Patent Description:
The <NPL>, discusses Integrated Access and Backhaul node resource allocation and investigates related issues, such as multiplexing of backhaul and access link, frame structure configuration and how to acquire updated minimum SI.

While aspects and embodiments are described in this application by illustration to some examples, those skilled in the art will understand that additional implementations and use cases may come about in many different arrangements and scenarios. Innovations described herein may be implemented across many differing platform types, devices, systems, shapes, sizes, packaging arrangements. For example, embodiments and/or uses may come about via integrated chip embodiments and/or other non-module-component based devices (e.g., end-user devices, vehicles, communication devices, computing devices, industrial equipment, retail/purchasing devices, medical devices, AI-enabled devices, and/or the like). While some examples may or may not be specifically directed to use cases or applications, a wide assortment of applicability of described innovations may occur. Implementations may range a spectrum from chip-level or modular components to non-modular, non-chip-level implementations and further to aggregate, distributed, or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) devices or systems incorporating one or more aspects of the described innovations. In some practical settings, devices incorporating described aspects and features may also necessarily include additional components and features for implementation and practice of claimed and described embodiments. For example, transmission and reception of wireless signals necessarily includes a number of components for analog and digital purposes (e.g., hardware components including one or more antennas, RF-chains, power amplifiers, modulators, buffers, processors, interleavers, adders/summers, and/or the like). It is intended that innovations described herein may be practiced in a wide variety of devices, chip-level components, systems, distributed arrangements, end-user devices, etc. of varying sizes, shapes, and constitution.

In some aspects, two or more UEs <NUM> (e.g., shown as UE 120a and UE 120e) may communicate directly using one or more side link channels (e.g., without using a base station <NUM> as an intermediary to communicate with one another).

At base station <NUM>, a transmit processor <NUM> may receive data from a data source <NUM> for one or more UEs, select one or more modulation and coding schemes (MCS) for each UE based at least in part on channel quality indicators (CQIs) received from the UE, process (e.g., encode and modulate) the data for each UE based at least in part on the MCS selected for the UE, and provide data symbols for all UEs.

Controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform one or more techniques associated with multi-link network coordination, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. For example, controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform or direct operations of, for example, process <NUM> of <FIG>, process <NUM> of <FIG>, and/or other processes as described herein. Memories <NUM> and <NUM> may store data and program codes for base station <NUM> and UE <NUM>, respectively.

In some aspects, a central entity (e.g., base station <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like) may include means for determining a set of schedulable resources for a plurality of links associated with a plurality of nodes of a multi-link network (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, controller processor <NUM>, and/or the like), means for providing scheduling information to the plurality of nodes to schedule communication on the plurality of links based at least in part on determining the set of schedulable resources (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, transmit process <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, and/or the like), and/or the like. In some aspects, such means may include one or more components of base station <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like described in connection with <FIG>.

In some aspects, a node (e.g., base station <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like) may include means for determining an extended slot format indicator for the node based at least in part on a received extended slot format indicator of a parent node of the node and a received null adjust request from a child node of the node (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, controller processor <NUM>, and/or the like_), means for providing the determined extended slot format indicator to the child node of the node (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, transmit process <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, and/or the like), means for providing the received null adjust request to the parent node of the node(e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, transmit process <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, and/or the like), and/or the like. In some aspects, such means may include one or more components of base station <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like described in connection with <FIG>.

Each subframe may have a predetermined duration (e.g., <NUM>) and may include a set of slots (e.g., <NUM>m slots per subframe are shown in <FIG>, where m is a numerology used for a transmission, such as <NUM>, <NUM>,<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or the like). In some aspects, a scheduling unit for the FDD may frame-based, subframe-based, slot-based, symbol-based, and/or the like.

<FIG> are diagrams illustrating an example <NUM> of a network topology for a multi-link network, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Self-backhauling or integrated access/backhaul (IAB) may be deployed to use a common set of resources for access traffic and backhaul traffic. For example, a first node (e.g., a BS <NUM>, a UE <NUM>, and/or the like) may communicate backhaul traffic via first mmWave resources with a second node, and may communicate access traffic via second mmWave resources with a third node. In some aspects, the second node and the third node may be the same node. For example, the first node may communicate traffic via first mmWave resources and second mmWave resources. Although some aspects, described herein, are described in terms of an IAB deployment, some aspects described herein may be used in connection with other types of multi-hop networks.

