# US 12,114,173 B2 · User-equipment-coordination set for a wireless network using an unlicensed frequency band > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,173 B2 - Document ID: US12114173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/423,836 - Filed: 2020-02-12 - Published: 2022-03-17 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-21 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Jibing Wang; Erik Richard Stauffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114173B2 ## CPC - H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} - H04W 74/04: Scheduled access (hybrid access H04W74/02) - H04B 7/024: Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems - H04B 7/0404: the mobile station comprising multiple antennas, e.g. to provide uplink diversity - H04W 74/0808: using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA] - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract This document describes techniques and apparatuses for joint-transmission over an unlicensed frequency band using a user equipment (UE)-coordination set. In aspects, a first UE in a UE-coordination set acts as a coordinating UE. The coordinating UE receives, using a local wireless network connection, uplink data from a second UE in the UE-coordination set. The coordinating UE distributes, using the local wireless network connection, the uplink data to at least a third UE in the UE-coordination set. The coordinating UE receives, from at least one UE in the UE-coordination set, respective results of a clear channel assessment of the unlicensed frequency band. The coordinating UE determines a specified time to begin joint-transmission of the uplink data based on the results and coordinates the joint-transmission by directing the at least one UE to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data based on the specified time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for coordinating joint-transmission of uplink data to a base station by a first user equipment configured as a coordinating user equipment for a user equipment-coordination set in an unlicensed frequency band, the method comprising the coordinating user equipment: receiving, using a local wireless network connection, the uplink data from a second user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set; distributing, using the local wireless network connection, the uplink data to at least a third user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set, the distributing the uplink data to at least the third user equipment comprising distributing duplicate uplink signals to multiple user equipments in the user equipment-coordination set; receiving, using the local wireless network connection and from at least one user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set, results of a clear channel assessment of the unlicensed frequency band performed by the at least one user equipment; determining, based on the results, a specified time to begin joint-transmission of the uplink data in the unlicensed frequency band; and coordinating the joint-transmission of the uplink data in the unlicensed frequency band by directing the at least one user equipment to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data based on the specified time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining the specified time comprises: obtaining, from the at least one user equipment of the user equipment-coordination set, a backoff time from the results; determining a maximum backoff time by comparing each obtained backoff time; and using the maximum backoff time to set the specified time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the coordinating the joint-transmission comprises: directing the at least one user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data at the specified time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: identifying a clear channel in the unlicensed frequency band by performing a clear channel assessment using the coordinating user equipment; and in response to identifying the clear channel, participating in the joint-transmission of the uplink data by transmitting the uplink data using the clear channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the base station, a message that includes a policy for prioritization of radio bearers of multiple user equipments in the user equipment-coordination set, and wherein the coordinating the joint-transmission of the uplink data to the base station further comprises coordinating a transmission order of the radio bearers based on the policy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the coordinating the joint-transmission of the uplink data further comprises: directing a subset of user equipments in the user equipment-coordination set to begin transmission of the uplink data when each user equipment in the subset of user equipments has a clear channel for uplink transmission. ### Claim 7 A method for coordinating joint-transmission of uplink data to a base station over an unlicensed frequency band, the method comprising: receiving, using a local wireless network connection and by a user equipment in a user equipment-coordination set, uplink data from a coordinating user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set, the uplink data comprising duplicate uplink signals supplied to another user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set; performing a clear channel assessment on a channel in the unlicensed frequency band, the clear channel assessment generating results that include a backoff time for the user equipment; transmitting, using the local wireless network connection and to the coordinating user equipment, the results; receiving, over the local wireless network connection and from the coordinating user equipment, an indication to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data at a specified time that is a different duration of time than the backoff time; and initiating the joint-transmission of the uplink data to the base station based on the specified time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as recited in claim 7, wherein receiving the indication to initiate the joint-transmission further comprises: receiving an indication of an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing symbol boundary as the specified time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the initiating the joint-transmission of the uplink data based on the specified time further comprises: waiting for the specified time to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data, the specified time occurring after an expiration of the backoff time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein waiting for the specified time further comprises: waiting for each user equipment, in a subset of user equipments in the user equipment-coordination set, to have a clear channel for the joint-transmission. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising: determining that each user equipment has the clear channel by receiving, from each user equipment in the subset of user equipments an indication of the clear channel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method as recited in claim 7, wherein performing the clear channel assessment further comprises: generating results that indicate a successful clear channel assessment of the channel in the unlicensed frequency band; and distributing the successful clear channel assessment to one or more user equipments in the user equipment-coordination set. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising: performing a second clear channel assessment on the channel in the unlicensed frequency band while waiting the duration of time for the specified time. ### Claim 14 A user equipment apparatus comprising: at least one wireless transceiver; a local wireless transceiver; a processor; and computer-readable storage media comprising instructions, responsive to execution by the processor, for directing the user equipment apparatus to operations comprising: receiving, as a first user equipment in a user equipment-coordination set and using a local wireless network connection, uplink data from a second user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set; distributing, using the local wireless network connection, the uplink data to at least a third user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set by distributing duplicate uplink signals to each user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set; receiving, using the local wireless network connection and from at least one user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set, results of a clear channel assessment of an unlicensed frequency band performed by the at least one user equipment; determining, based on the results, a specified time to begin joint-transmission of the uplink data in the unlicensed frequency band; and coordinating the joint-transmission of the uplink data in the unlicensed frequency band by directing the at least one user equipment to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data based on the specified time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The user equipment as recited in claim 14, wherein the computer-readable storage media comprises instructions that direct the user equipment apparatus to determine the specified time by: obtaining, for each user equipment of the user equipment-coordination set, a backoff time from the results; determining a maximum backoff time by comparing each backoff time to one another; and using the maximum backoff time to set the specified time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The user equipment as recited in claim 14, wherein the computer-readable storage media comprises instructions that direct the user equipment apparatus to coordinate the joint-transmission by: directing each user equipment in the user equipment-coordination set to initiate the joint-transmission of the uplink data at the specified time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The user equipment as recited in claim 14, wherein the computer-readable storage media comprises instructions that direct the user equipment apparatus to perform further operations comprising: identifying a clear channel in the unlicensed frequency band by performing a clear channel assessment using the coordinating user equipment; and in response to identifying the clear channel, participating in the joint-transmission of the uplink data by transmitting the uplink data using the clear channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The user equipment as recited in claim 14, wherein the computer-readable storage media comprises instructions that direct the user equipment apparatus to perform further operations comprising: receiving, from a base station, a message that includes a policy for prioritization of radio bearers of multiple user equipments in the user equipment-coordination set, and wherein the coordinating the joint-transmission of the uplink data to the base station further comprises coordinating a transmission order of the radio bearers based on the policy. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The user equipment as recited in claim 14, wherein the coordinating the joint-transmission of the uplink data further comprises: directing a subset of user equipments in the user equipment-coordination set to begin transmission of the uplink data when each user equipment in the subset of user equipments has a clear channel for uplink transmission.