System and Method for Time Resource Allocation for Device-to-Device Communication Overlaid on a Cellular Network

• US 20130223353A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Liu, Deping, Classon, Brian, Desai, Vipul, Sartori, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 9,763,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

An embodiment of a system for operating a communications controller and a user equipment in a wireless communications system is provided. The communications controller is configured to allocate a first set of subframes to a group of UEs for a DMC link, allocate a second set of subframes to a particular UE in the group of UEs, transmit a first message including information about the first set of subframes to the group of UE, and transmit a second message including information about the second set of subframes to the particular UE. The second set of subframes is a subset of the first set of subframes, and information about the second set includes subframes in which the particular UE may transmit to other UEs in the group of UEs. Subframes in the first set not in the second set are allocated for reception by the particular UE.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communications controller, the method comprising:

allocating a first set of subframes to a group of user equipments (“

UEs”

) for a direct mobile communication (“

DMC”

) link;

allocating a second set of subframes to a particular UE in the group of UEs;

transmitting a first message comprising information about the first set of subframes to the group of UEs; and

transmitting a second message comprising information about the second set of subframes to the particular UE,

wherein the second set of subframes is a subset of the first set of subframes,

wherein the information about the second set comprises subframes in which the particular UE may transmit to other UEs in the group of UEs, and

wherein subframes in the first set not in the second set are allocated for reception by the particular UE.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message and the second message are transmitted in a single message.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message is transmitted in a radio resource control signaling message.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message is transmitted on a control channel.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message transmitted to the group of UEs is addressed to all UEs in the group of UEs.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a bitmap message is employed to identify the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a function depending on at least a subframe index I is used to determine if a subframe of the index I is within the second set.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising assigning a parameter M and a parameter R to the particular UE in the group of UEs for the function, wherein the subframe of the index I is assigned to the particular UE in the group to transmit if I mod M=R.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising assigning at least an additional parameter R to the particular UE in the group.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a predefined configuration of subframes is employed to indicate the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes for transmission by the particular UE in the group.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a subframe in the first set not in the second set is employed for reception by the particular UE of the group.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the first message to the group of UEs to identify the first set of subframes and the second message to the particular UE of the group to identify the second set of subframes for transmission by the particular UE.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the group of UEs is identified by a group identifier.

14. A method of operating a user equipment (“

UE”

), the method comprising;

receiving a first message comprising information about a first set of subframes for a group of UEs for a DMC link; and

receiving a second message comprising information about a second set of subframes assigned to the particular UE,

wherein the second set of subframes is a subset of the first set of subframes,

wherein the information about the second set comprises subframes in which the UE may transmit in the DMC link to other UEs in the group, and

wherein subframes in the first set not in the second set are allocated for reception by the UE.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first message and the second message are received in a single message.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first message is received in a radio resource control signaling message.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first message is directed to all UEs in the group.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a bitmap message is employed to identify the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes.

19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a function depending on at least a subframe index I is used to determine if a subframe of the index I is within the second set.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising receiving a transmission comprising a parameter M and a parameter R, wherein the subframe of index I is allocated to the UE if I mod M=R.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising receiving at least an additional parameter R.

22. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a predefined configuration of subframes is employed to identify the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes.

23. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising receiving a first message addressed to the group of UEs to identify the first set of subframes and a second message addressed to the UE to identify the second set of subframes for transmission by the UE in the DMC link.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the UE within the group is identified by a UE identifier.

25. A communications controller, comprising:

a transceiver; and

a processor unit coupled to the transceiver, the processor unit, in conjunction with the transceiver, configured to cause the communications controller to;

allocate a first set of subframes to a group of UEs for a direct mobile communication link;

allocate a second set of subframes to a particular UE in the group of UEs;

transmit a first message comprising information about the first set of subframes to the group of UE; and

transmit a second message comprising information about the second set of subframes to the particular UE,

wherein the second set of subframes is a subset of the first set of subframes;

wherein the information about the second set comprises subframes in which the particular UE may transmit to other UEs in the group of UEs, and

wherein subframes in the first set not in the second set are allocated for reception by the particular UE.

26. A user equipment (“

UE”

), comprising;

a transceiver; and

a processor unit coupled to the transceiver, the processor unit, in conjunction with the transceiver, configured to cause the UE to;

receive a first message comprising information about a first set of subframes for a group of UEs for a DMC link; and

receive a second message comprising information about a second set of subframes assigned to the UE,

wherein the second set of subframes is a subset of the first set of subframes,

wherein the information about the second set comprises subframes in which the UE may transmit in the DMC link to other UEs in the group, and

wherein subframes in the first set not in the second set are allocated for reception by the UE.