As shown in <FIG>, example <NUM> may include multiple nodes <NUM> (e.g., BSs) and multiple nodes <NUM> (e.g., UEs). At least one node (e.g., node <NUM>-<NUM>) may communicate with a core network via a backhaul link <NUM>, such as a fiber connection, a wireless backhaul connection, and/or the like. Nodes <NUM> and <NUM> may communicate with each other using a set of links <NUM>, such as a set of mmWave links; a <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, etc. air interface; and/or the like. In some aspects, a node <NUM> may correspond to BS <NUM> or UE <NUM> shown in <FIG>. Similarly, a node <NUM> may correspond to BS <NUM> or a UE <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

As further shown in <FIG>, one or more nodes <NUM> or <NUM> may communicate indirectly via one or more other nodes <NUM> or <NUM>. For example, data may be transferred from a core network to node <NUM>-<NUM> via backhaul link <NUM>, a link <NUM> between node <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM>, a link <NUM> between node <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM>, a link <NUM> between node <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM>, and a link <NUM> between node <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM>. In some aspects, multiple different paths may be used to communicate data between nodes <NUM> or <NUM>. For example, node <NUM>-<NUM> may communicate with node <NUM>-<NUM> via a single link <NUM> between node <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., a direct link) and/or via a first link <NUM> between node <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM> and a second link between node <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., an indirect link).

As shown in <FIG>, nodes <NUM> and nodes <NUM> can be arranged in a hierarchical topology to enable management of network resources. Each link <NUM> may be associated with a master link end point (master LEP) and a slave link end point (slave LEP), which may define a hierarchy between nodes <NUM> or <NUM>. For example, node <NUM>-<NUM> may communicate with node <NUM>-<NUM> via link <NUM>-<NUM>. In this case, node <NUM>-<NUM> is associated with a master link end point and node <NUM>-<NUM> is associated with a slave link end point for link <NUM>-<NUM>, which may define node <NUM>-<NUM> as hierarchically superior to node <NUM>-<NUM>, and node <NUM>-<NUM> as hierarchically inferior to node <NUM>-<NUM> with regard to link <NUM>-<NUM>. In this case, node <NUM>-<NUM> may be termed a master node or a parent node and node <NUM>-<NUM> may be termed a slave node or a child node. Moreover, node <NUM>-<NUM> may be defined as upstream relative to node <NUM>-<NUM> (and node <NUM>-<NUM> may be defined as downstream relative to node <NUM>-<NUM>).

Similarly, node <NUM>-<NUM> includes a master link end point for link <NUM>-<NUM> and node <NUM>-<NUM> includes a slave link end point for link <NUM>-<NUM>. In this case, node <NUM>-<NUM> is hierarchically superior and upstream to node <NUM>-<NUM>, and node <NUM>-<NUM> is hierarchically inferior and downstream to node <NUM>-<NUM> with regard to link <NUM>-<NUM>. In this case, node <NUM>-<NUM> may be termed the master node or the parent node and node <NUM>-<NUM> may be termed the slave node or the child node.

As shown in <FIG>, a set of interfaces may be illustrated for a set of nodes <NUM> in a hierarchical topology. In this case, node <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., a first IAB node) may be hierarchically inferior to node <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., a second IAB node), and may be hierarchically inferior to node <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., an IAB donor). Similarly, node <NUM>-<NUM> may be hierarchically inferior to node <NUM>-<NUM>.

In some aspects, an IAB node may be a node that relays traffic to or from an anchor through one or more hops (e.g., one or more other nodes). In some aspects, an IAB donor may be a node that is associated with a wireline connection to a core network. For example, node <NUM>-<NUM> may include a central unit (CU) that includes an NG interface connecting the CU to a core unit <NUM> (e.g., a Next Gen core (NGC) unit), which may be a node of the core network.

