, wherein the slot configuration message identifies assigned slot access priorities for a plurality of future slots.