Abstract: A method and apparatus of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method and apparatus comprises: receiving a synchronization signals and physical broadcast channel (SS/PBCH) block; determining whether a shared spectrum channel access is enabled; determining a first index of the SS/PBCH block as a candidate SS/PBCH block index (ISSB1) based on a number of candidate SS/PBCH blocks in a half frame; and determining a second index of the SS/PBCH block as an SS/PBCH block index (ISSB2) based on a quasi-co-location (QCL) parameter (Q) indicated by a PBCH in the SS/PBCH block, wherein the SS/PBCH block index (ISSB2) is determined as: ISSB2=ISSB1 mod Q based on a determination that the shared spectrum channel access is enabled, where mod is a modular operation; or ISSB2=ISSB1 based on the determination that the shared spectrum channel access is not enabled.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for a channel access in a wireless communication systems. A method of a UE in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: determining whether, for a first time duration, a channel is sensed as an idle state for a channel access procedure; occupying the channel for a second time duration based on a determination that the channel is sensed as the idle state; and transmitting, for at least a portion of the second time duration, a signal on the channel, wherein the first time duration and the second time duration are based on a SL PPPP for a SL communication.

Abstract: For CSI reporting mechanisms, a user equipment (UE) includes a transceiver and a processor operably connected to the transceiver. The transceiver is configured to receive channel state information (CSI) process configuration information including at least one beamformed type associated with a plurality of non-zero-power (NZP) CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resource configurations and receive a CSI-RS resource index (CRI) reporting configuration. The processor is configured to calculate, in response to receipt of the configuration information, a CRI and a channel quality indicator (CQI). The transceiver is further configured to report the CRI and the CQI by transmitting the CRI and the CQI on an uplink channel.

Abstract: Configuring control information comprises determining a frequency offset including an RB and RE level frequency offset, where the frequency offset is determined based on a lowest RE of an SS/PBCH block and a lowest RE of CORESET for RMSI, jointly configuring, using a first field of 4 bits, the RB level frequency offset with a multiplexing pattern of the SS/PBCH block and the CORESET, a BW of the CORESET, and a number of symbols for the CORESET for a combination of a SCS of the SS/PBCH block and a SCS of the CORESET, configuring using a second field of the 4 bits generating an MIB including the RB level frequency offset and the RE level frequency offset; and transmitting, to a UE, the MIB over a PBCH.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for an interlace based resource pool sidelink (SL) in a wireless communication system. A method of a user equipment (UE) includes receiving a set of configurations and determining, from the set of configurations, a resource pool including a set of sub-channels. A sub-channel in the set of sub-channels includes a set of interlaces of resource blocks (RBs). An interlace in the set of interlaces includes RBs with a uniform interval of M RBs. The method further includes determining a set of resources within the resource pool allocated for a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) or a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) and transmitting, to another UE, the PSCCH or PSFCH based on the determined set of resources.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for sidelink (SL) resource allocation in unlicensed spectrum in a wireless communication system. A method of operating a user equipment (UE) includes performing sensing on a SL interface; determining, based on the sensing, a set of available SL resources within a SL resource pool; and selecting a slot within the SL resource pool. The method further includes performing a listen-before-talk (LBT) channel access procedure before the slot; determining a presence of available SL resources from the set of available SL resources within the slot; and transmitting, based on the LBT channel access procedure being successful and the presence being determined, in an available SL resource from the available SL resources within the slot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system are provided. The method and apparatus comprise: receiving a set of higher layer parameters including configuration information for sidelink synchronization signals and physical sidelink broadcast channel (S-SS/PSBCH) block; determining, based on the configuration information for the S-SS/PSBCH block, a number of transmitted S-SS/PSBCH blocks (NSSB), an offset for transmitted S-SS/PSBCH blocks (OSSB), and an interval for transmitted S-SS/PSBCH blocks (DSSB); and determining a set of slots containing the transmitted S-SS/PSBCH blocks within a period for a transmission of the S-SS/PSBCH block, wherein an index of a slot in the set of slots is determined based on OSSB+ISSB*DSSB, where ISSB is an index of the S-SS/PSBCH block with 0?ISSB?NSSB?1.