In some aspects, node <NUM>-<NUM> may communicate with nodes <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> via another interface. For example, the CU of node <NUM>-<NUM> may include F1 interfaces to respective distributed units (DUs) of nodes <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>. Additionally, or alternatively, a DU of node <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., which may be a master link end point) may include an NR Uu interface to an MT (e.g., which may be a slave link end point for the NR Uu interface) of node <NUM>-<NUM> and a radio link control adapt-type channel (RLC/adapt) interface to the MT of node <NUM>-<NUM>. Additionally, or alternatively, the DU of node <NUM>-<NUM> may include one or more other interfaces, such as an NR Uu interface to a UE <NUM> (e.g., a node <NUM>), and/or the like.

In some aspects, node <NUM>-<NUM> may communicate using one or more other interfaces. For example, a DU of node <NUM>-<NUM> may include an NR Uu interface to an MT of node <NUM>-<NUM>, an RLC/adapt interface to the MT of node <NUM>-<NUM>, an NR Uu interface to a UE <NUM>, and/or the like. In some aspects, node <NUM>-<NUM> may include one or more other interfaces, such as an NR Uu interface to a UE <NUM>.

In some aspects, the CU, the DUs, and the MTs may be associated with a subset of functions for the nodes <NUM>. For example, the CU of node <NUM>-<NUM> may be associated with communicating with a core network, and may operate in connection with a radio resource control (RRC) layer, a packet data control protocol (PDCP) layer, and/or the like. Additionally, or alternatively, the DUs may be scheduling nodes for corresponding MTs, which may be child nodes. In other words, DUs may represent master link end points for corresponding MTs, which may represent slave link end points. In some aspects, DUs and MTs may be associated with communicating scheduling information in connection with a radio link control (RLC) layer, a media access control (MAC) layer, a physical (PHY) layer, and/or the like.

In some communications systems, such as <NUM> or NR, a multi-link network or multi-hop network may be deployed to enable communication between wireless nodes of the network. A policy, such as a half-duplex constraint, may be enforced for nodes of a network, such as a parent node, a node, and a child node arranged hierarchically. However, an MT of the node may receive scheduling from the parent node indicating transmission via a link, and a DU of the node may provide scheduling to the child node indicating reception on another link, which may violate the half-duplex constraint. Moreover, a lack of flexibility in scheduling in a multi-link network may result in inefficient use of network resources. Some aspects described herein enable multi-link resource coordination. For example, a central entity may be deployed to enforce centralized resource partitioning by providing scheduling information identifying a set of schedulable resources determined based at least in part on feedback information (e.g., a resource utilization report). Similarly, a node may be configured to provide an extended slot format indicator (SFI) based at least in part on a received extended SFI and received uplink feedback to achieve dynamic resource coordination. In this way, a multi-link network may achieve improved latency, improved reliability, improved scheduling flexibility, and/or the like relative to other techniques for resource coordination.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example <NUM> of centralized resource partitioning, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, example <NUM> includes a central entity <NUM> (e.g., an IAB donor), a node <NUM>, a node <NUM>, a UE <NUM>, and a UE <NUM> in a hierarchical topology multi-link network. Central entity <NUM> and node <NUM> may communicate via a link <NUM>; node <NUM> and node <NUM> may communicate via a link <NUM>; UE <NUM> and node <NUM> may communicate via a link <NUM>; and UE <NUM> and node <NUM> may communicate via a link <NUM>.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, central entity <NUM> may receive a resource utilization report. For example, central entity <NUM> may receive one or more resource utilization reports from one or more child nodes of central entity <NUM>, such as node <NUM>, node <NUM>, UE <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like. In some aspects, a node, such as node <NUM>, node <NUM>, UE <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like may determine a resource utilization, and may provide the resource utilization report to enable central entity <NUM> to determine a schedulable resources bitmap. For example, node <NUM> may receive a first schedulable resources bitmap from central entity <NUM>, may use one or more schedulable resources in the multi-link network, and may provide a resource utilization report indicating a utilization of the schedulable resources identified by the first schedulable resources bitmap. In this case, central entity <NUM> may determine a second schedulable resources bitmap for node <NUM> based at least in part on the resource utilization report (e.g., and one or more other resource utilization reports from one or more other child nodes of central entity <NUM>), thereby enabling centralized dynamic reconfiguration of scheduling for the multi-link network.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by and by reference number <NUM>, central entity <NUM> may determine a schedulable resources bitmap. For example, central entity <NUM> may determine one or more schedulable resources bitmaps for node <NUM>, node <NUM>, UE <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like. In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap based at least in part on a resource utilization report received from, and propagated upstream by node <NUM>, node <NUM>, UE <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like.

