Device cooperation for mitigation of deafness in sidelink communications

A method for wireless communications at a second user equipment (UE), comprising:

• determining that a first UE is to act as a proxy device for the second UE with respect to a sidelink message transmitted by a third UE to the second UE based at least in part on the sidelink message being transmitted by the third UE during a time resource designated for the first UE to act as the proxy device for the second UE;
• performing sidelink communications with the first UE or a fourth UE on a sidelink channel during the time resource;
• and
• receiving, after the time resource and based at least in part on the determining, a retransmission of the sidelink message from the third UE, or the sidelink message forwarded by the second UE.

An apparatus for wireless communications at a first user equipment (UE), 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, at the first UE and on a sidelink channel, a sidelink message directed to a second UE and transmitted by a third UE;
• determine that the first UE is to act as a proxy device for the second UE with respect to the sidelink message based at least in part on the sidelink message being received during a time resource designated for the first UE to act as the proxy device for the second UE;
• and
• transmit, to the third UE based at least in part on the determining, feedback information associated with the sidelink message.

An apparatus for wireless communications at a second user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• determine that a first UE is to act as a proxy device for the second UE with respect to a sidelink message transmitted by a third UE to the second UE based at least in part on the sidelink message being transmitted by the third UE during a time resource designated for the first UE to act as the proxy device for the second UE;
• perform sidelink communications with the first UE or a fourth UE on a sidelink channel during the time resource;
• and
• receive, after the time resource and based at least in part on the determining, a retransmission of the sidelink message from the third UE, or the sidelink message forwarded by the second UE.