# US 12,120,708 B2 · Method, device and computer readable media for slot format configuration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,708 B2 - Document ID: US12120708B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/276,923 - Filed: 2018-09-19 - Published: 2021-12-02 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-19 - Assignees: NEC Corporation - Applicants: NEC Corporation - Inventors: Fang Yuan; Lin Liang; Gang Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120708B2 ## CPC - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04W 72/27: between access points - H04B 7/15542: {Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources (selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003)} - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals} - H04L 5/1469: {using time-sharing} - 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) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, device and computer readable medium for slot format configuration. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for slot format configuration is performed at a network device. In the method, link configuration information is transmitted, wherein the link configuration indicates configuration for access and backhaul links for a time period; and slot format configuration information is transmitted, wherein the slot format configuration information indicates one or more slot formats for at least one of the access and backlinks to be used in the configuration for access and backhaul links for the time period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method performed by a network device, the method comprising: transmitting, to an Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) node, first information and second information, the IAB node being connected to the network device and at least one of a child node and a User Equipment (UE), wherein the first information indicates a first slot configuration for a first backhaul link between the IAB node and the network device, and wherein the second information indicates one of: a second slot configuration for an access link between the IAB node and the UE, and a third slot configuration for a second backhaul link between the IAB node and the child node; and indicating to the IAB node, a first guard period and a second guard period, the first guard period and the second guard period respectively comprising a starting symbol in a beginning and an ending symbol in an end of a slot, wherein the IAB node is configured to, during the first guard period and the second guard period, perform switches of operation between the first backhaul link and one of the second backhaul link, and the access link. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network device is a parent node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the child node is a second IAB node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first slot configuration, the second slot configuration, and the third slot configuration indicates an uplink symbol located prior to a downlink symbol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, the switches of operation each comprise one of the following plurality of scenarios: switching from one of reception and transmission in the first backhaul link to one of transmission and reception in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link; and switching from one of reception and transmission in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link to one of transmission and reception in the first backhaul link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein a separate value for a number of symbols of the first guard period and the second guard period is specified, respectively, according to each of the plurality of scenarios. ### Claim 7 A method performed by an Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) node, the method comprising: receiving, from a network device, first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates a first slot configuration for a first backhaul link between the IAB node and the network device, and wherein the second information indicates one of: a second slot configuration for an access link between the IAB node and a User Equipment (UE), and a third slot configuration for a second backhaul link between the IAB node and the child node; and receiving, from the network device, information indicating a first guard period and a second guard period, the first guard period and the second guard period respectively comprising a starting symbol in a beginning and an ending symbol in an end of a slot, wherein the IAB node is configured to, during the first guard period and the second guard period, perform switches of operation between the first backhaul link and one of: the second backhaul link, and the access link, wherein the IAB node is connected to the network device and at least one of the child node and the UE. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the child node is a second IAB node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein one of the first slot configuration, the second slot configuration, and the third slot configuration indicates an uplink symbol located prior to a downlink symbol. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein, switches of operation each comprise one of the following plurality of scenarios: switching from one of reception and transmission in the first backhaul link to one of transmission and reception in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link; switching from one of reception and transmission in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link to one of transmission and reception in the first backhaul link. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein, wherein a separate value for a number of symbols of the first guard period and the second guard period is specified, respectively, according to each of the plurality of scenarios. ### Claim 12 A network device, comprising: at least one memory configured to store instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to: transmit, to an Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) node, first information and second information, the IAB node being connected to the network device and at least one of a child node or a User Equipment (UE), wherein the first information indicates a first slot configuration for a first backhaul link between the IAB node and the network device; and wherein the second information indicates one of: a second slot configuration for an access link between the IAB node and the UE, and a third slot configuration for a second backhaul link between the IAB node and the child node; and indicate to the IAB node, a first guard period and a second guard period, the first guard period and the second guard period respectively comprising a starting symbol in a beginning and an ending symbol in an end of a slot, wherein the IAB node is configured to, during the first guard period and the second guard period, perform switches of operation between the first backhaul link and one of: the second backhaul link and the access link. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The network device of claim 12, wherein the network device is a parent node. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The network device of claim 12, wherein the child node is a second IAB device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The network device of claim 12, wherein one of the first slot configuration, the second slot configuration, and the third slot configuration indicates an uplink symbol located prior to a downlink symbol. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The network device of claim 12, wherein, the switches of operation each comprise one of the following plurality of scenarios: switching from one of reception and transmission in the first backhaul link to one of transmission and reception in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link; switching from one of reception and transmission in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link to one of transmission and reception in the first backhaul link. ### Claim 17 An Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) node, comprising: at least one memory configured to store instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to: receive, from a network device, first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates a first slot configuration for a first backhaul link between the IAB node and the network device, and wherein the second information indicates one of: a second slot configuration for an access link between the IAB node and a User Equipment (UE), and a third slot configuration for a second backhaul link between the IAB node and the child node; and receive, from the network device, information indicating a first guard period and a second guard period, the first guard period and the second guard period respectively comprising a starting symbol in a beginning and an ending symbol in an end of a slot, wherein the IAB node is configured to, during the first guard period and the second guard period, perform a switches of operation between the first backhaul link and one of: the second backhaul link and the access link, wherein the IAB node is connected to the network device and at least one of the child node and the UE. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The IAB node of claim 17, wherein the child node is a second IAB node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The IAB node of claim 17, wherein one of the first slot configuration, the second slot configuration, and the third slot configuration indicates an uplink symbol located prior to a downlink symbol. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The IAB node of claim 17, wherein, the switches of operation each comprise one of the following plurality of scenarios: switching from one of reception and transmission in the first backhaul link to one of transmission and reception in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link; switching from one of reception and transmission in the one of the second backhaul link and the access link to one of transmission and reception in the first backhaul lin. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The network device of claim 16, wherein a separate value for a number of symbols of the first guard period and the second guard period is specified, respectively, according to each of the plurality of scenarios. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The IAB node of claim 20, wherein a separate value for a number of symbols of the first guard period and the second guard period is specified, respectively, according to each of the plurality of scenarios.