In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap based at least in part on a policy in the multi-link network. For example, for nodes with a direct connection (e.g., nodes <NUM> and <NUM> via link <NUM>), central entity <NUM> may determine a first schedulable resources bitmap for node <NUM> and a second schedulable resources bitmap for node <NUM>. In this case, the first schedulable resources bitmap and the second schedulable resources bitmap may be determined such that schedulable resources indicated to nodes <NUM> and <NUM> are non-overlapping in time. In other words, a first set of schedulable resources indicated to node <NUM> does not overlap in time with a second set of schedulable resources indicated to node <NUM> via respective schedulable resources bitmaps. In this way, a half-duplexing policy may be enforced for the multi-link network.

Additionally, or alternatively, as shown by reference number <NUM>, central entity <NUM> may determine a first schedulable resources bitmap and a second schedulable resources bitmap for node <NUM> and node <NUM>, respectively, such that schedulable resources indicated to nodes <NUM> and <NUM> are overlapping in time, but are associated with a coordinated semi-static slot format configuration. In this case, the respective schedulable resource bitmaps are such that node <NUM> is receiving from both central entity <NUM> and node <NUM> in a third slot and is transmitting to both central entity <NUM> and node <NUM> in a fourth slot. In this way, central entity <NUM> may enforce a half-duplexing policy for the multi-link network.

In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap based at least in part on a particular scheduling granularity. For example, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap to indicate a scheduling for one or more slots (e.g., a single slot or a slot group), which may reduce signaling overhead relative to scheduling on a per symbol or per symbol group basis, thereby improving network utilization. Additionally, or alternatively, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap to indicate scheduling for one or symbols (e.g., a single symbol or a symbol group), which may enable greater flexibility in scheduling patterns relative to scheduling on a per slot or per slot group basis, thereby improving latency. In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may determine a parameter of a schedulable resources bitmap (e.g., a particular bit indicator) based at least in part on a channel type. For example, central entity <NUM> may determine a first schedulable resources bitmap parameter for resources for a physical downlink control channel (PDDCH), a second schedulable resources bitmap parameter for resources for a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), and/or the like.

In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap and/or one or more parameters thereof based at least in part on a radio resource control (RRC) configuration of one or more other nodes, such as node <NUM>, node <NUM>, UE <NUM>, UE <NUM>, and/or the like. In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap based at least in part on a resource allocation. For example, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap to apply to all allocated resources. In this case, one or more allocated resources, which correspond to a non-schedulable resource associated with the schedulable resources bitmap, are invalid.

Additionally, or alternatively, central entity <NUM> may determine the schedulable resources bitmap based at least in part on a channel type or resource allocation type. For example, central entity <NUM> may determine that some allocated resources, such as synchronization signal block (SSB) resources, type-<NUM> PDCCH resources, PRACH resources, and/or the like are classified as always schedulable resources, and may determine the schedulable resources bitmap to indicate for allocated resources that are not classified as always schedulable resources. In this case, node <NUM> may apply the schedulable resources bitmap to a portion of a resource allocation that is not classified as always schedulable resources. In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may dynamically indicate a policy for resolving a conflict between a schedulable resources bitmap and a resource allocation associated with, for example, a particular type of channel.

In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may determine an attribute parameter for the schedulable resources bitmap. For example, central entity <NUM> may determine an attribute parameter for a first schedulable resources bitmap indicating that the first schedulable resources bitmap applies for an access link of node <NUM>, and may determine an attribute parameter for a second schedulable resources bitmap indicating that the second schedulable resources bitmap applies for a backhaul link of node <NUM>. In this way, central entity <NUM> may determine schedulable resources bitmaps for nodes associated with a plurality of links.

