NETWORK INDICATION TO CONTROL SIDELINK BEAM SELECTION

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a transmitting user equipment (UE) may receive, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The UE may select, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication. The UE may transmit, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant. Numerous other aspects are provided.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication and specifically, to techniques and apparatuses associated with a network indication to control sidelink beam selection.

BACKGROUND

In sidelink communication, where two or more UEs communicate directly using one or more sidelink channels (for example, without using a network node as an intermediary), the sidelink communication may be performed in a first transmission mode (for example, transmission mode 1) where resource selection or scheduling is performed by a network node or in a second transmission mode (for example, transmission mode 2) where resource selection or scheduling is performed by a transmitting UE. In cases where the sidelink communication is performed in the first transmission mode, the network node grants a sidelink resource to a transmitting UE, and the transmitting UE then uses the sidelink resource to transmit a sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs. However, in cases where the sidelink transmission may potentially cause interference with access link (for example, downlink or uplink) communications in certain beam directions, the network node may be unable to indicate, to the transmitting UE, a particular sidelink beam that the transmitting UE is to use to mitigate the potential interference. For example, the network node may be unable to provide an exact beam indication because the network node may only have access to a rough estimate of a range of suitable beam directions (for example, because sidelink communication is often configured for one-to-many transmissions, where receiving UEs may be in different relative positions, or because the network node is unaware of the precise position of the receiving UE(s)). Furthermore, in cases where a network node operating in the first transmission mode grants a sidelink resource to a transmitting UE connected to multiple receiving UEs on respective sidelink channels, the transmitting UE can choose on which of the multiple sidelinks to use the granted sidelink resource. In such cases, an exact beam indication by the network node would be inappropriate, because the network node could potentially indicate a sidelink beam that is steered in a beam direction other than a beam direction of the receiving UE(s) intended to receive the sidelink transmission. Accordingly, existing sidelink scheduling techniques suffer from drawbacks that prevent network nodes from having the ability to control sidelink beam selection (for example, to mitigate interference with access link communications).

SUMMARY

Some aspects described herein relate to a transmitting user equipment (UE) for wireless communication. The transmitting UE may include at least one memory and at least one processor communicatively coupled with the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the transmitting UE to receive, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the transmitting UE to select, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the transmitting UE to transmit, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant.

Some aspects described herein relate to a network node for wireless communication. The network node may include at least one memory and at least one processor communicatively coupled with the at least one memory. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the network node to determine a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the network node to transmit, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Some aspects described herein relate to a method of wireless communication performed by a transmitting UE. The method may include receiving, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The method may include selecting, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication. The method may include transmitting, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant.

Some aspects described herein relate to a method of wireless communication performed by a network node. The method may include determining a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The method may include transmitting, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Some aspects described herein relate to a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions for wireless communication by a transmitting UE. The set of instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the transmitting UE, may cause the transmitting UE to receive, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The set of instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the transmitting UE, may cause the transmitting UE to select, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication. The set of instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the transmitting UE, may cause the transmitting UE to transmit, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant.

Some aspects described herein relate to a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions for wireless communication by a network node. The set of instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the network node, may cause the network node to determine a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The set of instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the network node, may cause the network node to transmit, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Some aspects described herein relate to an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus may include means for receiving, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The apparatus may include means for selecting, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication. The apparatus may include means for transmitting, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant.

Some aspects described herein relate to an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus may include means for determining a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The apparatus may include means for transmitting, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects of the disclosure are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and are not to be construed as limited to any specific structure or function presented throughout this disclosure. Rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. One skilled in the art may appreciate that the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the disclosure disclosed herein, whether implemented independently of or combined with any other aspect of the disclosure. For example, an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any quantity of the aspects set forth herein. In addition, the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover such an apparatus or method which is practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to or other than the various aspects of the disclosure set forth herein. Any aspect of the disclosure disclosed herein may be embodied by one or more elements of a claim.

Various aspects relate generally to a network indication to control sidelink beam selection by a transmitting user equipment (UE) in a sidelink transmission mode where a network node performs resource selection or scheduling. Some aspects more specifically relate to a network node transmitting, to a transmitting UE, a downlink control information (DCI) message carrying a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource that the transmitting UE can use to transmit a sidelink communication in addition to a set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication. For example, the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant may correspond to a set of sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected by the transmitting UE as a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication, or the indicated set of sidelink beams may correspond to a set of sidelink beams that are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam. Some aspects further relate to semi-static (for example, radio resource control (RRC)) signaling that can be used to configure sidelink neighborhood beam information that defines a set of neighboring (for example, adjacent) sidelink beams associated with one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states and to dynamic (for example, medium access control control element (MAC-CE) or DCI) signaling formats that can be used to enable the network node to indicate the set of beams in the sidelink grant.

Particular aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to realize one or more of the following potential advantages. In some examples, the described techniques can be used to enable a network node to indicate a set of sidelink beams such that the network node can limit a sidelink transmission to a certain range of beam directions and thereby mitigate or otherwise control potential interference that a sidelink transmission may cause in a certain direction. For example, the network node may determine a set of sidelink beams that cause an acceptable level of interference at the network node (for example, a level of interference satisfying a threshold) or a set of sidelink beams that cause unacceptable interference at the network node (for example, a level of interference failing to satisfy the threshold), and may indicate a set of eligible or ineligible sidelink beams to the transmitting UE to mitigate or otherwise control the level of interference caused by the sidelink transmission of the transmitting UE. Furthermore, the beam indication provided to the transmitting UE may be configured such that the transmitting UE can select a sidelink beam from multiple candidate sidelink beams that are associated with acceptable interference levels (for example, any sidelink beam included in a set of sidelink beams that the network node indicates are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam, or any sidelink beam that is not included in a set of sidelink beams that the network node indicates are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam). In this way, the network node has the ability to exert partial control over the sidelink beam that the transmitting UE uses for the sidelink transmission, and the transmitting UE has flexibility to select a specific sidelink beam to use to connect to a receiving UE.

FIG.1is a diagram illustrating an example of a wireless network in accordance with the present disclosure. The wireless network100may be or may include elements of a 5G (for example, NR) network or a 4G (for example, Long Term Evolution (LTE)) network, among other examples. The wireless network100may include one or more network nodes110(shown as a network node (NN)110a,a network node110b,a network node110c,and a network node110d), a UE120or multiple UEs120(shown as a UE120a,a UE120b,a UE120c,a UE120d,and a UE120e), or other network entities. A network node110is an entity that communicates with UEs120. As shown, a network node110may include one or more network nodes. For example, a network node110may be an aggregated network node, meaning that the aggregated network node is configured to utilize a radio protocol stack that is physically or logically integrated within a single RAN node (for example, within a single device or unit). As another example, a network node110may be a disaggregated network node (sometimes referred to as a disaggregated base station), meaning that the network node110is configured to utilize a protocol stack that is physically or logically distributed among two or more nodes (such as one or more central units (CUs), one or more distributed units (DUs), or one or more radio units (RUs)).

Each network node110may provide communication coverage for a particular geographic area. In the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the term “cell” can refer to a coverage area of a network node110or a network node subsystem serving this coverage area, depending on the context in which the term is used.

A network node110may provide communication coverage for a macro cell, a pico cell, a femto cell, or another type of cell. A macro cell may cover a relatively large geographic area (for example, several kilometers in radius) and may allow unrestricted access by UEs120with service subscriptions. A pico cell may cover a relatively small geographic area and may allow unrestricted access by UEs120with service subscription. A femto cell may cover a relatively small geographic area (for example, a home) and may allow restricted access by UEs120having association with the femto cell (for example, UEs120in a closed subscriber group (CSG)). A network node110for a macro cell may be referred to as a macro network node. A network node110for a pico cell may be referred to as a pico network node. A network node110for a femto cell may be referred to as a femto network node or an in-home network node.

