Methods for switching between repeater and intelligent reflective surface operations in an assistive device

A method for wireless communications at a network entity, comprising:

• receiving, from an assistive node, a control message indicating that the assistive node is capable of operating in an amplifying mode and in a reflecting mode;
• transmitting, to the assistive node, scheduling information for a packet transmission;
• transmitting, to the assistive node, control signaling indicating which one of the reflecting mode or the amplifying mode is to be applied by the assistive node to reflect or amplify the packet transmission to a wireless device based at least in part on the control message;
• and
• transmitting, to the assistive node, the packet transmission based at least in part on the scheduling information.

An apparatus for wireless communications at an assistive node, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• transmit, to a network entity, a control message indicating that the assistive node is capable of operating in an amplifying mode and in a reflecting mode;
• receive, from the network entity, scheduling information for a packet transmission;
• receive, from the network entity, control signaling indicating which one of the reflecting mode or the amplifying mode is to be applied by the assistive node based at least in part on the control message;
• and
• amplify or reflect the packet transmission to a wireless device based at least in part on the control signaling.

An apparatus for wireless communications at a network entity, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• receive, from an assistive node, a control message indicating that the assistive node is capable of operating in an amplifying mode and in a reflecting mode;
• transmit, to the assistive node, scheduling information for a packet transmission;
• transmit, to the assistive node, control signaling indicating which one of the reflecting mode or the amplifying mode is to be applied by the assistive node to reflect or amplify the packet transmission to a wireless device based at least in part on the control message;
• and
• transmit, to the assistive node, the packet transmission based at least in part on the scheduling information.