SYSTEM LEVEL PROCEDURES AND METHODS TO ENABLE DATA SHARING IN CELLULAR NETWORK

• US 20130303088A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Watfa, Mahmoud, Wang, Peter S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,686,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• 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 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

Methods and systems may enable the setup and configuration of proximity services between wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) over different sharing paths including via a direct air interface, a radio access network (RAN) or one or more network nodes. Mobility management entities (MMEs) may exchange messages to initiate, modify or terminate a proximity service session between WTRUs, and may negotiate data paths for proximity services with or without the assistance of WTRUs. WTRU-to-WTRU control plane messages may be exchanged between WTRUs with limited involvement from other network entities and may avoid the setup of resources for data plane communications. Mobility management entities (MMEs) may exchange messages to initiate, modify or terminate a proximity service session between WTRUs, and may negotiate data paths for proximity services with or without the assistance of WTRUs.

Claims

1. A method performed by a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured for proximity services with other WTRUs, the method comprising:

generating a control plane message intended for a second WTRU; and

forwarding the control plane message to the second WTRU over a direct data path;

wherein the direct data path is one of;

a path over an air interface, a path through an evolved Node B (eNB), or a path through a core network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the control plane message is a non-access stratum (NAS) message.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an indication message indicating that the first WTRU may engage in direct WTRU-to-WTRU control plane communications with other WTRUs.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the receiving the indication message is part of a registration procedure.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the indication message is in a control plane.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

discovering other WTRUs over a radio interface.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

discovering other WTRUs over a control plane.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the control plane message includes:

a protocol discriminator field indicating whether a control plane protocol entity should process the control plane message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the control plane message includes:

a message type field indicating the control plane message is for a WTRU-to-WTRU communication;

a service type field indicating a type of service for the WTRU-to-WTRU communication;

WTRU identifier fields indicating identities of at least the first WTRU and the second WTRU;

an application identifier field indicating an application identity for the WTRU-to-WTRU communication;

a session identifier field indicating a session identity for the WTRU-to-WTRU communication; and

a message content field including application data to be exchanged between the first and second WTRUs.

10. A method performed by a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured for proximity services with other WTRUs, the method comprising:

receiving a control plane message from a second WTRU over a direct data path;

wherein the direct data path is one of;

a path over an air interface, a path through an evolved Node B (eNB), or a path through a core network;

extracting information from at least one field in the control plane message; and

providing the extracted information to at least one upper layer.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

verifying a service type based on a service type field in the control plane message.

12. A method performed by a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

transmitting a request for proximity services message to a serving mobility management entity (MME);

wherein the request for proximity services message includes an identity of at least one partner WTRU to engage in data sharing, and a requested data path for the data sharing;

wherein the requested data path is one of;

a path over an air interface, a path through an evolved Node B (eNB), or a path through a core network;

receiving a notification of a proximity services session with the at least one partner WTRU over a confirmed data path; and

commencing the data sharing with the at least one partner WTRU over the confirmed data path.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the confirmed data path is the same as the requested data path.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the confirmed data path is different from the requested data path.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving an indication message indicating that the first WTRU may communicate control plane messages with the at least one partner WTRU directly over a radio link.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

transmitting a control plane message to the at least one partner WTRU over the confirmed data path.

17. A method performed by a source mobility management entity (MME) for providing a proximity services session between a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a second WTRU, wherein the source MME is associated with the first WTRU, the method comprising:

receiving a request for proximity services from a first WTRU;

transmitting a proximity services message to a target MME associated with the second WTRU;

wherein the proximity services message includes a service type field indicating an action for the proximity service session and a requested data path field indicating a requested data path for communication between the first WTRU and the second WTRU;

wherein the requested data path field indicates one of;

a path over an air interface, a path through an evolved Node B (eNB), or a path through a core network; and

receiving a proximity services response message from the target MME.

18. A method performed by a target mobility management entity (MME) for providing a proximity services session between a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a second WTRU, wherein the target MME is associated with the second WTRU, the method comprising:

receiving a proximity services message from a source MME;

wherein the proximity services message includes a service type field indicating an action for the proximity service session;

verifying if the second WTRU is subscribed to the proximity services session; and

on a condition that the second WTRU is subscribed to the proximity service session, transmitting a proximity service response message to the source MME including location information regarding the second WTRU.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising verifying if the second WTRU is subscribed to the proximity service based on a location of the second WTRU.

20. A method performed by an evolved Node B (eNB) for paging for location identification (PLI) of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

receiving an S1 application protocol message (S1AP) from a mobility management entity (MME) indicating PLI;

generating a radio resource control (RRC) paging message including an indication not to setup radio resources; and

transmitting the RRC paging message to the WTRU.