The wireless network100may be a heterogeneous network that includes network nodes110of different types, such as macro network nodes, pico network nodes, femto network nodes, or relay network nodes. These different types of network nodes110may have different transmit power levels, different coverage areas, or different impacts on interference in the wireless network100. For example, macro network nodes may have a high transmit power level (for example, 5 to 40 watts) whereas pico network nodes, femto network nodes, and relay network nodes may have lower transmit power levels (for example, 0.1 to 2 watts). In the example shown inFIG.1, the network node110amay be a macro network node for a macro cell102a,the network node110bmay be a pico network node for a pico cell102b,and the network node110cmay be a femto network node for a femto cell102c.A network node may support one or multiple (for example, three) cells. In some examples, a cell may not necessarily be stationary, and the geographic area of the cell may move according to the location of a network node110that is mobile (for example, a mobile network node).

The wireless network100may include one or more relay stations. A relay station is an entity that can receive a transmission of data from an upstream station (for example, a network node110or a UE120) and send a transmission of the data to a downstream station (for example, a UE120or a network node110). A relay station may be a UE120that can relay transmissions for other UEs120. In the example shown inFIG.1, the network node110d(for example, a relay network node) may communicate with the network node110a(for example, a macro network node) and the UE120din order to facilitate communication between the network node110aand the UE120d.A network node110that relays communications may be referred to as a relay station, a relay network node, or a relay.

The UEs120may be dispersed throughout the wireless network100, and each UE120may be stationary or mobile. A UE120may include, for example, an access terminal, a terminal, a mobile station, or a subscriber unit. A UE120may be a cellular phone (for example, a smart phone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless modem, a wireless communication device, a handheld device, a laptop computer, a cordless phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a tablet, a camera, a gaming device, a netbook, a smartbook, an ultrabook, a medical device, a biometric device, a wearable device (for example, a smart watch, smart clothing, smart glasses, a smart wristband, smart jewelry (for example, a smart ring or a smart bracelet)), an entertainment device (for example, a music device, a video device, or a satellite radio), a vehicular component or sensor, a smart meter/sensor, industrial manufacturing equipment, a global positioning system device, a UE function of a network node, or any other suitable device that is configured to communicate via a wireless medium.

Some UEs120may be considered machine-type communication (MTC) or evolved or enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC) UEs. An MTC UE or an eMTC UE may include, for example, a robot, a drone, a remote device, a sensor, a meter, a monitor, or a location tag, that may communicate with a network node, another device (for example, a remote device), or some other entity. Some UEs120may be considered Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, or may be implemented as NB-IoT (narrowband IoT) devices. Some UEs120may be considered a Customer Premises Equipment. A UE120may be included inside a housing that houses components of the UE120, such as processor components or memory components. In some examples, the processor components and the memory components may be coupled together. For example, the processor components (for example, one or more processors) and the memory components (for example, a memory) may be operatively coupled, communicatively coupled, electronically coupled, or electrically coupled.

In general, any quantity of wireless networks100may be deployed in a given geographic area. Each wireless network100may support a particular RAT and may operate on one or more frequencies. A RAT may be referred to as a radio technology or an air interface. A frequency may be referred to as a carrier or a frequency channel. Each frequency may support a single RAT in a given geographic area in order to avoid interference between wireless networks of different RATs. In some cases, NR or 5G RAT networks may be deployed.

In some examples, two or more UEs120(for example, shown as UE120aand UE120e) may communicate directly using one or more sidelink channels (for example, without using a network node110as an intermediary to communicate with one another). For example, the UEs120may communicate using peer-to-peer (P2P) communications, device-to-device (D2D) communications, a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) protocol (for example, which may include a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) protocol, a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) protocol, or a vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) protocol), or a mesh network. In such examples, a UE120may perform scheduling operations, resource selection operations, or other operations described elsewhere herein as being performed by the network node110.

In some aspects, the UE120may include a communication manager140. As described in more detail elsewhere herein, the communication manager140may receive, from a network node110, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource; select, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication; and transmit, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs120using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant. Additionally or alternatively, the communication manager140may perform one or more other operations described herein.

In some aspects, the network node110may include a communication manager150. As described in more detail elsewhere herein, the communication manager150may determine a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource; and transmit, to a UE120, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication. Additionally or alternatively, the communication manager150may perform one or more other operations described herein.

FIG.2is a diagram illustrating an example network node in communication with a UE in a wireless network in accordance with the present disclosure. The network node may correspond to the network node110ofFIG.1. Similarly, the UE may correspond to the UE120ofFIG.1. The network node110may be equipped with a set of antennas234athrough234t,such as T antennas (T≥1). The UE120may be equipped with a set of antennas252athrough252r,such as R antennas (R≥1). The network node110of depicted inFIG.2includes one or more radio frequency components, such as antennas234and a modem254. In some examples, a network node110may include an interface, a communication component, or another component that facilitates communication with the UE120or another network node. Some network nodes110may not include radio frequency components that facilitate direct communication with the UE120, such as one or more CUs, or one or more DUs.

At the network node110, a transmit processor220may receive data, from a data source212, intended for the UE120(or a set of UEs120). The transmit processor220may select one or more modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) for the UE120based at least in part on one or more channel quality indicators (CQIs) received from that UE120. The network node110may process (for example, encode and modulate) the data for the UE120based at least in part on the MC S(s) selected for the UE120and may provide data symbols for the UE120. The transmit processor220may process system information (for example, for semi-static resource partitioning information (SRPI)) and control information (for example, CQI requests, grants, or upper layer signaling) and provide overhead symbols and control symbols. The transmit processor220may generate reference symbols for reference signals (for example, a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) or a demodulation reference signal (DMRS)) and synchronization signals (for example, a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS)). A transmit (TX) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) processor230may perform spatial processing (for example, precoding) on the data symbols, the control symbols, the overhead symbols, or the reference symbols, if applicable, and may provide a set of output symbol streams (for example, T output symbol streams) to a corresponding set of modems232(for example, T modems), shown as modems232athrough232t.For example, each output symbol stream may be provided to a modulator component (shown as MOD) of a modem232. Each modem232may use a respective modulator component to process a respective output symbol stream (for example, for OFDM) to obtain an output sample stream. Each modem232may further use a respective modulator component to process (for example, convert to analog, amplify, filter, or upconvert) the output sample stream to obtain a downlink signal. The modems232athrough232tmay transmit a set of downlink signals (for example, T downlink signals) via a corresponding set of antennas234(for example, T antennas), shown as antennas234athrough234t.

At the UE120, a set of antennas252(shown as antennas252athrough252r) may receive the downlink signals from the network node110or other network nodes110and may provide a set of received signals (for example, R received signals) to a set of modems254(for example, R modems), shown as modems254athrough254r.For example, each received signal may be provided to a demodulator component (shown as DEMOD) of a modem254. Each modem254may use a respective demodulator component to condition (for example, filter, amplify, downconvert, or digitize) a received signal to obtain input samples. Each modem254may use a demodulator component to further process the input samples (for example, for OFDM) to obtain received symbols. A MIMO detector256may obtain received symbols from the modems254, may perform MIMO detection on the received symbols if applicable, and may provide detected symbols. A receive processor258may process (for example, demodulate and decode) the detected symbols, may provide decoded data for the UE120to a data sink260, and may provide decoded control information and system information to a controller/processor280. The term “controller/processor” may refer to one or more controllers, one or more processors, or a combination thereof. A channel processor may determine a reference signal received power (RSRP) parameter, a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) parameter, a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) parameter, or a CQI parameter, among other examples. In some examples, one or more components of the UE120may be included in a housing284.

One or more antennas (for example, antennas234athrough234tor antennas252athrough252r) may include, or may be included within, one or more antenna panels, one or more antenna groups, one or more sets of antenna elements, or one or more antenna arrays, among other examples. An antenna panel, an antenna group, a set of antenna elements, or an antenna array may include one or more antenna elements (within a single housing or multiple housings), a set of coplanar antenna elements, a set of non-coplanar antenna elements, or one or more antenna elements coupled to one or more transmission or reception components, such as one or more components ofFIG.2.

