Cross-fixed frame period (FFP) scheduling of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)

A method of wireless communication performed by a base station (BS), the method comprising:

• transmitting, to a user equipment (UE) in a first fixed frame period (FFP), downlink communication information (DCI), wherein the DCI indicates a scheduled downlink (DL) communication in a second FFP subsequent to the first FFP, and wherein the DCI comprises a first parameter indicating that the UE is allowed to share a BS channel occupancy time (COT), and wherein based on the indicating by the first parameter, the UE is enabled to initiate a corresponding UE COT in the second FFP;
• performing a channel assessment for a BS COT in the second FFP;
• determining, based on the channel assessment, not to initiate the BS COT;
• and
• receiving, in a UE COT in the second FFP based on the UE being allowed to share the BS COT, a non-acknowledgement (NACK) signal.

A user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a transceiver;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the transceiver, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
• cause the transceiver to receive, from a base station (BS) in a first fixed frame period (FFP), downlink communication information (DCI), wherein the DCI indicates a scheduled downlink (DL) communication in a second FFP subsequent to the first FFP, and wherein the DCI comprises a first parameter indicating that the UE is allowed to share a BS channel occupancy time (COT), and wherein based on the indicating by the first parameter, the UE is enabled to initiate a corresponding UE COT in the second FFP;
• monitor for a DL signal in the second FFP;
• in response to failing to detect the DL signal and being allowed to share the BS COT, initiate the UE COT in the second FFP;
• and
• cause the transceiver to transmit, based on the monitoring for the DL signal, an acknowledgement/non-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) in the UE COT indicating whether the scheduled DL communication was detected.

A base station (BS), comprising:

• a transceiver;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the transceiver, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
• cause the transceiver to transmit, to a user equipment (UE) in a first fixed frame period (FFP), downlink communication information (DCI), wherein the DCI indicates a scheduled downlink (DL) communication in a second FFP subsequent to the first FFP, and wherein the DCI comprises a first parameter indicating that the UE is allowed to share a BS channel occupancy time (COT), and wherein based on the indicating by the first parameter, the UE is enabled to initiate a corresponding UE COT in the second FFP;
• perform a channel assessment for a BS channel occupancy time (COT) in the second FFP;
• determine, based on the channel assessment, not to initiate the BS COT;
• and
• cause the transceiver to receive, in a UE COT in the second FFP based on the UE being allowed to share the BS COT, a non-acknowledgement (NACK) signal.