Control signaling design for improved resource utilization

Abase station comprising:

• a transceiver configured to:
• receive, from a user equipment (UE), capability information for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) receptions on a downlink (DL) cell according to at least two (X,Y) combinations, wherein the PDCCH receptions are in any symbols of a span, a length of a span is up to Y symbols in a slot, and a number of symbols between first symbols of two consecutive spans is X, and
• transmit configuration information of one or more search space sets for the PDCCH receptions on the DL cell;
• and
• a processor operably coupled with the transceiver, the processor configured to determine to transmit at least one PDCCH to the UE,
• wherein, in case that the UE indicates a capability to monitor the at least one PDCCH according to the at least two combinations and the UE is configured the one or more search space sets with first symbols of consecutive spans separated by at least a value of X for one or more of the at least two combinations, a combination to be used for PDCCH monitoring is determined as one with a largest value of X from the one or more combinations,
• wherein a larger maximum number of PDCCH candidates is associated with a larger value of X, and
• wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit, to the UE, the at least one PDCCH on the DL cell based on the configuration information.

A method for receiving physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

• transmitting capability information for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) receptions on a downlink (DL) cell according to at least two (X,Y) combinations, wherein the PDCCH receptions are in any symbols of a span, a length of a span is up to Y symbols in a slot, and a number of symbols between first symbols of two consecutive spans is X;
• receiving configuration information of one or more search space sets for the PDCCH receptions on the DL cell;
• and
• in case that the UE indicates a capability to monitor at least one PDCCH according to the at least two combinations and the UE is configured the one or more search space sets with first symbols of consecutive spans separated by at least a value of X for one or more of the at least two combinations, determining to monitor the at least one PDCCH according to a combination with a largest value of X from the one or more combinations, wherein a larger maximum number of PDCCH candidates is associated with a larger value of X;
• and
• receiving the at least one PDCCH on the DL cell based on the configuration information.

A method for transmitting physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) by a base station, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a user equipment (UE), capability information for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) receptions on a downlink (DL) cell according to at least two (X,Y) combinations, wherein the PDCCH receptions are in any symbols of a span, a length of a span is up to Y symbols in a slot, and a number of symbols between first symbols of two consecutive spans is X;
• transmitting configuration information of one or more search space sets for the PDCCH receptions on the DL cell;
• and
• transmitting, to the UE, at least one PDCCH on the DL cell based on the configuration information,
• wherein, in case that the UE indicates a capability to monitor the at least one PDCCH according to the at least two combinations and the UE is configured the one or more search space sets with first symbols of consecutive spans separated by at least a value of X for one or more of the at least two combinations, a combination to be used for PDCCH monitoring is determined as one with a largest value of X from the one or more combinations, and
• wherein a larger maximum number of PDCCH candidates is associated with a larger value of X.