Abstract: A UE in a wireless communication system is provided. The UE comprises a transceiver configured to receive, from a BS, a SS/PBCH block including the PBCH using a first frequency location (GSCN-Current) over downlink channels, GSCN-Current being based on a set of predefined synchronization rasters that is determined by a global synchronization channel number (GSCN). The UE further comprises a processor operably connected to the transceiver, the processor configured to determine the SS/PBCH block, identify content of a PBCH included in the determined SS/PBCH block, determine a configuration for at least one of the SS/PBCH block that is associated with a PDCCH including scheduling information for RMSI on the GSCN-Current or the SS/PBCH block that is not associated with the PDCCH including the scheduling information for the RMSI on the GSCN-Current.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system are provided. A method of operating a UE includes receiving a set of configurations; determining, based on the set of configurations, a number NperiodS-SSB of sidelink synchronization signals and physical sidelink broadcast channel (S-SS/PSBCH) blocks to transmit in a period; and determining, based on the set of configurations, a transmission window for transmitting the S-SS/PSBCH blocks in the period. The method further includes determining a set of candidate slots for transmitting the S-SS/PSBCH blocks in the transmission window; performing channel access procedures before the set of candidate slots for transmitting the S-SS/PSBCH blocks in the transmission window; and transmitting, to another UE, the S-SS/PSBCH blocks over a sidelink channel with shared channel access, upon successfully performing the channel access procedures.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for adapting a channel sensing threshold in a wireless communication system operating with shared spectrum channel access. A method for operating a base station (BS) includes determining whether an antenna configuration for channel sensing is omni-directional or directional and determining a channel sensing threshold. The channel sensing threshold includes two parts: a first part of the channel sensing threshold being common for omni-directional and directional antenna configurations and a second part of the channel sensing threshold depending on the antenna configuration. The method further includes performing a channel sensing procedure based on the antenna configuration and the channel sensing threshold and transmitting downlink (DL) data over a channel based on the channel being sensed as idle in the channel sensing procedure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for a sidelink synchronization signals and physical sidelink broadcast channel block (S-SS/PSBCH) block structure for unlicensed operation. A method of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system includes determining a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a sidelink synchronization signals and physical sidelink broadcast channel (S-SS/PSBCH) block; determining a set of interlaced resource blocks (RBs). The set of interlaced RBs includes RBs with a uniform interval k. The method further includes mapping the S-SS/PSBCH block to the set of interlaced RBs and transmitting, to another UE, the S-SS/PSBCH block over a sidelink channel.

Abstract: A UE in a wireless communication system is provided. The UE comprises a transceiver configured to receive, from a BS, a SS/PBCH block including the PBCH using a first frequency location (GSCN-Current) over downlink channels, GSCN-Current being based on a set of predefined synchronization rasters that is determined by a global synchronization channel number (GSCN). The UE further comprises a processor operably connected to the transceiver, the processor configured to determine the SS/PBCH block, identify content of a PBCH included in the determined SS/PBCH block, determine a configuration for at least one of the SS/PBCH block that is associated with a PDCCH including scheduling information for RMSI on the GSCN-Current or the SS/PBCH block that is not associated with the PDCCH including the scheduling information for the RMSI on the GSCN-Current.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a first set of signal quality measurements (SQMs) from among a plurality of reference signals received at an electronic device. The SQMs correspond to reference signals, respectively. The reference signals correspond to candidate time slots (CTS), respectively. The method includes identifying a first set of reference signals in the plurality of reference signals based on the first set of SQMs satisfying a first quality condition. The method includes identifying a second set of reference signals in the plurality of reference signals based on the first set of SQMs satisfying a second quality condition. The method includes identifying, as first CTS for an electronic device to use for a radar operation, candidate time slots corresponding to the first set of reference signals. The method includes identifying, as second CTSs for the electronic device to use for wireless communication, CTSs corresponding to the second set of reference signals.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for control signaling for an unlicensed spectrum band. A method of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system includes receiving, from a base station (BS), a downlink control information (DCI) format and determining a type of channel access procedure based on a field in the DCI format. The type of channel access procedure is one of: a first type of channel access procedure that includes a random time duration for sensing; a second type of channel access procedure that includes a positive and deterministic time duration for sensing; or a third type of channel access procedure that does not include a time duration for sensing. The method further includes performing a channel access procedure based on the determined type of channel access procedure and transmitting an uplink transmission on a channel with shared spectrum channel access after performing the channel access procedure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses in a wireless communication system. A method of operating a user equipment (UE) includes storing a previous layer 3 (L3) filtered measurement result; receiving L3 filtering configuration information including a first filter coefficient value (k) and a first filtering window value; identifying a generation time instance of the previous L3 filtered measurement result; identifying the first filter coefficient value (k) and the first filtering window value included in the L3 filtering configuration information; in response to receiving a latest measurement result from a lower layer, determining whether the generation time instance of the previous L3 filtered measurement result was obtained within a time window that is a function of a first time instance and a second time instance; and performing an L3 filtering operation to trigger a measurement report based on a result of the determination.

