INITIATION OF INTER-DEVICE COMMUNICATION IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20140078952A1
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bontu, Chandra Sekhar, Song, Yi, Cai, Zhijun
• Granted Patent: US 9,591,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for initiation of inter-device communication in wireless communication systems are provided. Both a user equipment (UE) and a network entity may initiate a direct inter-device communication link between UEs located in proximity. The UE may simultaneously maintain an active communication link with its serving base station while communicating with other UEs over the inter-device communication link. Long term evolution (LTE) downlink or uplink radio resources may be used for communications over the inter-device communication link.

Claims

1. A method at a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:

sending a non-access stratum (NAS) request message to a network entity for initiating an inter-device communication link; and

receiving a NAS response message associated with inter-device communication between two or more UEs from the network entity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a radio resource control (RRC) inter-device connection setup message from a base station; and

sending a RRC inter-device connection setup response message to the base station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the RRC inter-device connection setup message includes at least one of:

cell radio network temporary identities (C-RNTI) of the two or more UEs;

temporary transmit point identifications for the two or more UEs;

minimum and maximum transmit power levels for the two or more UEs communicating over the inter-device communication link;

a device-to-device radio network temporary identity (DD-RNTI);

a transmit power incremental value for the two or more UEs communicating over the inter-device communication link;

or

a guard time.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

performing a device handshake procedure; and

sending a NAS message to the network entity for acknowledging an establishment of the inter-device communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network entity is a mobility management entity (MME).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the NAS request message includes at least one of:

identifications of at least one of the two or more UEs;

a bandwidth requirement for the inter-device communication link;

data rate information for the inter-device communication link;

quality of service information for the inter-device communication link;

or

a time duration of the inter-device communication link.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of the inter-device communication link is higher than at least one of SINRs of links between the two or more UEs and their respective serving base stations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more UEs communicate over the inter-device communication link using long term evolution (LTE) downlink resources.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more UEs communicate over the inter-device communication link using long term evolution (LTE) uplink resources.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more UEs maintain communication links with their respective serving base stations while communicating over the inter-device communication link.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a NAS update request message to the network entity for modifying or extending a time duration of the inter-device communication link; and

receiving a NAS update response message associated with the inter-device communication from the network entity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the UE sends the NAS update request message to the network entity upon an occurrence of one or more of the following:

extension of the time duration of the inter-device communication;

modification to quality of service;

or

addition of one or more UEs to the inter-device communication.

13. A method at a base station, comprising:

receiving an initialization request message from a network entity for enabling at least one inter-device communication link for at least two user equipments (UEs);

determining that the at least one inter-device communication link can be enabled; and

sending an initialization request acknowledgement message to the network entity, indicating that the at least one inter-device communication link can be enabled.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending a radio resource control (RRC) inter-device connection setup message to one of the at least two UEs; and

receiving a RRC connection setup response message from the one of the at least two UEs.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the RRC inter-device connection setup message includes at least one of:

cell radio network temporary identities (C-RNTIs) of the at least two UEs;

temporary transmit point identifications for the at least two UEs;

minimum and maximum transmit power levels for the at least two UEs;

a device-to-device radio network temporary identity (DD-RNTI);

a transmit power incremental value for the at least two UEs communicating over the at least one inter-device communication link;

or

a guard time.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

initiating a device handshake procedure with the at least two UEs; and

sending an initialization response message to the network entity for acknowledging an establishment of the at least one inter-device communication link for the at least two UEs.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the network entity is a mobility management entity (MME).

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of the at least one inter-device communication link is higher than one or more SINRs of links between the at least two UEs and the base station.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one inter-device communication link uses long term evolution (LTE) downlink resources.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one inter-device communication link uses long term evolution (LTE) uplink resources.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending a radio resource control (RRC) inter-device connection setup message to one of the at least two UEs;

determining that a RRC inter-device connection setup response message from the one of the at least two UEs is not received during a predetermined time period; and

resending the radio resource control (RRC) inter-device connection setup message to the one of the at least two UEs.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the base station determines whether the at least one inter-device communication link can be enabled based on available radio resources at the base station when receiving the initialization request message.

23-140. -140. (canceled)