Similarly, the central entity <NUM> may configure an attribute parameter indicating that a particular schedulable resources bitmap applies to all links of node <NUM>, all access links of node <NUM>, a subset of access links of node <NUM>, all backhaul links of node <NUM>, a subset of backhaul links of node <NUM>, and/or the like. Additionally, or alternatively, central entity <NUM> may determine an attribute parameter identifying an allocation granularity (e.g., whether the schedulable resources bitmap applies on a per slot basis, a per symbol basis, and/or the like), a time parameter (e.g., whether the schedulable resources bitmap applies to a particular time segment, to a particular scheduling type, such as FDM, and/or the like), a channel type parameter (e.g., whether the schedulable resources bitmap applies to an SSB, a PDCCH, a PDSCH, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), a PRACH, and/or the like), a traffic type parameter (e.g., whether the schedulable resources bitmap applies to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) traffic, ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) traffic, and/or the like), and/or the like.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, central entity <NUM> may provide the schedulable resources bitmap. For example, central entity <NUM> may provide the schedulable resources bitmap to node <NUM>. In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may provide a plurality of schedulable resources bitmaps. For example, central entity <NUM> may provide a first schedulable resources bitmap to node <NUM>, a second schedulable resources bitmap to node <NUM>, and/or the like. In this way, central entity <NUM> may schedule communications on the multi-link network such that a policy, such as a half-duplexing constraint, is satisfied.

In some aspects, central entity <NUM> may provide the schedulable resources bitmap via a particular interface. For example, central entity <NUM> may provide a first schedulable resources bitmap to node <NUM> via an F1 application protocol (F1-AP) interface, and may provide a second schedulable resources bitmap to node <NUM> via an F1-AP interface. Similarly, central entity <NUM> may receive the resource utilization report from, for example, node <NUM> and/or node <NUM> via respective F1-AP interfaces. In some aspects, a set of interaction rules for the schedulable resources bitmap and a resource allocation may be stored in a data structure (e.g., of central entity <NUM>, node <NUM>, node <NUM>, and/or the like, and may be signaled using an F1-AP interface. Additionally, or alternatively, the set of interaction rules for interpreting the schedulable resources bitmap may be dynamically indicated based at least in part on a selection of one or more interaction rules of a set of candidate interaction rules.

In some aspects, the set of interaction rules may specify that the schedulable resource bitmap is applicable for all resource allocations, and any allocated resources that are associated with non-schedulable resources are invalid. Additionally, or alternatively, the set of interaction rules may establish that a resource allocation associated with a synchronization signal block (SSB), a type-<NUM> physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical random access channel (PRACH), and/or the like are to be considered schedulable resources, and the schedulable resources bitmap is only applicable to a remaining resource allocation. Additionally, or alternatively, the set of interaction rules may establish that a mobile terminal (MT) of a node (e.g., node <NUM>, node <NUM>, and/or the like) is to cancel an operation that conflicts with an operation of a co-located distributed unit (DU) of the node at the DU's schedulable resources.

In some aspects, an interaction rule may define that time resources with channel allocations that have a threshold performance impact (e.g., an SSB, a type-<NUM> PDCCH, a PRACH, etc.) are always schedulable. In some aspects, an interaction rule may define that resources are to be interpretable as schedulable resources for a particular type of link. For example, in a synchronous network, resources of an SSB or type-<NUM> PDCCH allocation may be schedulable for an access type of link. In some aspects, a schedulable pattern for the schedulable resource bitmap may be constrained based at least in part on a potential conflict with a resource allocation. In some aspects, a central unit (CU) (e.g., central entity <NUM>) and a node (e.g., node <NUM>, node <NUM>, etc.) may allocate resources based at least in part on a schedulable pattern.

In some aspects, a CU (e.g., central entity <NUM>), an MT (e.g., node <NUM>, node <NUM>, etc.), a DU (e.g., node <NUM>, node <NUM>, etc.) may resolve a particular conflict between a schedulable resource bitmap and a resource allocation. For example, when a radio-resource control (RRC)-configured allocation (e.g., a periodic or semi-persistent allocation) with allocated resources overlapping with non-schedulable resources is signaled, a DU may cancel transmission or reception at non-schedulable resources based at least in part on the schedulable resources bitmap. Similarly, child nodes of the DU may refrain from transmission or reception at non-schedulable resources without having signaled a schedulable resource bitmap at an NR Uu interface.

