METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING PROXIMITY DISCOVERY PROCEDURES

• US 20130288668A1
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pragada, Ravikumar V., Ahmad, Saad, Raghothaman, Balaji, Kaur, Samian J., Adjakple, Pascal M., Olvera-Hernandez, Ulises, Deng, Zhuorong, Vanganuru, Kiran K., Sternberg, Gregory S., Wang, Guanzhou, Starsinic, Michael F., Reznik, Alexander, Zuniga, Juan Carlos, Zeira, Eldad M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,763,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1061 using node-based peer discovery mechanisms static access to replicated servers H04L67/1006; service discovery H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for supporting a two-stage device-to-device (D2D) discovery using a D2D interworking function (IWF). A D2D IWF component may be configured to perform mapping between an application running on an application server and a third generation partnership project (3GPP) network, and provide a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow discovery to be provided as a service to D2D applications. An application identifier may be mapped to a 3GPP identifier. Further, a method and apparatus are described for performing client-server discovery. A first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may be configured for a listen-only operation, and a second WTRU may be configured to transmit beacons. The first and second WTRUs may perform a radio access network (RAN) discovery procedure at an access stratum (AS) layer. A method and apparatus for performing charging for D2D service using a D2D IWF are also described.

Claims

1. A method of using a network node to perform a discovery procedure for a plurality of device-to-device (D2D)-capable wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) located within a common proximity area, the method comprising:

the network node receiving an authentication profile of a first one of the plurality of WTRUs, the authentication profile being associated with an identifier (ID) of the first WTRU;

the network node receiving a signal indicating that the plurality of WTRUs are within a common proximity area;

the network node sending the ID of the first WTRU to register the first WTRU; and

the network node receiving a list of entities of interest associated with the first WTRU.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the network node is a device-to-device (D2D) interworking function (IWF) configured to register the ID of the first WTRU with a domain name system (DNS).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the ID of the first WTRU is at least one of a third generation partnership project (3GPP) external ID, a mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) or an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the D2D IWF interfaces with a D2D application server using a first application programming interface (API) to provide authentication information about the first WTRU, and the D2D application server uses a second API to register and authenticate the first WTRU.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the D2D IWF obtaining a mapping of the ID of the first WTRU to service identifiers of the first WTRU.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the D2D IWF sending, to a mobility management entity (MME), a device discovery message including the ID of the first WTRU and the list of entities of interest.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the D2D IWF obtaining, from a home subscriber server (HSS), a globally unique mobility management entity (MME) identifier (GUMMEI).

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the D2D IWF sending, to the DNS, WTRU 3GPP ID binding information including an ID of the D2D IWF.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the ID of the D2D IWF is at least one of an Internet protocol (IP) address of the D2D IWF, or an ID that may be mapped to an IP address.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the ID of the D2D IWF is a uniform resource ID (URI).

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising

the D2D IWF sending, to a mobility management entity (MME), listen-mode or transmit-only mode configuration information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal indicating that the plurality of WTRUs are within the same proximity area is received from a mobility management entity (MME).

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the network node receiving a proximity update signal; and

the network node generating a charging data record (CDR) report.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the CDR report is based on radio access network (RAN) resources used or not used for charging.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the CDR report is based on at least one of duration of a discovery procedure, duty cycle, discovery mode, or a radio access technology (RAT) used for a discovery and communication procedure.

16. A method of using a mobility management entity (MME) to establish communication for a plurality of device-to-device (D2D)-capable wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), the method comprising:

the MME sending a current tracking area identity (ID) or an evolved Node-B (eNB) ID of two of the registered D2D-capable WTRUs; and

the MME receiving a request to establish a proximity connection between the two WTRUs responsive to the two WTRUs being located within a common proximity area and an indication that the two WTRUs desire to communicate with each other.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the MME includes an application gateway, wherein a server determines whether the two WTRUs are located within the common proximity.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein each of the WTRUs include a user friend list, and each of the WTRUs indicate a desire to communicate with another WTRU upon discovery of the other WTRU or upon notification that the other WTRU is nearby.

19. A method of performing a directed discovery mode procedure, the method comprising:

a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) sending a report on a periodic basis indicating whether at least one other WTRU is within a common proximity area as the first WTRU; and

on a condition that the first WTRU and a second WTRU are within a common proximity area, the first WTRU performing radio access network (RAN) discovery communication at an access stratum (AS) layer.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

the first WTRU completing a radio resource control (RRC) connection with an evolved Node-B (eNB); and

the first WTRU receiving discovery configuration information from the eNB.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the configuration information includes at least one of a duty cycle, frequencies to send and receive beacons, or information indicating when to transmit and when to receive.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

the first WTRU listening for device-to-device (D2D) beacons; and

the first WTRU sending a report to a mobility management entity (MME) upon detecting any D2D beacons.

23. A network node comprising:

a transmitter configured to send a current tracking area identity (ID) or an evolved Node-B (eNB) ID of two registered device-to-device (D2D)-capable wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs); and

a receiver configured to receive a request to establish a proximity connection between the two WTRUs responsive to the two WTRUs being located within a common proximity area and desiring to communicate with each other.

24. The network node of claim 23 wherein the network node is a mobility management entity (MME), and a server sends the request to the MME in response to receiving the current tracking area ID or the eNB ID.

25. A network node comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an authentication profile of a first one of a plurality of device-to-device (D2D)-capable wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) located within a common proximity area, the authentication profile being associated with an identifier (ID) associated with the first WTRU;

the receiver further configured to receive a signal indicating that the plurality of WTRUs are within the same proximity area, and a list of entities of interest associated with the first WTRU; and

a transmitter configured to send the ID of the first WTRU to register the ID with a domain name system (DNS).

26. The network node of claim 25 wherein the network node is a device-to-device (D2D) interworking function (IWF).