On the uplink, at the UE120, a transmit processor264may receive and process data from a data source262and control information (for example, for reports that include RSRP, RSSI, RSRQ, or CQI) from the controller/processor280. The transmit processor264may generate reference symbols for one or more reference signals. The symbols from the transmit processor264may be precoded by a TX MIMO processor266if applicable, further processed by the modems254(for example, for DFT-s-OFDM or CP-OFDM), and transmitted to the network node110. In some examples, the modem254of the UE120may include a modulator and a demodulator. In some examples, the UE120includes a transceiver. The transceiver may include any combination of the antenna(s)252, the modem(s)254, the MIMO detector256, the receive processor258, the transmit processor264, or the TX MIMO processor266. The transceiver may be used by a processor (for example, the controller/processor280) and the memory282to perform aspects of any of the methods described herein.

The controller/processor240of the network node110, the controller/processor280of the UE120, or any other component(s) ofFIG.2may perform one or more techniques associated with a network indication to control sidelink beam selection, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. For example, the controller/processor240of the network node110, the controller/processor280of the UE120, or any other component(s) ofFIG.2may perform or direct operations of, for example, process800ofFIG.8, process900ofFIG.9, or other processes as described herein. The memory242and the memory282may store data and program codes for the network node110and the UE120, respectively. In some examples, the memory242or the memory282may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions (for example, code or program code) for wireless communication. For example, the one or more instructions, when executed (for example, directly, or after compiling, converting, or interpreting) by one or more processors of the network node110or the UE120, may cause the one or more processors, the UE120, or the network node110to perform or direct operations of, for example, process800ofFIG.8, process900ofFIG.9, or other processes as described herein. In some examples, executing instructions may include running the instructions, converting the instructions, compiling the instructions, or interpreting the instructions, among other examples.

In some aspects, a transmitting UE120includes means for receiving, from a network node110, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource; means for selecting, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication; or means for transmitting, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs120using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant. The means for the transmitting UE120to perform operations described herein may include, for example, one or more of communication manager140, antenna252, modem254, MIMO detector256, receive processor258, transmit processor264, TX MIMO processor266, controller/processor280, or memory282.

In some aspects, a network node110includes means for determining a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource; or means for transmitting, to a UE120, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication. In some aspects, the means for the network node110to perform operations described herein may include, for example, one or more of communication manager150, transmit processor220, TX MIMO processor230, modem232, antenna234, MIMO detector236, receive processor238, controller/processor240, memory242, or scheduler246.

FIG.3is a diagram illustrating an example300of sidelink communications in accordance with the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG.3, a first UE305-1may communicate with a second UE305-2(and one or more other UEs305) via one or more sidelink channels310. The UEs305-1and305-2may communicate using the one or more sidelink channels310for P2P communications, D2D communications, V2X communications (for example, which may include V2V communications, V2I communications, or V2P communications) or mesh networking. In some aspects, the UEs305(for example, UE305-1or UE305-2) may correspond to one or more other UEs described elsewhere herein, such as UE120. In some aspects, the one or more sidelink channels310may use a PC5 interface or may operate in a high frequency band (for example, the 5.9 GHz band). Additionally or alternatively, the UEs305may synchronize timing of transmission time intervals (TTIs) (for example, frames, subframes, slots, or symbols) using global navigation satellite system (GNSS) timing.

As further shown inFIG.3, the one or more sidelink channels310may include a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH)315, a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH)320, or a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH)325. The PSCCH315may be used to communicate control information, similar to a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) used for cellular communications with a network node110via an access link or an access channel. The PSSCH320may be used to communicate data, similar to a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) used for cellular communications with a network node110via an access link or an access channel. For example, the PSCCH315may carry sidelink control information (SCI)330, which may indicate various control information used for sidelink communications, such as one or more resources (for example, time resources, frequency resources, or spatial resources) where a transport block (TB)335may be carried on the PSSCH320. The TB335may include data. The PSFCH325may be used to communicate sidelink feedback340, such as hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback (for example, acknowledgement or negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information), transmit power control (TPC), or a scheduling request (SR).

Although shown on the PSCCH315, in some aspects, the SCI330may include multiple communications in different stages, such as a first stage SCI (SCI-1) and a second stage SCI (SCI-2). The SCI-1 may be transmitted on the PSCCH315. The SCI-2 may be transmitted on the PSSCH320. The SCI-1 may include, for example, an indication of one or more resources (for example, time resources, frequency resources, or spatial resources) on the PSSCH320, information for decoding sidelink communications on the PSSCH, a quality of service (QoS) priority value, a resource reservation period, a PSSCH DMRS pattern, an SCI format for the SCI-2, a beta offset for the SCI-2, a quantity of PSSCH DMRS ports, or an MCS. The SCI-2 may include information associated with data transmissions on the PSSCH320, such as a HARQ process ID, a new data indicator (NDI), a source identifier, a destination identifier, or a channel state information (CSI) report trigger.

In some aspects, the one or more sidelink channels310may use resource pools. For example, a scheduling assignment (for example, included in SCI330) may be transmitted in sub-channels using specific resource blocks (RBs) across time. In some aspects, data transmissions (for example, on the PSSCH320) associated with a scheduling assignment may occupy adjacent RBs in the same subframe as the scheduling assignment (for example, using frequency division multiplexing). In some aspects, a scheduling assignment and associated data transmissions are not transmitted on adjacent RBs.

In some aspects, a UE305may operate using a sidelink transmission mode (for example, transmission mode 1) where resource selection or scheduling is performed by a network node110(for example, a base station, a CU, or a DU). For example, the UE305may receive a grant (for example, in DCI or in an RRC message, such as for configured grants) from the network node110(for example, directly or via one or more network nodes) for sidelink channel access or scheduling. In some aspects, a UE305may operate using a transmission mode (for example, transmission mode 2) where resource selection or scheduling is performed by the UE305(for example, rather than a network node110). In some aspects, the UE305may perform resource selection or scheduling by sensing channel availability for transmissions. For example, the UE305may measure an RSSI parameter (for example, a sidelink-RSSI (S-RSSI) parameter) associated with various sidelink channels, may measure an RSRP parameter (for example, a PSSCH-RSRP parameter) associated with various sidelink channels, or may measure an RSRQ parameter (for example, a PSSCH-RSRQ parameter) associated with various sidelink channels, and may select a channel for transmission of a sidelink communication based at least in part on the measurement(s).

Additionally or alternatively, the UE305may perform resource selection or scheduling using SCI330received in the PSCCH315, which may indicate occupied resources or channel parameters. Additionally or alternatively, the UE305may perform resource selection or scheduling by determining a channel busy ratio (CBR) associated with various sidelink channels, which may be used for rate control (for example, by indicating a maximum number of resource blocks that the UE305can use for a particular set of subframes).

In the transmission mode where resource selection or scheduling is performed by a UE305, the UE305may generate sidelink grants, and may transmit the grants in SCI330. A sidelink grant may indicate, for example, one or more parameters (for example, transmission parameters) to be used for an upcoming sidelink transmission, such as one or more resource blocks to be used for the upcoming sidelink transmission on the PSSCH320(for example, for TB s335), one or more subframes to be used for the upcoming sidelink transmission, or an MCS to be used for the upcoming sidelink transmission. In some aspects, a UE305may generate a sidelink grant that indicates one or more parameters for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS), such as a periodicity of a sidelink transmission. Additionally or alternatively, the UE305may generate a sidelink grant for event-driven scheduling, such as for an on-demand sidelink message.