In some aspects, based at least in part on receiving the schedulable resources bitmap, a node, such as node <NUM> or node <NUM>, may configure layer <NUM> (L2) scheduling. For example, node <NUM> may determine L2 scheduling for link <NUM> with UE <NUM> based at least in part on the schedulable resources bitmap to satisfy a policy of the multi-link network, such as a half-duplexing policy. In this way, central entity <NUM> may perform centralized resource partitioning for a multi-link network.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example <NUM> of dynamic resource coordination, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, example <NUM> includes a parent node <NUM>, a node <NUM>, and a child node <NUM> communicating in a multi-link network. In some aspects, parent node <NUM> and node <NUM> may communicate via link <NUM>, and node <NUM> and child node <NUM> may communicate via link <NUM>.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, node <NUM> may receive an extended SFI from parent node <NUM>. For example, node <NUM> may receive the extended SFI from parent node <NUM> via link <NUM>. In some aspects, the extended SFI may include a null field. For example, parent node <NUM> may set a null (N) value for a field to dynamically indicate non-schedulable resources to node <NUM> (e.g., a child node of parent node <NUM>). In some aspects, the null value may be applicable for a particular type of resource. For example, parent node <NUM> may not set the null value for a resource that is allocated for a synchronization signal block (SSB), a physical random access channel (PRACH), a physical downlink control channel (PDDCH) type-<NUM>, and/or the like.

In some aspects, the extended SFI may include one or more other values, such as a downlink (↓) value, an uplink value (↑), a flexible (x) value (e.g., that may be flexibly used for downlink or uplink), and/or the like. In this way, parent node <NUM> may indicate scheduling to node <NUM>. In some aspects, node <NUM> may receive the extended SFI based at least in part on dynamic coordination being configured for the network. For example, a first node (e.g., node <NUM>) may transmit a dynamic coordination flag to a second node (e.g., parent node <NUM>) to indicate that dynamic coordination is to be enabled based at least in part on a capability of the first node and/or the second node.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, node <NUM> may receive a null adjust request from child node <NUM>. For example, node <NUM> may receive the null adjust request from child node <NUM> via link <NUM>. In some aspects, the null adjust request may include a value indicating a change to a null field of an extended SFI message. For example, child node <NUM> may indicate an increase to a quantity of null fields or a reduction to a quantity of null fields. Additionally, or alternatively, child node <NUM> may indicate that no change is to be applied to the null fields. In some aspects, node <NUM> may receive the null adjust request via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) message, a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) message, and/or the like.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, node <NUM> may determine an extended SFI based at least in part on the received SFI and the received null adjust request. For example, node <NUM> may determine the extended SFI based at least in part on values of the received extended SFI from parent node <NUM> and a value for the received null adjust request from child node <NUM>. In this way, node <NUM> uses the extended SFI and the null adjust request to dynamically coordinate communication in a multi-link network. In some aspects, node <NUM> may determine the extended SFI to enforce one or more policies for the multi-link network. For example, node <NUM> may determine the extended SFI to cause a scheduling for link <NUM> and link <NUM> to satisfy a half-duplexing policy.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, node <NUM> may provide the determined extended SFI to child node <NUM>. For example, node <NUM> may provide the determined extended SFI to child node <NUM> (and/or to one or more other child nodes). In some aspects, node <NUM> may provide the determined SFI to child node <NUM> to indicate to child node <NUM> a schedule for a monitoring occasion (e.g., a set of <NUM> slots of a channel associated with link <NUM>).

