# US 11,452,108 B2 · Slot indication for NR half-duplex FDD operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,452,108 B2 - Document ID: US11452108B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/142,121 - Filed: 2021-01-05 - Published: 2021-07-22 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-21 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Hung Dinh Ly; Peter Pui Lok Ang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452108B2 ## CPC - H04L 5/0007: {the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A) or DMT} - H04W 72/53: based on regulatory allocation policies - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04L 5/16: Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals {non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission} - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A configuration to enable a UE to monitor downlink control to determine a slot direction while operating in a half duplex operation in a FDD mode. The apparatus receives an indication of a slot pattern for a plurality of slots, wherein the slot pattern indicates the plurality of slots includes at least one flexible slot. The apparatus receives a downlink control monitoring occasion configuration. The apparatus monitors for downlink control from a base station based at least on the indication of the slot pattern and on the monitoring occasion configuration. The apparatus determines whether the at least one flexible slot is an uplink slot or a downlink slot based on a DCI. The apparatus transmits or receives communications on the slot based on the determination. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) operating in a half duplex operation in a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode, the method comprising: receiving an indication of a slot pattern for a plurality of slots, wherein the slot pattern indicates the plurality of slots includes at least one flexible slot; receiving a downlink control monitoring occasion configuration; monitoring for downlink control from a base station based at least on the indication of the slot pattern and on the monitoring occasion configuration; determining whether the at least one flexible slot is an uplink slot or a downlink slot based on a downlink control information (DCI); and transmitting or receiving communications on the slot based on the determination. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the slot pattern is received in system information or in radio resource control (RRC) signaling. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the slot pattern comprises a UE specific slot pattern or a UE group specific slot pattern. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible slot is determined to be the uplink slot if the DCI schedules uplink resources for an uplink transmission from the UE, and wherein the flexible slot is determined to be the downlink slot if the DCI schedules downlink resources for a downlink transmission to the UE. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining the at least one flexible slot to be the uplink slot or the downlink slot based on a slot format indicator (SFI) within the DCI. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a search space set configuration, wherein the UE monitors for the downlink control from the base station if a search space set occasion based on the search space set configuration occurs in the flexible slot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a search space set configuration, wherein the UE does not monitor for the downlink control from the base station if a search space set occasion based on the search space set configuration occurs in the flexible slot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a CORESET configuration, wherein the UE monitors for the downlink control from the base station if at least one symbol of the configured CORESET overlaps with the at least one flexible slot. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a CORESET configuration, wherein the UE does not monitor for the downlink control from the base station if at least one symbol of the configured CORESET overlaps with the at least one flexible slot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the UE transmits uplink communication to the base station during the search space set occasion that occurs in the flexible slot. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) operating in a half duplex operation in a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode, comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to: receive an indication of a slot pattern for a plurality of slots, wherein the slot pattern indicates the plurality of slots includes at least one flexible slot; receive a downlink control monitoring occasion configuration; monitor for downlink control from a base station based at least on the indication of the slot pattern and on the monitoring occasion configuration; determine whether the at least one flexible slot is an uplink slot or a downlink slot based on a downlink control information (DCI); and transmitting or receiving on the slot based on the determination. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the indication of the slot pattern is received in system information or in radio resource control (RRC) signaling. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the slot pattern comprises a UE specific slot pattern or a UE group specific slot pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flexible slot is determined to be the uplink slot if the DCI schedules uplink resources for an uplink transmission from the UE, and wherein the flexible slot is determined to be the downlink slot if the DCI schedules downlink resources for a downlink transmission to the UE. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor further configured to: determine the at least one flexible slot to be the uplink slot or the downlink slot based on a slot format indicator (SFI) within the DCI. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor further configured to: receive a search space set configuration, wherein the UE monitors for the downlink control from the base station if a search space set occasion based on the search space set configuration occurs in the flexible slot. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor further configured to: receive a search space set configuration, wherein the UE does not monitor for the downlink control from the base station if a search space set occasion based on the search space set configuration occurs in the flexible slot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor further configured to: receive a CORESET configuration, wherein the apparatus monitors for the downlink control from the base station if at least one symbol of the configured CORESET overlaps with the at least one flexible slot. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor further configured to: receive a CORESET configuration, wherein the apparatus does not monitor for the downlink control from the base station if at least one symbol of the configured CORESET overlaps with the at least one flexible slot. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor further configured to: transmit uplink communication to the base station during the search space set occasion that occurs in the flexible slot. ### Claim 21 A method of wireless communication at a base station communicating with a user equipment (UE) operating in a half duplex operation in a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode, the method comprising: transmitting an indication of a slot pattern for a plurality of slots, wherein the slot pattern indicates the plurality of slots includes at least one flexible slot; transmitting downlink control to the UE based at least on the indication of the slot pattern; transmitting downlink control information (DCI) scheduling communication for the UE, wherein the DCI indicates that the at least one flexible slot is an uplink slot or a downlink slot; and transmitting or receiving communications on the slot based on the DCI indicating that the at least one flexible slot is the uplink slot or the downlink slot. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the indication of the slot pattern is transmitted in system information or in radio resource control (RRC) signaling. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the slot pattern comprises a UE specific slot pattern or a UE group specific slot pattern. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the flexible slot is indicated to be the uplink slot if the DCI schedules uplink resources for an uplink transmission from the UE, and wherein the flexible slot is indicated to be the downlink slot if the DCI schedules downlink resources for a downlink transmission to the UE. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the DCI comprises a slot format indicator (SFI), wherein the SFI indicates that the at least one flexible slot is the uplink slot or the downlink slot. ### Claim 26 An apparatus for wireless communication at a base station communicating with a user equipment (UE) operating in a half duplex operation in a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode, comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to: transmit an indication of a slot pattern for a plurality of slots, wherein the slot pattern indicates the plurality of slots includes at least one flexible slot; transmit downlink control to the UE based at least on the indication of the slot pattern; transmit downlink control information (DCI) scheduling communication for the UE, wherein the DCI indicates that the flexible slot is an uplink slot or a downlink slot; and transmit or receive communications on the slot based on the DCI indicating that the at least one flexible slot is the uplink slot or the downlink slot. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the slot pattern comprises a UE specific slot pattern or a UE group specific slot pattern. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a slot of the plurality of slots is the flexible slot, the at least one processor further configured to: transmit downlink control information (DCI) scheduling communication for the UE, wherein the communication scheduled in the DCI indicates that the flexible slot is the uplink slot or the downlink slot. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the flexible slot is indicated to be the uplink slot if the DCI schedules uplink resources for an uplink transmission from the UE, and wherein the flexible slot is indicated to be the downlink slot if the DCI schedules downlink resources for a downlink transmission to the UE. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the DCI comprises a slot format indicator (SFI), wherein the SFI indicates that the at least one flexible slot is the uplink slot or the downlink slot.