FIG.4is a diagram illustrating an example400of access link communications and sidelink communications in accordance with the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG.4, a transmitter (Tx)/receiver (Rx) UE405and an Rx/Tx UE410may communicate with one another via a sidelink, as described above in connection withFIG.3. As further shown, in some sidelink modes, a network node110may communicate with the Tx/Rx UE405via a first access link (for example, in transmission mode1, where the network node110indicates transmission resources to be used by the Tx/Rx UE405). Additionally or alternatively, in some sidelink modes (for example, transmission mode 1), the network node110may communicate with the Rx/Tx UE410via a second access link. The Tx/Rx UE405or the Rx/Tx UE410may correspond to one or more UEs described elsewhere herein, such as the UE120ofFIG.1. Thus, a direct link between UEs120(for example, via a PC5 interface) may be referred to as a sidelink, and a direct link between a network node110and a UE120(for example, via a Uu interface) may be referred to as an access link. Sidelink communications may be transmitted via the sidelink, and access link communications may be transmitted via the access link. An access link communication may be either a downlink communication (from a network node110to a UE120) or an uplink communication (from a UE120to a network node110). For example, as described in further detail herein, a downlink communication sent from a network node110to a UE120(for example, the Tx/Rx UE405or the Rx/Tx UE410) may include a network indication to control selection of a sidelink beam that the UE120is to use for sidelink communications (for example, on a PSCCH, PSSCH, or PSFCH).

FIG.5is a diagram illustrating an example500of using beams for access link communications between a network node110and a UE120in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.5, a network node110and a UE120may communicate with one another in a wireless network (for example, wireless network100).

The network node110may transmit to UEs120located within a coverage area of the network node110. The network node110and the UE120may be configured for beamformed communications, where the network node110may transmit in the direction of the UE120using a directional downlink transmit beam, and the UE120may receive the transmission using a directional downlink receive beam. Each downlink transmit beam may have an associated beam ID, beam direction, or beam symbols, among other examples. The network node110may transmit downlink communications via one or more downlink transmit beams505.

The UE120may attempt to receive downlink transmissions via one or more downlink receive beams510, which may be configured using different beamforming parameters at receive circuitry of the UE120. The UE120may identify a particular downlink transmit beam505, shown as downlink transmit beam505-A, and a particular downlink receive beam510, shown as downlink receive beam510-A, that provide relatively favorable performance (for example, that have a best channel quality of the different measured combinations of downlink transmit beams505and downlink receive beams510). In some examples, the UE120may transmit an indication of which downlink transmit beam505is identified by the UE120as a preferred downlink transmit beam, which the network node110may select for transmissions to the UE120. The UE120may thus attain and maintain a beam pair link (BPL) with the network node110for downlink communications (for example, a combination of the downlink transmit beam505-A and the downlink receive beam510-A), which may be further refined and maintained in accordance with one or more established beam refinement procedures.

A downlink beam, such as a downlink transmit beam505or a downlink receive beam510, may be associated with a TCI state. A TCI state may indicate a directionality or a characteristic of the downlink beam, such as one or more quasi co-location (QCL) properties of the downlink beam. A QCL property may include, for example, a Doppler shift, a Doppler spread, an average delay, a delay spread, or spatial receive parameters, among other examples. In some examples, each downlink transmit beam505may be associated with a synchronization signal block (SSB), and the UE120may indicate a preferred downlink transmit beam505by transmitting uplink transmissions in resources of the SSB that are associated with the preferred downlink transmit beam505. A particular SSB may have an associated TCI state (for example, for an antenna port or for beamforming). The network node110may, in some examples, indicate a downlink downlink transmit beam505based at least in part on antenna port QCL properties that may be indicated by the TCI state. A TCI state may be associated with one downlink reference signal set (for example, an SSB and an aperiodic, periodic, or semi-persistent CSI-reference signal (CSI-RS)) for different QCL types (for example, QCL types for different combinations of Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread, or spatial receive parameters, among other examples). In cases where the QCL type indicates spatial receive parameters (for example, QCL type D), the QCL type may correspond to analog receive beamforming parameters of a downlink receive beam510at the UE120. Thus, the UE120may select a corresponding downlink receive beam510from a set of BPLs based at least in part on the network node110indicating a downlink transmit beam505via a TCI indication.

The network node110may maintain a set of activated TCI states for downlink shared channel transmissions and a set of activated TCI states for downlink control channel transmissions. The set of activated TCI states for downlink shared channel transmissions may correspond to beams that the network node110uses for downlink transmission on a PDSCH. The set of activated TCI states for downlink control channel communications may correspond to beams that the network node110may use for downlink transmission on a PDCCH or in a control resource set (CORESET). The UE120may also maintain a set of activated TCI states for receiving the downlink shared channel transmissions and the CORESET transmissions. If a TCI state is activated for the UE120, then the UE120may have one or more antenna configurations based at least in part on the TCI state, and the UE120may not need to reconfigure antennas or antenna weighting configurations. In some examples, the set of activated TCI states (for example, activated PDSCH TCI states and activated CORESET TCI states) for the UE120may be configured by a configuration message, such as an RRC message (for example, an RRCReconfiguration message).

Similarly, for uplink communications, the UE120may transmit in the direction of the network node110using a directional uplink transmit beam, and the network node110may receive the transmission using a directional uplink receive beam. Each uplink transmit beam may have an associated beam ID, beam direction, or beam symbols, among other examples. The UE120may transmit uplink communications via one or more uplink transmit beams515.

The network node110may receive uplink transmissions via one or more uplink receive beams520. The network node110may identify a particular uplink transmit beam515, shown as uplink transmit beam515-A, and a particular uplink receive beam520, shown as uplink receive beam520-A, that provide relatively favorable performance (for example, that have a best channel quality of the different measured combinations of uplink transmit beams515and uplink receive beams520). In some examples, the network node110may transmit an indication of which uplink transmit beam515is identified by the network node110as a preferred uplink transmit beam, which the network node110may select for transmissions from the UE120. The UE120and the network node110may thus attain and maintain a BPL for uplink communications (for example, a combination of the uplink transmit beam515-A and the uplink receive beam520-A), which may be further refined and maintained in accordance with one or more established beam refinement procedures. An uplink beam, such as a uplink transmit beam515or a uplink receive beam520, may be associated with a spatial relation. A spatial relation may indicate a directionality or a characteristic of the uplink beam, similar to one or more QCL properties, as described above.

Additionally or alternatively, as shown inFIG.5, the network node110and the UE120may communicate using a unified TCI framework, in which case the network node110may indicate a TCI state that the UE120is to use for beamformed uplink communications. For example, in a unified TCI framework, a joint TCI state (which may be referred to as a joint downlink and uplink TCI state) may be used to indicate a common beam that the UE120is to use for downlink communication and uplink communication. In this case, the joint downlink and uplink TCI state may include at least one source reference signal to provide a reference (or UE assumption) for determining QCL properties for a downlink communication or a spatial filter for uplink communication. For example, the joint downlink and uplink TCI state may be associated with one or more source reference signals that provide common QCL information for UE-dedicated PDSCH reception and one or more CORESETs in a component carrier, or one or more source reference signals that provide a reference to determine one or more common uplink transmission spatial filters for a PUSCH based on a dynamic grant or a configured grant or one or more dedicated PUCCH resources in a component carrier.

Additionally or alternatively, the unified TCI framework may support a separate downlink TCI state and a separate uplink TCI state to accommodate separate downlink and uplink beam indications (for example, in cases where a best uplink beam does not correspond to a best downlink beam, or vice versa). In such cases, each valid uplink TCI state configuration may contain a source reference signal to indicate an uplink transmit beam for a target uplink communication (for example, a target uplink reference signal or a target uplink channel). For example, the source reference signal may be an sounding reference signal (SRS), an SSB, or a CSI-RS, among other examples, and the target uplink communication may be a physical random access channel (PRACH), a PUCCH, a PUSCH, an SRS, or a DMRS (for example, for a PUCCH or a PUSCH), among other examples. In this way, supporting joint TCI states or separate downlink and uplink TCI states may enable a unified TCI framework for downlink and uplink communications or may enable the network node110to indicate various uplink QCL relationships (for example, Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, or delay spread, among other examples) for uplink TCI communication.