Abstract: Configuring control information comprises determining a frequency offset including an RB and RE level frequency offset, where the frequency offset is determined based on a lowest RE of an SS/PBCH block and a lowest RE of CORESET for RMSI, jointly configuring, using a first field of 4 bits, the RB level frequency offset with a multiplexing pattern of the SS/PBCH block and the CORESET, a BW of the CORESET, and a number of symbols for the CORESET for a combination of a SCS of the SS/PBCH block and a SCS of the CORESET, configuring using a second field of the 4 bits generating an MIB including the RB level frequency offset and the RE level frequency offset; and transmitting, to a UE, the MIB over a PBCH.

Abstract: A UE in a wireless communication system is provided. The UE comprises at least one processor configured to identify a DTTC including at least one of a first periodicity, a duration of a first transmission window, or a first timing offset of the first transmission window, wherein the DTTC is identified for the DSCH or RLM in a serving cell, and identify a DMTC including at least one of a second periodicity, a duration of a second transmission window, or a second timing offset of the second transmission window, wherein the DMTC is identified for RRM measurement based on the DSCH. The UE further comprises a transceiver operably connected to the processor, the transceiver configured to receive, from a BS, at least one DSCH from a set of DSCH over unlicensed downlink channels based on the identified DTTC, wherein the received at least one DSCH includes a SS/PBCH block.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses in a wireless communication system operating with shared spectrum channel access. A method of operating a UE includes receiving an SS/PBCH block; determining a higher-layer parameter ssb-SubcarrierOffset based on an MIB of a PBCH included in the SS/PBCH block; determining a bit (??+5) from a payload of the PBCH; and determining a first value (kSSB) based on a second value (kSSB). Four LSBs of the second value (kSSB) are indicated by the higher-layer parameter ssb-SubcarrierOffset and an MSB of the second value (kSSB) is indicated by the bit (??+5).

Abstract: A user equipment (UE), a base station, and a method for managing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback for downlink synchronization. The UE includes at least one transceiver configured to receive downlink control information (DCI) in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and at least one processor operably connected to the at least one transceiver. The at least one processor is configured to determine, based on a first field in the DCI, whether a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback is disabled, and determine, if the HARQ feedback is disabled, a second field in the DCI to be one of a reserved field or a zero bitwidth field based on a format of the DCI.

Abstract: Configuring control information comprises determining a frequency offset including an RB and RE level frequency offset, where the frequency offset is determined based on a lowest RE of an SS/PBCH block and a lowest RE of CORESET for RMSI, jointly configuring, using a first field of 4 bits, the RB level frequency offset with a multiplexing pattern of the SS/PBCH block and the CORESET, a BW of the CORESET, and a number of symbols for the CORESET for a combination of a SCS of the SS/PBCH block and a SCS of the CORESET, configuring using a second field of the 4 bits generating an MIB including the RB level frequency offset and the RE level frequency offset; and transmitting, to a UE, the MIB over a PBCH.