System and method for terminal cooperation based on sparse multi-dimensional spreading

A method for supporting user equipment (UE) group based communications, the method comprising:

• encoding and mapping, at a UE, a data stream;
• grantlessly spreading the data stream over frequency-domain channel resources using a frequency-domain spreading code;
• grantlessly spreading the data stream over time-domain channel resources using a time-domain spreading code, wherein the frequency-domain spreading code and the time-domain spreading code are independent from one another;
• and
• transmitting the data stream to a target UE (TUE).

A user equipment (UE) supporting UE group based communications, the UE comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• encode and map, at a UE, a data stream;
• grantlessly spread the data stream over frequency-domain channel resources using a frequency-domain spreading code;
• grantlessly spread the data stream over time-domain channel resources using a time-domain spreading code, wherein the frequency-domain spreading code and the time-domain spreading code are independent from one another;
• and
• transmit the data stream to a target UE (TUE).