	US 12,193,072 B2
	Reducing likelihood of RACH transmission blockages for NR-U operation
Hong He, San Jose, CA (US); Chunhai Yao, Beijing (CN); Chunxuan Ye, San Diego, CA (US); Dawei Zhang, Saratoga, CA (US); Haitong Sun, Cupertino, CA (US); Jie Cui, San Jose, CA (US); Oghenekome Oteri, San Diego, CA (US); Sigen Ye, San Diego, CA (US); Wei Zeng, Saratoga, CA (US); Weidong Yang, San Diego, CA (US); Yang Tang, San Jose, CA (US); and Yushu Zhang, Beijing (CN)
Assigned to APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/475,455.
Application 18/475,455 is a continuation of application No. 17/593,523, previously published as PCT/CN2020/090526, filed on May 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0023169 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 74/08 (2024.01); H04L 1/00 (2006.01); H04W 74/0808 (2024.01); H04W 74/0833 (2024.01)

CPC H04W 74/0833 (2013.01) [H04L 1/0068 (2013.01); H04W 74/0808 (2013.01)]

18 Claims

1. A method, performed by a base station to facilitate an initial access procedure for new radio (NR) unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) operation in a fifth generation (5G) wireless communication system, of reducing likelihood of Random Access Channel (RACH) transmission blockages, the method comprising:

providing to a user equipment (UE) an indication that, from among a set of consecutive RACH Occasions (ROs), a gap is available for performing a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure before commencing a RACH transmission,

wherein the indication includes a bitmask having a set of logical values corresponding to the set of consecutive ROs such that each logical value indicates whether a corresponding RO is valid or invalid for the RACH transmission to indicate the gap available for performing the LBT procedure; and

receiving the RACH transmission in a valid RO of the set, the valid RO being outside a period of the gap.