FIG.6is a diagram illustrating an example600of a TCI state configuration for beams used in access link communications in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.6, reference number610depicts RRC signaling that a network node may transmit to a UE in order to configure one or more TCI states to be used for beamformed communication. For example,FIG.6illustrates an example where the network node may transmit an RRC reconfiguration message to a UE to configure a list of TCI states that may be used for downlink communication on a PDCCH or a PDSCH. Additionally or alternatively, in cases where the network node and the UE are communicating in a wireless network that supports a unified TCI framework, the RRC configuration message may be used to configure one or more TCI states that can be used for a joint downlink and uplink beam indication or one or more TCI states that can be used for separate downlink and uplink beam indications. Accordingly, as described herein, the example600shown inFIG.6may be used to configure one or more TCI states for access link (for example, downlink or uplink) communications.

For example, the RRC signaling depicted by reference number610may generally include an RRC reconfiguration message that carries a master cell group information element (IE), where the RRC reconfiguration message may be provided at a top level of an IE hierarchy in which each downstream IE is included in an upstream IE (for example, a cell group configuration IE may be included in the master cell group IE, a serving cell configuration IE may be included in the cell group configuration IE, a downlink bandwidth part IE may be included in the serving cell configuration IE, and a dedicated downlink bandwidth part IE may be included in the downlink bandwidth part IE). As further shown inFIG.6, the dedicated downlink bandwidth part IE may include a PDCCH configuration and a PDSCH configuration, which may include one or more IEs to configure TCI states that the UE may use to receive PDCCH and PDSCH transmissions from the network node. For example, as shown, the PDSCH configuration may include a tci-StatesToAddModList parameter that indicates one or more TCI states to be added to a list of TCI states that are configured for PDSCH transmissions or a tci-StatesToReleaseList parameter that indicates one or more TCI states to be released (for example, removed) from the list of TCI states configured for PDSCH transmissions. Furthermore, the PDCCH configuration may include a CORESET configuration in which a tci-StatesPDCCH-ToAddList parameter indicates a list of TCI state identifiers included in the list of TCI states configured for PDSCH transmissions that are also configured for PDCCH transmissions and further in which a tci-StatesPDCCH-ToReleaseList parameter indicates one or more TCI state identifiers that the UE is to release from the list of TCI states configured for PDCCH transmissions.

In general, as described herein, each TCI state that is configured for the UE may contain one or more parameters to configure a QCL relationship between one or two reference signals and one or more DMRS ports associated with a PDSCH, one or more DMRS ports associated with a PDCCH, or one or more CSI-RS ports associated with a CSI-RS resource. For example, the RRC reconfiguration message may include one or more parameters to indicate, for each TCI state in the list of TCI states that are configured for the UE, an identifier associated with the respective TCI state and a maximum of two QCL types to indicate QCL information or QCL relationships per TCI state. For example, the RRC reconfiguration message may include a qcl-Type1 parameter to indicate a first QCL relationship for a first downlink reference signal (for example, an SSB or a CSI-RS), and may optionally further include a qcl-Type2 parameter to indicate a second QCL relationship for a second downlink reference signal. Accordingly, as shown inFIG.6, reference number620depicts a UE-specific PDCCH MAC-CE that may include a TCI state indication to indicate QCL information associated with a PDCCH transmission, where the TCI state indication in the PDCCH MAC-CE includes a TCI state identifier in the list of TCI state identifiers that are configured for PDCCH transmissions. Furthermore, reference number630depicts a UE-specific PDSCH MAC-CE, which the network node may use to activate a set of M TCI states (for example, up to eight (8) or sixteen (16) TCI states) included in the list of TCI states that are configured for PDSCH transmissions. As shown inFIG.6, reference number640depicts a DCI message (for example, having DCI format 1_1) that includes a TCI field to indicate one of the M TCI states activated by the UE-specific PDSCH MAC-CE, whereby the UE uses the TCI state indicated in the TCI field of the DCI message to receive a PDSCH transmission scheduled by the DCI message.

In sidelink communication, where two or more UEs communicate directly using one or more sidelink channels (for example, without using a network node as an intermediary), the sidelink communication may be performed in a first transmission mode (for example, transmission mode 1) where resource selection or scheduling is performed by a network node or in a second transmission mode (for example, transmission mode 2) where resource selection or scheduling is performed by a transmitting UE. In cases where the sidelink communication is performed in the first transmission mode, the network node grants a sidelink resource to a transmitting UE, and the transmitting UE then uses the sidelink resource to transmit a sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs. However, in cases where the sidelink transmission may potentially cause interference with access link (for example, downlink or uplink) communications in certain beam directions, the network node may be unable to indicate, to the transmitting UE, a particular sidelink beam that the transmitting UE is to use to mitigate the potential interference because the network node may only be able to roughly estimate a range of suitable beam directions for the sidelink transmission (for example, because sidelink communication is often configured for one-to-many transmissions or because the network node is unaware of the precise position of the receiving UE(s)). Furthermore, in cases where a transmitting UE is connected to multiple receiving UEs on respective sidelink channels, a network node operating in the first transmission mode grants only a sidelink resource to the transmitting UE, and the transmitting UE can then determine which sidelink is to use the granted sidelink resource. In such cases, an exact beam indication by the network node would be inappropriate, because the network node could potentially indicate a sidelink beam that is steered in a beam direction other than a beam direction of the receiving UE(s) intended to receive the sidelink transmission. Accordingly, existing sidelink scheduling techniques suffer from drawbacks that prevent network nodes from having the ability to control sidelink beam selection (for example, to mitigate interference with access link communications).

Various aspects relate generally to a network indication to control sidelink beam selection by a transmitting UE in a sidelink transmission mode where a network node performs resource selection or scheduling. Some aspects more specifically relate to a network node transmitting, to a transmitting UE, a DCI message carrying a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource that the transmitting UE can use to transmit a sidelink communication in addition to a set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication. For example, the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant may correspond to a set of sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected by the transmitting UE as a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication, or the indicated set of sidelink beams may correspond to a set of sidelink beams that are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam. Some aspects further relate to semi-static (for example, RRC) signaling that can be used to configure sidelink neighborhood beam information that defines a set of neighboring sidelink beams (for example, adjacent sidelink beams) associated with one or more TCI states and to dynamic (for example, MAC-CE or DCI) signaling formats that can be used to enable the network node to indicate the set of beams in the sidelink grant.

Particular aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to realize one or more of the following potential advantages. In some examples, the described techniques can be used to enable a network node to indicate a set of sidelink beams such that the network node can limit a sidelink transmission to a certain range of beam directions and thereby mitigate or otherwise control potential interference that a sidelink transmission may cause in a certain direction. For example, the network node may determine a set of sidelink beams that cause an acceptable level of interference at the network node (for example, a level of interference satisfying a threshold) or a set of sidelink beams that cause unacceptable interference at the network node (for example, a level of interference failing to satisfy the threshold), and may indicate a set of eligible or ineligible sidelink beams to the transmitting UE to mitigate or otherwise control the level of interference caused by the sidelink transmission of the transmitting UE. Furthermore, the beam indication provided to the transmitting UE may be configured such that the transmitting UE can select a sidelink beam from multiple candidate sidelink beams that are associated with acceptable interference levels (for example, any sidelink beam included in a set of sidelink beams that the network node indicates are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam, or any sidelink beam that is not included in a set of sidelink beams that the network node indicates are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam). In this way, the network node has the ability to exert partial control over the sidelink beam that the transmitting UE uses for the sidelink transmission, and the transmitting UE has flexibility to select a specific sidelink beam to use to connect to a receiving UE.

FIGS.7A-7Bare diagrams illustrating examples associated with a network indication to control sidelink beam selection in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.7A, example700includes a transmitting UE (shown as Tx UE) and a receiving UE (shown as Rx UE) that may communicate via a wireless sidelink and a network node that may communicate with the transmitting UE via a wireless access link, which may include an uplink and a downlink. In some aspects, the network node, the Tx UE, and the Rx UE may be included in a wireless network, such as wireless network100, and sidelink communications between the Tx UE and the Rx UE may be performed according to a sidelink transmission mode in which the network node performs sidelink resource selection and scheduling (for example, transmission mode 1).

