Communications device and methods

• US 10,743,322 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2018
• Issued: 08/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Martin, Brian Alexander, Nord, Lars, Berggren, Anders, Wakabayashi, Hideji, Webb, Matthew William
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Syed
• Application Number:
  US16/199,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20190110284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/53 based on regulatory allocation policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A communications device, and method, is configured with at least one of an indication of first communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be allocated on request to the communications device by a mobile communications network for transmitting signals in one or more other communications devices in accordance with the first mode of operation or an indication of second communications resources of the wireless access interface, which can be used by the communications device for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices in accordance with a second mode of operation using a device to device communications protocol.

Claims

1. A communications device comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit signals to one or more other communications devices via a wireless access interface to perform device-to-device communications;

a receiver configured to receive signals from the one or more other communications devices via the wireless access interface; and

a controller configured, in combination with the transmitter and receiver, to control the transmitter and the receiver to transmit or to receive the signals via the wireless access interface to transmit or to receive data represented by the signals in accordance with a device to device communications, wherein the controller is configured to be provided with

an indication of one or more first communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be allocated on request to the communications device by a mobile communications network for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with the first mode of operation, when the communications device is within a coverage area provided by the mobile communications network, and

an indication of one or more second communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be used by the communications device for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with the second mode of operation using device to device communications protocol, when the communications device is within the coverage area provided by the mobile communications network, and

the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter and the receiver to

receive, from the mobile communications network, an indication of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation; and

in a case that the indication provided by the mobile communications network indicates that the communications device can use the at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation, transmit signals to the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources allocated by the mobile communications network in accordance with a first mode of operation or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources, and

in a case that the indication provided by the mobile communications network indicates that the communications device can use the at least one of the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation, transmit signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol.

2. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the indication received by the communications device of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation, and the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation is dependent upon one of a plurality of predetermined classes of communications devices.

3. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the controller is provided with one of a predetermined plurality of classes, each of the predetermined classes indicating an access class, each access class having associated therewith an access probability level and a wait time, and the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter to determine in accordance with the access probability whether the communications device can transmit signals via the first communications resources or the second communications resources depending on the received indication at a current time, and if the communications device cannot transmit signals at the current time according to the access probability waiting for the wait time.

4. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter and the receiver to:

determine in accordance with predetermined conditions whether the communications device is within a coverage area for transmitting or receiving radio signals via the wireless access interface provided by a mobile communications network, and

if the communications device is determined to be within the coverage area of the mobile communications network and has received the indication of communications resources for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices, when within a coverage area of the mobile communications network, then depending on the indication and a configuration of the one or more of the first communications resources,

transmit the signals to the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources allocated by the mobile communications network in accordance with a first mode of operation, or

depending on the indication and a configuration of the one or more of the second communications resources, transmit the signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol, or

if the communications device is determined not to be within the coverage area of the mobile communications network, transmit the signals via the wireless access interface to one or more other communications devices in accordance with the device to device communications by accessing the first or second communications resources or one or more other communications resources of the wireless access in accordance with a second operating mode of a device to device communications protocol.

5. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter and the receiver to transmit the signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol by performing a contentious access procedure for the second communications resources.

6. The communications device of claim 1, wherein first communications resources and the second communications resources include one or more communications resources which are the same.

7. An infrastructure equipment for forming part of a mobile communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit signals to communications devices via a wireless access interface;

a receiver configured to receive signals from to the communications devices via the wireless access interface; and

a controller for controlling the transmitter and the receiver to form the wireless access interface for transmitting or to receiving the signals to the one or more communications devices, wherein the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter to transmit an indication to each of one or more of the communications devices identifying whether the communications device, is allowed to access

first communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be allocated on request to the communications device by the infrastructure equipment for transmitting signals from the communications device to one or more others of the communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with the first mode of operation, in a case that the communications device is within a coverage area provided by the infrastructure equipment and the communications device is allowed to use the first communications resources of the wireless access interface in accordance with the first mode of operation, and

second communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be used by the communications device for transmitting signals to one or more others of the communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with a second mode of operation using device to device communications protocol, in a case that the communications device is within the coverage area provided by the mobile communications network and the communications device is allowed to use the second communications resources of the wireless access interface in accordance with the second mode of operation.

