# US 11,452,085 B2 · Radio communications in narrowband regions of unlicensed spectrum > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,452,085 B2 - Document ID: US11452085B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/941,294 - Filed: 2020-07-28 - Published: 2021-02-11 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-06 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Yisheng Xue; Xiaoxia Zhang; Aleksandar Damnjanovic; Jing Sun; Qingjiang Tian; Yongbin Wei - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452085B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04W 74/002: {Transmission of channel access control information} - H04L 5/001: {the frequencies being arranged in component carriers} - H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} - H04W 74/0833: Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access - H04L 5/0048: {Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver (allocation of control signalling H04L5/0053; use of control signalling H04L5/0091)} - H04W 74/0808: using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA] - 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 Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for new radio (NR) communications in narrowband regions of unlicensed spectrum. A method that may be performed by a user equipment (UE) includes determining, using an energy detector (ED), that received energy in a first bandwidth (BW) is lower than a threshold; and transmitting, in response to determining that received energy in the first BW is lower than the threshold, a first uplink (UL) transmission to a base station (BS) in a second BW smaller than the first BW and contained within the first BW. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processor configured to: receive an indication from a base station (BS) that the BS supports user equipments (UEs) that detect received energy in a first bandwidth (BW) and transmit in a second BW smaller than the first BW and contained within the first BW; determine, using an energy detector (ED), that received energy in the first BW is lower than a threshold; and transmit, in response to determining that received energy in the first BW is lower than the threshold, a first uplink (UL) transmission to the BS in the second BW; and a memory coupled with the processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive the indication in remaining minimum system information (RMSI) transmitted by the BS. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, from the BS, an indication of a random access opportunity in the second BW. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, from the BS, a downlink control information (DCI) commanding the apparatus to perform a random access procedure on resources in the second BW. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, in remaining minimum system information (RMSI) from the BS, an indication of an identifier of a channel occupancy time (COT); and receive, from the BS, a downlink control information (DCI) masked using the identifier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an indication from the BS of a channel occupancy time (COT); and perform a random access procedure with the BS during the COT on resources in the second BW. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, in remaining minimum system information (RMSI) from the BS, an indication of an identifier of the indicated COT; and receive, from the BS, a downlink control information (DCI) masked using the identifier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an indication from the BS of a set of preambles to use for a first message (Msg1) of a random access procedure; and transmit a preamble in the set of preambles as Msg1 of the random access procedure on resources in the second BW. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, in remaining minimum system information (RMSI) from the BS, an indication of an identifier of a channel occupancy time (COT); and receive, from the BS, a downlink control information (DCI) masked using the identifier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a configuration indicating the apparatus is to determine the received energy in the first BW and transmit in the second BW; and transmit a capabilities message to the BS indicating the apparatus is capable of detecting received energy in the first BW and transmitting in the second BW, wherein the configuration is received by the apparatus in response to transmitting the capabilities message. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ED is configured to ignore received energy in a portion of the first BW outside of the second BW. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the threshold is less than a default threshold associated with the first BW. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, from the BS, an indication of a random access opportunity in the second BW; and perform a random access procedure with the BS on resources in the second BW. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a capabilities message to the BS indicating the ED is configured to ignore received energy outside of the second BW, subsequent to performing the random access procedure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an indication from the BS of a set of preambles to use for a first message (Msg1) of the random access procedure; and transmit a preamble in the set of preambles as Msg1 of the random access procedure on resources in the second BW. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is not capable of transmitting or receiving a signal having a bandwidth greater than or equal to the first bandwidth. ### Claim 17 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processor configured to: perform a random access procedure with a base station (BS); determine, using an energy detector (ED), that received energy in a first bandwidth (BW) is lower than a threshold; transmit a capability report to the BS indicating that the apparatus can only transmit a signal over a second BW that is smaller than the first BW and contained within the first BW or a third BW that is smaller than the first BW, and can only receive a signal over a fourth BW smaller than the first BW; and transmit, in response to determining that received energy in the first BW is lower than the threshold, a first uplink (UL) transmission to the BS in the second BW; and a memory coupled with the processor. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processor configured to: determine, using an energy detector (ED), that received energy in a first bandwidth (BW) is lower than a threshold; transmit, in response to determining that received energy in the first BW is lower than the threshold, a first uplink (UL) transmission to a base station (BS) in a second BW smaller than the first BW and contained within the first BW; and receive a downlink control information (DCI) scheduling the apparatus to transmit a second UL transmission in the second BW during a slot, wherein another apparatus is scheduled to transmit a third UL transmission in the first BW during the slot; and a memory coupled with the processor. ### Claim 19 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processor configured to: determine, using an energy detector (ED), that received energy in a first bandwidth (BW) is lower than a threshold; perform a category 4 (CAT4) listen before transmitting (LBT) procedure in the first BW, wherein the processor is configured to perform the CAT4 LBT by transmitting a first channel occupancy time (COT) initial signal in a second BW contained within the first BW, wherein transmitting the first COT initial signal indicates that the apparatus will share the second BW with a first user equipment (UE) during the COT; and transmit, in response to determining that received energy in the first BW is lower than the threshold, a first uplink (UL) transmission to a base station (BS) in a third BW different from the second BW, smaller than the first BW, and contained within the first BW; and a memory coupled with the processor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the threshold is less than a default threshold for performing a CAT4 LBT. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an indication from the BS that COT sharing is allowed. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to perform the CAT4 LBT procedure by transmitting a second COT initial signal in a fourth BW within the first BW and different from the second BW and the third BW, wherein transmitting the second COT initial signal indicates that the apparatus will share the fourth BW with a second UE during the COT. ### Claim 23 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processor configured to: receive, from a base station (BS), a radio resource control (RRC) message indicating that another BS is capable of supporting the apparatus; determine, using an energy detector (ED), that received energy in a first bandwidth (BW) is lower than a threshold; and transmit, in response to determining that received energy in the first BW is lower than the threshold, a first uplink (UL) transmission to the other BS in a second BW smaller than the first BW and contained within the first BW; and a memory coupled with the processor. ### Claim 24 An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processor configured to: transmit an indication to a user equipment (UE) that the apparatus supports UEs that detect received energy in a first bandwidth (BW) and transmit in a second BW smaller than the first BW and contained within the first BW; and receive a first uplink (UL) transmission from the UE in the second BW; and a memory coupled with the processor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an indication of a random access opportunity in the second BW. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to: check out a channel occupancy time (COT); transmit an indication of the COT; and perform a random access procedure with the UE during the COT on resources in the second BW. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an indication to the UE that channel occupancy time (COT) sharing is allowed.