In a first operation710, the network node may transmit, and the transmitting UE may receive, RRC signaling that configures (for example, semi-statically) neighborhood beam information associated with a set of sidelink transmit beams. For example, as described herein, the neighborhood beam information may generally define, among the set of sidelink transmit beams, one or more groups of multiple sidelink beams that are adjacent to one another or otherwise associated with neighboring beam directions. Accordingly, when the network node subsequently transmits a sidelink grant to the transmitting UE to indicate a sidelink resource allocation for a sidelink communication to be transmitted by the transmitting UE (for example, a set of time and frequency resources in which the transmitting UE is to transmit the sidelink communication on a PSCCH or a PSSCH), the sidelink grant may also include a sidelink TCI field that indicates a set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the sidelink communication. For example, in some aspects, the set of sidelink transmit beams indicated in the sidelink grant may define a set of sidelink transmit beams that are eligible to be used to transmit the sidelink communication (for example, a set of sidelink beams that are associated with acceptable access link interference levels) or a set of sidelink transmit beams that are ineligible to be used to transmit the sidelink communication (for example, a set of sidelink beams that are associated with unacceptable access link interference levels). Accordingly, although the network node may be unable to exactly control which sidelink transmit beam is used by the transmitting UE, the network node may indicate the set of sidelink transmit beams in the sidelink grant to exert partial control over which sidelink transmit beam is used by the transmitting UE and thereby mitigate potential interference with uplink transmissions to the network node or with downlink transmissions by the network node. For example, the neighborhood beam information configured by the RRC signaling may enable the network node to configure one or more beam sets that are indicated to the transmitting UE as being eligible or ineligible to use to transmit a sidelink communication.

For example, to configure the neighborhood beam information for the sidelink transmit beams, the RRC signaling may indicate a set of sidelink transmit beams that are associated with each TCI state in a set of TCI states that are configured for the transmitting UE. For example, the set of sidelink transmit beams associated with each respective TCI state may include multiple sidelink transmit beams that are adjacent to one another, associated with neighboring beam directions, or associated with similar access link interference levels, among other examples. Additionally or alternatively, the RRC signaling may explicitly configure the neighborhood beam information for the sidelink transmit beams using a data structure that defines sidelink transmit beams that are adjacent to one another, associated with neighboring beam directions, or associated with similar access link interference levels. For example, in some aspects, the data structure may include an adjacency matrix having m rows that each correspond to a different TCI state associated with one or more sidelink transmit beams and n columns that each correspond to a different TCI state associated with one or more sidelink transmit beams, where m and n may generally have the same value (for example, a TCI state associated with a particular column may also be associated with a row, such as a 64×64 adjacency matrix for a TCI framework with sixty-four (64) TCI states). In cases where an adjacency matrix having m rows and n columns is used to explicitly configure the neighborhood beam information for the sidelink transmit beams, a first value (such as a one) in an entry in an m-th row and an n-th column may indicate that the sidelink transmit beam(s) associated with the m-th TCI state is adjacent to or associated with a neighboring beam direction of the sidelink transmit beam(s) associated with the n-th TCI state. Correlatively, a second value (such as a zero) in the entry in the m-th row and the n-th column may indicate that the sidelink transmit beam(s) associated with the m-th TCI state are not adjacent to or are otherwise associated with non-neighboring beam directions of the sidelink transmit beam(s) associated with the n-th TCI state. Furthermore, in addition to configuring the neighborhood beam information for various sidelink transmit beams, the RRC signaling may include a parameter to configure a quantity of adjacent or neighboring sidelink transmit beams that are simultaneously activated (for example, to limit or otherwise control a size of a set of neighboring sidelink transmit beams).

In a second operation720, the network node may transmit, and the transmitting UE may receive, a MAC-CE that carries a TCI state indication or TCI state activation or deactivation information based on the neighborhood beam information configured by the RRC signaling. For example, in cases where the RRC signaling configures the neighborhood beam information by indicating a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with each TCI state configured for the UE, the MAC-CE may be a TCI indication MAC-CE or a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that is used to indicate, activate, or deactivate all sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state(s) indicated in the MAC-CE. For example, referring toFIG.7B, reference number722depicts an example format for the TCI indication MAC-CE, where a serving cell identifier is indicated in a first octet, a CORESET identifier is indicated in three bits of the first octet and one bit of a second octet, and the remaining seven bits in the second octet are used to indicate an identifier of a TCI state. Accordingly, in cases where the RRC signaling indicates a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with each TCI state, the field in the TCI indication MAC-CE that indicates the identifier of a TCI state may be used to indicate all the sidelink transmit beams that are associated with the indicated TCI state identifier. Similarly, reference number724depicts an example format for the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE, where a first octet indicates a bandwidth part identifier, a serving cell identifier, and a CORESET pool identifier, and one or more subsequent octets each include eight bits to indicate an identifier of a TCI state to activate or deactivate. Accordingly, in cases where the RRC signaling indicates a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with each TCI state, octets two through N in the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE may be used to indicate that all the sidelink transmit beams that are associated with the TCI state identifiers indicated in octets two through N are activated or deactivated.

In some other aspects, in cases where the RRC signaling explicitly configures the neighborhood beam information (for example, in an adjacency matrix or other suitable data structure) and indicates the quantity of adjacent or neighboring sidelink transmit beams that are simultaneously activated, X, the TCI indication MAC-CE or the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE may be used to indicate, activate, or deactivate the sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state(s) indicated in the MAC-CE and the X sidelink transmit beams that are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state(s) indicated in the MAC-CE. For example, when the network node transmits the TCI indication MAC-CE depicted by reference number722to the transmitting UE, the TCI indication MAC-CE may be interpreted by the transmitting UE as an indication of the TCI state corresponding to the TCI state identifier in the second octet and the X adjacent sidelink transmit beams (for example, based on the RRC-configured adjacency information). Furthermore, in cases where the TCI indication MAC-CE is transmitted to the transmitting UE, the TCI indication MAC-CE may include a bit to indicate whether the indicated sidelink beam and the X adjacent sidelink transmit beams are included or excluded from a set of sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected as a sidelink beam used to transmit a sidelink communication. Similarly, when the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE depicted by reference number724is transmitted to the transmitting UE, the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE is used to activate or deactivate one or more sidelink transmit beams that are associated with the TCI state(s) indicated in octet two through octet N and to simultaneously activate or deactivate the X sidelink transmit beams that are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam(s) associated with the TCI state(s) indicated in octet two through octet N.

In some aspects, the TCI indication MAC-CE or the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE may indicate a new value for X, which may override any RRC-configured value for the quantity of simultaneously activated adjacent or neighboring sidelink transmit beams. For example, the TCI indication MAC-CE may indicate a new value for X such that the TCI indication MAC-CE is interpreted as an indication for the sidelink transmit beam indicated in the second octet and an indication of the X adj acent sidelink transmit beams, where Xhas the new value indicated in the TCI indication MAC-CE. In a similar manner, the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE may indicate a new value for X such that the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE is interpreted as simultaneously activating or deactivating the sidelink transmit beams indicated in the second octet through the Nth octet and the X adjacent sidelink transmit beams for each of the sidelink transmit beams indicated in the second octet through the Nth octet, where X has the new value indicated in the TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE.