8. The infrastructure equipment of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to:

identify a class of each of the one or more communications devices; and

determine, depending on the class of each communications device, whether the communications device can have access to one or more of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface, to generate, for each of the one or more communications devices, the indication as to whether or not the communications device is allowed access to one or more of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface depending on the class of the communications device, and

the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter to transmit to each of the one or more communications device the generated indication for the communications device.

9. The infrastructure equipment of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine in accordance with predetermined conditions a change on whether each of the one or more communications devices can have access to one or more of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface; and

re-generate, for each of the one or more communications devices, in accordance with the change the indication as to whether or not the communications device is allowed access to one or more of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface depending on the class of the communications device, and

the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter to transmit to each of the one or more communications device the changed indication for the communications device.

10. The infrastructure equipment of claim 9, wherein the predetermined conditions for changing the indication include an emergency state or a congested state.

11. The infrastructure equipment of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a configuration of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface and the second communications resources of the wireless access interface; and

generate information identifying the first communications resources and the second communications resources, and

the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter to transmit, periodically, to the one or more communications devices, information identifying at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface.

12. The infrastructure equipment of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine, in accordance with predetermined conditions, a change in the configuration of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface and the second communications resources of the wireless access interface; and

generate information identifying the changed first communications resources and the changed second communications resources, and

the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter to transmit, periodically, to the one or more communications devices, information identifying the change of the at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface.

13. A communications device comprising:

transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals to one or more other communications devices via a wireless access interface to perform device-to-device communications;

receiver circuitry configured to receive signals from the one or more other communications devices via the wireless access interface; and

controller circuitry for controlling, in combination with the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry, the transmitter and the receiver to transmit or to receive the signals via the wireless access interface to transmit or to receive data represented by the signals in accordance with a device to device communications, wherein

the controller circuitry is configured to be provided with

an indication of one or more first communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be allocated on request to the communications device by a mobile communications network for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with the first mode of operation, when the communications device is within a coverage area provided by the mobile communications network, and

an indication of one or more second communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be used by the communications device for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with a second mode of operation using device to device communications protocol, when the communications device is within the coverage area provided by the mobile communications network, and

the controller circuitry is configured in combination with the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to

receive, from the mobile communications network, an indication of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation, and

in a case that the indication provided by the mobile communications network indicates that the communications device can use the at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation, transmit signals to the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources allocated by the mobile communications network in accordance with a first mode of operation or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources, and

in a case that the indication provided by the mobile communications network indicates that the communications device can use the at least one of the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation, transmit signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol.

14. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the indication received by the communications device of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation, and the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation is dependent upon one of a plurality of predetermined classes of communications devices.

15. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the controller circuitry is provided with one of a predetermined plurality of classes, each of the predetermined classes indicating an access class, each access class having associated therewith an access probability level and a wait time, and the controller circuitry is configured in combination with the transmitter circuitry to determine in accordance with the access probability whether the communications device can transmit signals via the first communications resources or the second communications resources depending on the received indication at a current time, and if the communications device cannot transmit signals at the current time according to the access probability waiting for the wait time.

16. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the controller circuitry is configured in combination with the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to:

determine in accordance with predetermined conditions whether the communications device is within a coverage area for transmitting or receiving radio signals via the wireless access interface provided by a mobile communications network, and

if the communications device is determined to be within the coverage area of the mobile communications network and has received the indication of communications resources for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices, when within a coverage area of the mobile communications network, then depending on the indication and a configuration of the one or more of the first communications resources,

transmit the signals to the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources allocated by the mobile communications network in accordance with a first mode of operation, or

depending on the indication and a configuration of the one or more of the second communications resources, transmit the signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol, or

if the communications device is determined not to be within the coverage area of the mobile communications network, transmit the signals via the wireless access interface to one or more other communications devices in accordance with the device to device communications by accessing the first or second communications resources or one or more other communications resources of the wireless access in accordance with a second operating mode of a device to device communications protocol.

17. The communications device of claim 13, wherein the controller circuitry is configured in combination with the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to transmit the signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol by performing a contentious access procedure for the second communications resources.

18. The communications device of claim 13, wherein first communications resources and the second communications resources include one or more communications resources which are the same.