In some aspects, the determined extended SFI may be associated with a particular delay corresponding to a PDCCH decoding capability of, for example, node <NUM>. For example, node <NUM> may be associated with a particular delay in decoding a PDCCH conveying the received extended SFI. In this case, a communication schedule may account for the particular delay by including one or more repeated slots. For example, for a one slot per hop delay in a multi-link network with a set of <NUM> hierarchical nodes, a first monitoring occasion at a first node may be associated with <NUM> repeated slots, a second monitoring occasion at a second node may be associated with <NUM> repeated slots, a third monitoring occasion at a third node may be associated with <NUM> repeated slots, and a fourth monitoring occasion at a fourth node may be associated with <NUM> repeated slot. In this way, each node (e.g., parent node <NUM>, node <NUM>, child node <NUM>, and/or the like) may determine a slot format for a monitoring occasion based at least in part on an extended SFI.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, node <NUM> may provide the received null adjust request to parent node <NUM>. For example, node <NUM> may propagate the received null adjust request to parent node <NUM> to enable parent node <NUM> to adjust a schedule of a next extended SFI that is to be provided to node <NUM> to schedule link <NUM> for parent node <NUM> and node <NUM>. In this way, node <NUM> enables uplink feedback for dynamic coordination in a multi-link network.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> performed, for example, by a central entity, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Example process <NUM> is an example where a central entity (e.g., BS <NUM>, UE <NUM>, central entity <NUM>, and/or the like) performs centralized resource partitioning.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include determining a set of schedulable resources for a plurality of links associated with a plurality of nodes of a multi-link network, wherein at least one node, of the plurality of nodes, is not a parent node or a child node of the central entity (block <NUM>). For example, the central entity (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like) may determine a set of schedulable resources for a plurality of links associated with a plurality of nodes of a multi-link network, wherein at least one node, of the plurality of nodes, is not a parent node or a child node of the central entity, as described in more detail above with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and/or <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include providing scheduling information to the plurality of nodes to schedule communication on the plurality of links based at least in part on determining the set of schedulable resources (block <NUM>). For example, the central entity (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, and/or the like) may provide scheduling information to the plurality of nodes to schedule communication on the plurality of links based at least in part on determining the set of schedulable resources, as described in more detail above with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and/or <NUM>.

In a first aspect, the central entity is configured to determine the set of schedulable resources based at least in part on a resource utilization report received from another one of the plurality of nodes. In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, the scheduling information is a schedulable resource bitmap, wherein bits of the schedulable resource bitmap indicate whether corresponding resource units are schedulable by a particular node of the plurality of nodes. In a third aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first and second aspects, a message received by the central entity to identify the set of schedulable resources or a message conveying the scheduling information is an F1 Application Protocol (F1-AP) message. In a fourth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through third aspects, a first subset of the set of schedulable resources is associated with a first direction in the network and a second subset of the set of schedulable resources is associated with a second direction in the network. In a fifth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through fourth aspects, the first subset and the second subset are non-overlapping in a time domain.

In a sixth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through fifth aspects, the first subset and the second subset are overlapping in time and associated with a coordinated semi-static slot format configuration. In a seventh aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through sixth aspects, the central entity is configured to schedule communication on at least one of: a per slot basis, a per slot group basis, a per symbol basis, or a per symbol group basis. In an eighth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through seventh aspects, the central entity is configured to determine the scheduling information based at least in part on at least one of radio resource configuration of the plurality of nodes.

In a ninth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through eighth aspects, the central entity is configured to receive a resource utilization report identifying a utilization of one or more schedulable resources, and the resource utilization report is determined based at least in part on layer <NUM> (L2) scheduling. In a tenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through ninth aspects, the set of scheduling resources are determined based at least in part on at least one of: a time resource, a channel allocation, a link type, a scheduling pattern capability parameter, a resource availability, an allocation type, or an aggregation parameter. In an eleventh aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through tenth aspects, the scheduling information is associated with an attribute parameter, and the attribute parameter identifies at least one of: an allocation granularity, a link association, a time segment, a channel type, or a traffic type.

In a twelfth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through eleventh aspects, the scheduling information is associated with one or more links of the plurality of links, and the one or more links include at least one of: the plurality of links, a subset of the plurality of links, a set of access links of the plurality of links, a set of backhaul links of the plurality of links. In a thirteenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through twelfth aspects, the scheduling information is associated with a channel type, and the channel type includes at least one of: a synchronization signal block channel, a physical downlink control channel, a physical downlink shared channel, or a physical uplink shared channel. In a fourteenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through thirteenth aspects, the scheduling information is configured for a particular channel type based at least in part on explicit configuration information included in the scheduling information or implicit configuration information associated with a radio resource configuration message.