In some other aspects, the RRC signaling may not include any information related to adjacent sidelink transmit beams, in which case the MAC-CE may be used to indicate the neighborhood beam information according to one or more sets of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams. For example, inFIG.7B, reference number726depicts a MAC-CE format in which one or more beam sets are each associated with a respective set of TCI states to indicate one or more sidelink transmit beams that are simultaneously activated. For example, as shown inFIG.7B, a first beam set (beam set 1) may include a first set of one or more octets that each indicate a TCI state included in the first beam set, and this pattern may repeat to indicate up to K beam sets that are each associated with one or more TCI states (for example, the CO field in the octet for the first TCI state in a beam set may indicate a boundary of the beam set). Accordingly, in such cases, all of the beams that are associated with a particular beam set (for example, the beams associated with the one or more TCI states included in a beam set) may be indicated, activated, or deactivated using a single TCI codepoint associated with any of the TCI states included in the beam set. For example, to indicate all of the beams corresponding to TCI state 1 through TCI state n in beam set K, a DCI message may indicate a single TCI codepoint corresponding to any one of TCI states 1 through n.

Referring again toFIG.7A, in a third operation730, the network node may transmit, and the transmitting UE may receive, a DCI message carrying a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource (for example, a set of time and frequency resources) that the transmitting UE may use to transmit a sidelink communication and a set of beams associated with the sidelink communication. For example, in some aspects, the sidelink grant may be indicated in a DCI message associated with a sidelink scheduling format (for example, DCI format 3_0), and the sidelink grant may include a sidelink TCI field to indicate a TCI state. Accordingly, as described herein, the TCI state indicated in the sidelink TCI field may be associated with one or more sidelink transmit beams, and the transmitting UE may interpret the sidelink TCI field in a manner that depends on the particular RRC signaling or MAC-CE format used to configure the association(s) between a TCI state and a set of sidelink transmit beams. For example, in cases where the RRC signaling or the MAC-CE indicates the quantity of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams, X, the configured quantity of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams may be indicated in the sidelink grant.

In general, however, the transmitting UE may use the TCI state indicated in the sidelink TCI field to determine a set of sidelink transmit beams that are associated with the sidelink communication, which may limit or otherwise control which sidelink beam the transmitting UE selects as a sidelink beam to use to transmit the sidelink communication. For example, in some aspects, the set of sidelink transmit beams indicated in the sidelink grant may correspond to sidelink transmit beams that are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam to use to transmit the sidelink communication or to sidelink transmit beams that are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam to use to transmit the sidelink communication (for example, based on potential interference with access link communications). For example, whether the transmitting UE is allowed or prohibited from using the set of sidelink transmit beams indicated in the sidelink grant may depend on the quantity of suitable sidelink transmit beams associated with acceptable interference levels or the quantity of sidelink transmit beams associated with unacceptable interference levels (for example, the sidelink grant may indicate sidelink beams that are eligible to use in cases where there is a relatively small quantity of eligible sidelink beams or may indicate sidelink beams that are ineligible to use in cases where the quantity of ineligible sidelink beams is less than the quantity of eligible sidelink beams). For example, in some aspects, the sidelink TCI field in the sidelink grant may include a bit to indicate whether the set of sidelink transmit beams indicated in the sidelink grant are included in or excluded from a set of candidate sidelink transmit beams that are eligible to be selected as the sidelink transmit beam for the sidelink communication.

In a fourth operation740, the transmitting UE may then select a sidelink beam to use to transmit the sidelink communication in the granted sidelink resource based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant. For example, in cases where the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant correspond to a set of candidate sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected as the sidelink transmit beam for the sidelink communication, the transmitting UE may select the sidelink beam from the set of sidelink transmit beams indicated in the sidelink grant. In some other aspects, in cases where the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink transmit beam for the sidelink communication, the transmitting UE may select the sidelink beam from a set of sidelink transmit beams that excludes the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant. In a fifth operation750, the transmitting UE may then transmit the sidelink communication (for example, a PSCCH communication or a PSSCH communication) to the receiving UE in the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant via the sidelink beam selected by the transmitting UE.

FIG.8is a flowchart illustrating an example process800performed, for example, by a transmitting UE that supports a network indication to control sidelink beam selection in accordance with the present disclosure. Example process800is an example where the transmitting UE (for example, UE120, UE305-1, UE305-2, Tx/Rx UE405, or Rx/Tx UE410) performs operations associated with a network indication to control sidelink beam selection.

As shown inFIG.8, in some aspects, process800may include receiving, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource (block810). For example, the transmitting UE (such as by using communication manager140or reception component1002, depicted inFIG.10) may receive, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource, as described above.

As further shown inFIG.8, in some aspects, process800may include selecting, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication (block820). For example, the transmitting UE (such as by using communication manager140or sidelink beam selection component1008, depicted inFIG.10) may select, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication, as described above.

As further shown inFIG.8, in some aspects, process800may include transmitting, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant (block830). For example, the transmitting UE (such as by using communication manager140or transmission component1004, depicted inFIG.10) may transmit, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant, as described above.

In a first additional aspect, the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes multiple sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

In a second additional aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes one or more sidelink beams that are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

In a third additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, a bit in the sidelink grant has a first value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication or a second value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

In a fourth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through third aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures, for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

In a fifth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fourth aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state.

In a sixth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fifth aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state.

In a seventh additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through sixth aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures a data structure that indicates sidelink beam neighborhood information for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

In an eighth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through seventh aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates one or more respective sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state and activates or deactivates one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beams associated with the one or more TCI states.

In a ninth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eighth aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates a sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state and one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam.

In a tenth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through ninth aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, a MAC-CE that indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

In an eleventh additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through tenth aspects, the sidelink grant indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

In a twelfth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eleventh aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, a MAC-CE that indicates one or more sets of sidelink transmit beams that are each associated with a respective set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

In a thirteenth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through twelfth aspects, process800includes receiving, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams included in a set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant is included in the set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams.

FIG.9is a flowchart illustrating an example process900performed, for example, by a network node that supports a network indication to control sidelink beam selection in accordance with the present disclosure. Example process900is an example where the network node (for example, network node110) performs operations associated with a network indication to control sidelink beam selection.

As shown inFIG.9, in some aspects, process900may include determining a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource (block910). For example, the network node (such as by using communication manager150or sidelink beam control component1108, depicted inFIG.11) may determine a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource, as described above.

As further shown inFIG.9, in some aspects, process900may include transmitting, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication (block920). For example, the network node (such as by using communication manager150or transmission component1104, depicted inFIG.11) may transmit, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication, as described above.

In a first additional aspect, the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes multiple sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

In a second additional aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes one or more sidelink beams that are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

In a third additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, a bit in the sidelink grant has a first value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication or a second value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

In a fourth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through third aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures, for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

In a fifth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fourth aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state.

In a sixth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fifth aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state.

In a seventh additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through sixth aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures a data structure that indicates sidelink beam neighborhood information for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

In an eighth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through seventh aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates one or more respective sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state and activates or deactivates one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beams associated with the one or more TCI states.

In a ninth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eighth aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates a sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state and one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam.

In a tenth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through ninth aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, a MAC-CE that indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

In an eleventh additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through tenth aspects, the sidelink grant indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

In a twelfth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eleventh aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, a MAC-CE that indicates one or more sets of sidelink transmit beams that are each associated with a respective set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

In a thirteenth additional aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through twelfth aspects, process900includes transmitting, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams included in a set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant is included in the set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams.

FIG.10is a diagram of an example apparatus1000for wireless communication that supports a network indication to control sidelink beam selection in accordance with the present disclosure. The apparatus1000may be a transmitting UE, or a transmitting UE may include the apparatus1000. In some aspects, the apparatus1000includes a reception component1002, a transmission component1004, and a communication manager140, which may be in communication with one another (for example, via one or more buses). As shown, the apparatus1000may communicate with another apparatus1006(such as a UE, a network node, or another wireless communication device) using the reception component1002and the transmission component1004.

In some aspects, the apparatus1000may be configured to perform one or more operations described herein in connection withFIGS.7A-7B. Additionally or alternatively, the apparatus1000may be configured to perform one or more processes described herein, such as process800ofFIG.8. In some aspects, the apparatus1000may include one or more components of the transmitting UE described above in connection withFIG.2.

