Mobile communications device and system

• US 10,700,764 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2018
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Rakotoharison, Lanto, Panaitopol, Dorin, Delsol, Thomas, Jactat, Caroline
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US15/878,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20180219608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A mobile device (7) configured to provide relay capabilities in a communications system (1) by communicating network-level mobile device relaying capabilities and radio-level mobile device relaying capabilities from the mobile device (7) to a communications node (3) of the communications system (1) so that the mobile device (7) can relay communications between the communications node (3) and another mobile device (2). User subscription information related to relaying is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) for use in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:

a controller configured to;

include a first relay capability information as part of UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, wherein the first relay capability information indicates the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and

a transceiver configured to;

provide a relay communication for another UE, and

transmit the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

2. The UE according to the claim 1,

wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

3. The UE according to claim 1,

wherein the UE capability information further includes second relay capability information which indicates a relay capability between the UE and the another UE.

4. The UE according to claim 1,

wherein the UE capability information is transmitted to a Mobile Management Entity (MME) via a base station.

5. The UE according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the transceiver to transmit the UE capability information in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

6. The UE according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the transceiver to transmit the second capability information in a NAS message.

7. A base station for use in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising:

a transceiver;

a controller configured to;

control the transceiver to receive, from a user equipment (UE), a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and

control the transceiver to forward, to a Mobile Management Entity (MME), the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

8. The base station according to the claim 7,

wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE the network relay.

9. The base station according to claim 7,

wherein the UE capability information is transmitted in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

10. A Mobile Management Entity (MME) for use in a wireless communication system, the MME comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and

a controller configured to control the MME to store the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

11. The MME according to the claim 10,

wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

12. The MME according to claim 10,

wherein the UE capability information is transmitted in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

13. A method for a user equipment (UE) to use in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

including a first relay capability information as part of UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, wherein the first relay capability information indicates the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and

providing a relay communication for another UE, and

transmitting the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

14. The method according to the claim 13,

wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

15. The method according to claim 13,

wherein the UE capability information further includes second relay capability information which indicates a relay capability between the UE and the another UE.

16. The method according to claim 13,

wherein the UE capability information is transmitted to a Mobile Management Entity (MME) via a base station.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting the UE capability information in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting the second capability information in a NAS message.

19. A method for a base station to use in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and

forwarding, to a Mobile Management Entity (MME), the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

20. The method according to the claim 19,

wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

21. The method according to claim 19,

wherein the UE capability information is transmitted in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

22. A method for a Mobile Management Entity (MME) to use in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and

store in the MME the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

23. The method according to the claim 22,

wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

24. The MME according to claim 22,

wherein the UE capability information is transmitted in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.