Phase sweeping procedure for ambient internet of things devices

An apparatus for wireless communication at a network node, comprising:

• one or more memories storing processor-executable code;
• and
• one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories, at least one processor of the one or more processors configured to cause the network node to:
• coordinate a phase sweeping procedure in which a first network node transmits a first signal at a first phase and one or more second network nodes transmit a plurality of second signals at a plurality of second phases;
• receive an indication of one or more second phases, of the plurality of second phases, in accordance with a received signal power associated with an ambient internet of things (IoT) device;
• and
• receive, responsive to one or more second signals, of the plurality of second signals, that are associated with the one or more second phases, a backscattered signal that contains an identification of the ambient IoT device.

A method of wireless communication performed at an ambient internet of things (IoT) device, comprising:

• receiving, in accordance with a phase sweeping procedure, a signal that is a combination of a first signal transmitted by a first network node at a first phase and one or more second signals transmitted by one or more second network nodes at one or more second phases;
• transmitting an indication of the one or more second phases in accordance with a received signal power;
• and
• transmitting, responsive to the signal, a backscattered signal that contains an identification of the ambient IoT device.