The communication manager140may receive or may cause the reception component1002to receive, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The communication manager140may select, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication. The communication manager140may transmit or may cause the transmission component1004to transmit, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant. In some aspects, the communication manager140may perform one or more operations described elsewhere herein as being performed by one or more components of the communication manager140.

The communication manager140may include a controller/processor, a memory, or a combination thereof, of the transmitting UE described above in connection withFIG.2. In some aspects, the communication manager140includes a set of components, such as a sidelink beam selection component1008. Alternatively, the set of components may be separate and distinct from the communication manager140. In some aspects, one or more components of the set of components may include or may be implemented within a controller/processor, a memory, or a combination thereof, of the transmitting UE described above in connection withFIG.2. Additionally or alternatively, one or more components of the set of components may be implemented at least in part as software stored in a memory. For example, a component (or a portion of a component) may be implemented as instructions or code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a controller or a processor to perform the functions or operations of the component.

The reception component1002may receive, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The sidelink beam selection component1008may select, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication. The transmission component1004may transmit, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures, for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures a data structure that indicates sidelink beam neighborhood information for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates one or more respective sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state and activates or deactivates one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beams associated with the one or more TCI states.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates a sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state and one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, a MAC-CE that indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, a MAC-CE that indicates one or more sets of sidelink transmit beams that are each associated with a respective set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

The reception component1002may receive, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams included in a set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant is included in the set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams.

FIG.11is a diagram of an example apparatus1100for wireless communication that supports a network indication to control sidelink beam selection in accordance with the present disclosure. The apparatus1100may be a network node, or a network node may include the apparatus1100. In some aspects, the apparatus1100includes a reception component1102, a transmission component1104, and a communication manager150, which may be in communication with one another (for example, via one or more buses). As shown, the apparatus1100may communicate with another apparatus1106(such as a UE, a network node, or another wireless communication device) using the reception component1102and the transmission component1104.

In some aspects, the apparatus1100may be configured to perform one or more operations described herein in connection withFIGS.7A-7B. Additionally or alternatively, the apparatus1100may be configured to perform one or more processes described herein, such as process900ofFIG.9. In some aspects, the apparatus1100may include one or more components of the network node described above in connection withFIG.2.

The communication manager150may determine a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The communication manager150may transmit or may cause the transmission component1104to transmit, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication. In some aspects, the communication manager150may perform one or more operations described elsewhere herein as being performed by one or more components of the communication manager150.

The communication manager150may include a controller/processor, a memory, a scheduler, a communication unit, or a combination thereof, of the network node described above in connection withFIG.2. In some aspects, the communication manager150includes a set of components, such as a sidelink beam control component1108. Alternatively, the set of components may be separate and distinct from the communication manager150. In some aspects, one or more components of the set of components may include or may be implemented within a controller/processor, a memory, a scheduler, a communication unit, or a combination thereof, of the network node described above in connection withFIG.2. Additionally or alternatively, one or more components of the set of components may be implemented at least in part as software stored in a memory. For example, a component (or a portion of a component) may be implemented as instructions or code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a controller or a processor to perform the functions or operations of the component.

The sidelink beam control component1108may determine a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource. The transmission component1104may transmit, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures, for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures a data structure that indicates sidelink beam neighborhood information for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates one or more respective sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state and activates or deactivates one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beams associated with the one or more TCI states.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates a sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state and one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, a MAC-CE that indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, a MAC-CE that indicates one or more sets of sidelink transmit beams that are each associated with a respective set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

The transmission component1104may transmit, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams included in a set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant is included in the set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams.

Aspect 1: A method of wireless communication performed by a transmitting UE, comprising: receiving, from a network node, a sidelink grant that indicates a sidelink resource and indicates a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource; selecting, based at least in part on the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant, a sidelink beam for the sidelink communication; and transmitting, via the selected sidelink beam, the sidelink communication to one or more receiving UEs using the sidelink resource indicated in the sidelink grant.

Aspect 2: The method of Aspect 1, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes multiple sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Aspect 3: The method of Aspect 1, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes one or more sidelink beams that are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Aspect 4: The method of any of Aspects 1-3, wherein a bit in the sidelink grant has a first value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication or a second value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Aspect 5: The method of any of Aspects 1-4, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures, for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

Aspect 6: The method of Aspect 5, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state.

Aspect 7: The method of Aspect 5, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state.

Aspect 8: The method of any of Aspects 1-4, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures a data structure that indicates sidelink beam neighborhood information for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

Aspect 9: The method of Aspect 8, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates one or more respective sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state and activates or deactivates one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beams associated with the one or more TCI states.

Aspect 10: The method of Aspect 8, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates a sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state and one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam.

Aspect 11: The method of any of Aspects 8-10, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, a MAC-CE that indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

Aspect 12: The method of any of Aspects 8-10, wherein the sidelink grant indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

Aspect 13: The method of any of Aspects 1-12, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, a MAC-CE that indicates one or more sets of sidelink transmit beams that are each associated with a respective set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

Aspect 14: The method of any of Aspects 1-13, further comprising: receiving, from the network node, RRC signaling that configures a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams included in a set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant is included in the set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams.

Aspect 15: A method of wireless communication performed by a network node, comprising: determining a sidelink resource and a set of sidelink beams associated with a sidelink communication using the sidelink resource; and transmitting, to a UE, a sidelink grant that indicates the sidelink resource and indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant controls selection of a sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Aspect 16: The method of Aspect 15, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes multiple sidelink beams that are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Aspect 17: The method of Aspect 15, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant includes one or more sidelink beams that are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Aspect 18: The method of any of Aspects 15-17, wherein a bit in the sidelink grant has a first value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are eligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication or a second value that indicates that the set of sidelink beams are ineligible to be selected as the sidelink beam used to transmit the sidelink communication.

Aspect 19: The method of any of Aspects 15-18, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures, for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, a respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

Aspect 20: The method of Aspect 19, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the TCI state.

Aspect 21: The method of Aspect 19, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates the respective set of sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state.

Aspect 22: The method of any of Aspects 15-18, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures a data structure that indicates sidelink beam neighborhood information for each TCI state in a set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

Aspect 23: The method of Aspect 22, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, a TCI activation or deactivation MAC-CE that includes an identifier for each of one or more TCI states in the set of TCI states that activates or deactivates one or more respective sidelink transmit beams associated with the respective TCI state and activates or deactivates one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beams associated with the one or more TCI states.

Aspect 24: The method of Aspect 22, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, a TCI indication MAC-CE that includes an identifier for a TCI state in the set of TCI states that indicates a sidelink transmit beam associated with the TCI state and one or more sidelink transmit beams that the data structure indicates are adjacent to the sidelink transmit beam.

Aspect 25: The method of any of Aspects 22-24, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, a MAC-CE that indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

Aspect 26: The method of any of Aspects 22-24, wherein the sidelink grant indicates a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams to be simultaneously activated, deactivated, or indicated.

Aspect 27: The method of any of Aspects 15-26, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, a MAC-CE that indicates one or more sets of sidelink transmit beams that are each associated with a respective set of TCI states, wherein the sidelink grant indicates the set of sidelink beams associated with the sidelink communication in a TCI field that identifies a TCI state in the set of TCI states.

Aspect 28: The method of any of Aspects 15-27, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, RRC signaling that configures a quantity of adjacent sidelink transmit beams included in a set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams, wherein the set of sidelink beams indicated in the sidelink grant is included in the set of simultaneously activated sidelink transmit beams.

As used herein, the term “component” is intended to be broadly construed as hardware or a combination of hardware and software. “Software” shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, or functions, among other examples, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise. As used herein, a “processor” is implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software. It will be apparent that systems or methods described herein may be implemented in different forms of hardware or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems or methods is not limiting of the aspects. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code, because those skilled in the art will understand that software and hardware can be designed to implement the systems or methods based, at least in part, on the description herein.