In a fifteenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through fourteenth aspects, the central entity is configured to comply with one or more interaction rules for the set of schedulable resources. In a sixteenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through fifteenth aspects, the one or more interaction rules define the set of schedulable resources as applicable for an entirety of a resource allocation. In a seventeenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through sixteenth aspects, the one or more interaction rules define a particular type of channel as a schedulable resource, and the particular type of channel includes at least one of: a synchronization signal block, a type-<NUM> physical downlink control channel, or a physical random access channel.

In an eighteenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through seventeenth aspects, the one or more interaction rules define a particular type of link. In a nineteenth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through eighteenth aspects, providing the scheduling information includes causing a first node, of the plurality of nodes, to cancel an operation that conflicts with an operation of a second node, of the plurality of nodes, in accordance with the one or more interaction rules. In a twentieth aspect, alone or in combination with any one of the first through nineteenth aspects, a first subset of the set of schedulable resources is associated with a first scheduling node, of the plurality of nodes, and a second subset of the set of schedulable resources is associated with a second scheduling node of the plurality of nodes, and the first scheduling node is directly connected to the second scheduling node.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> performed, for example, by a node, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Example process <NUM> is an example where a node (e.g., BS <NUM>, UE <NUM>, node <NUM>, and/or the like) of a network performs dynamic resource coordination.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include determining an extended slot format indicator for the node based at least in part on a received extended slot format indicator of a parent node of the node and a received null adjust request from a child node of the node, wherein the extended slot format indicator for the node includes a null field identifying a non-schedulable resource of the node (block <NUM>). For example, the node (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like) may determine an extended slot format indicator for the node based at least in part on a received extended slot format indicator of a parent node of the node and a received null adjust request from a child node of the node, wherein the extended slot format indicator for the node includes a null field identifying a non-schedulable resource of the node, as described in more detail above with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and/or <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include providing the determined extended slot format indicator to the child node of the node (block <NUM>). For example, the node (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, and/or the like) may provide the determined extended slot format indicator to the child node of the node, as described in more detail above with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and/or <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include providing the received null adjust request to the parent node of the node (block <NUM>). For example, the node (e.g., using controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, and/or the like) may provide the received null adjust request to the parent node of the node, as described in more detail above with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and/or <NUM>.

In a first aspect, the node is configured to receive the received null adjust request message in a physical uplink control channel or a media access control (MAC) control element (CE). In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, a quantity of repeated slots in the extended slot format indicator for the node relative to the received extended slot format indicator of the parent node corresponds to a physical downlink control channel decoding capability and a physical downlink channel monitoring occasion schedule.

In a third aspect, alone or in combination with any one or more of the first and second aspects, the node is configured to use the extended slot format indicator based at least in part on a value for a dynamic coordination flag. In a fourth aspect, alone or in combination with any one or more of the first through third aspects, the node is configured to define one or more slots as null slots and one or more symbols as null symbols. In a fifth aspect, alone or in combination with any one or more of the first through fourth aspects, the null slots are not resources allocated for at least one of: a synchronization signal block, a physical random access channel, or a type-<NUM> physical downlink control channel.

n The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the aspects to the precise form disclosed.

No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles "a" and "an" are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with "one or more. " Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "set" and "group" are intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, a combination of related and unrelated items, and/or the like), and may be used interchangeably with "one or more. " Where only one item is intended, the term "only one" or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms "has," "have," "having," and/or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase "based on" is intended to mean "based, at least in part, on" unless explicitly stated otherwise. In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, a quantity of repeated slots in the extended slot format indicator for the node relative to the received extended slot format indicator of the parent node corresponds to a physical downlink control channel decoding capability and a physical downlink channel monitoring occasion schedule.

Claim 1:
A method of wireless communication performed by a node (<NUM>) of a network, comprising:
determining (<NUM>) an extended slot format indicator for the node (<NUM>) based at least in part on a received extended slot format indicator of a parent node (<NUM>) of the node (<NUM>) and a received null adjust request from a child node (<NUM>) of the node (<NUM>),
wherein the extended slot format indicator for the node (<NUM>) includes a null field identifying a non-schedulable resource of the node (<NUM>) and wherein the null adjust request indicates a change to a null field of an extended slot format indicator message;
providing (<NUM>) the determined extended slot format indicator to the child node (<NUM>) of the node (<NUM>); and
providing (<NUM>) the received null adjust request to the parent node (<NUM>) of the node (<NUM>).