METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING DEVICE-TO-DEVICE COMMUNICATION

• US 20150139197A1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: He, Hong, Fong, Mo-Han, Heo, Youn Hyoung, Fwu, Jong-Kae, Han, Seunghee
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0013 Rate matching, e.g. puncturing or repetition of code symbols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 : based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 : Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 : Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 : where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 : controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 : Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Mobile communication devices, such as user equipment (UE) using 3GPP-LTE or LTE Advanced, may communicate directly with another UE through a system called Device-to-Device (D2D) communication. The establishment of a D2D communication session may involve having one of the UEs trigger the signaling procedures. In particular, a D2D resource re-allocation method may be used to optimize the D2D communication resource utilization efficiency in a dynamic manner, which is fully controlled by one of the D2D pair (termed the master UE or M-UE). The M-UE may be arranged to re-allocate resources based on the buffer status report (BSR) of the UEs in the D2D communication session. The M-UE may be further arranged to dynamically change the configuration of the transmission window based on characteristics of the D2D communication session.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method performed by a D2D communication management entity (DCME) for establishing a device-to-device (D2D) communication session between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the first UE to establish the D2D communication session;

sending a pairing request message to the second UE; and

after receiving an acknowledgement from the second UE, sending a D2DSetupRequest message to an evolved Node B (eNB).

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

checking a policy charging and rules function to determine if a D2D communication between the first UE and the second UE is forbidden; and

if a D2D communication between the first UE and the second UE is forbidden, sending a D2DConnectionReject message arranged to inform the first UE that the request is denied.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

sending a D2DConnectionReject message to the first UE if the second UE refuses the connection request.

25. A method performed by an evolved Node B (eNB) for establishing a device-to-device (D2D) communication session between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE, the method comprising:

receiving a D2DSetupRequest message from a D2D communication management entity (DCME) arranged to indicate that the eNB is to establish the D2D communication session;

sending a D2DUEStatusInformationRequest message to the first UE and the second UE;

receiving a D2DUeStatusInformationReport message from the first UE and from the second UE;

allocating resources to the D2D communication session; and

sending a D2DResourceConfiguration message to the first UE and to the second UE, detailing the allocated resources.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the D2DUEStatusInformationRequest message is arranged to request information from the first UE and from the second UE, the information chosen from the group comprising:

a buffer status report, antenna configuration, link quality measurement reports, Quality of Service requirements.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the D2DUeStatusInformationReport message is arranged to send information to the eNB, the information chosen from the group comprising:

a buffer status report, antenna configuration, link quality measurement reports, Quality of Service requirements.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the D2DResourceConfiguration message is sent via either radio resource control (RRC) signaling or via dynamic physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) signaling.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the D2DResourceConfiguration message comprises one or more of the following:

a resource block assignment arranged to indicate a resource block index to be used for the D2D communication session;

a D2DResourceIntervalUL message arranged to indicate a time interval between successive D2D subframes; and

a D2DResourceConfigDuration message arranged to indicate a duration of D2D resources to be allocated to the D2D communication session.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the D2DResourceConfiguration message is further arranged to designate one of the first UE or the second UE as a Master UE.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

receiving a D2DResourceRequest message from the Master UE, wherein the D2DResourceRequest message is arranged to request a re-allocation of resources to the D2D connection; and

re-allocating resources to the D2D connection based on the D2DResourceRequest message.

32. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

receiving a D2DConnectionRelease message from the first UE;

re-allocating resources that were used by the D2D connection; and

sending a D2DConnectionRelease message to the first UE and to the second UE.

33. A method performed by a first user equipment (UE) for modifying a device-to-device (D2D) communication session with a second UE, the method comprising:

determining that a resource allocation between the first user equipment and the second user equipment should be changed;

sending one or more D2D uplink frames;

sending a timeslot assignment (TA) message arranged to indicate to the second UE to start sending D2D frames;

receiving one or more D2D downlink frames from the second UE; and

sending a TA message from the first UE to the second UE to dynamically re-allocate the number of D2D frames between the first UE and the second UE.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the timeslot assignment message is further arranged to indicate a size of a transmission window, wherein the size of the transmission window is equal to the sum of the number of D2D uplink frames from the first UE to the second UE and the number of D2D frames from the second UE to the first UE.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein:

the size of the transmission window is variable; and

further wherein

the timeslot assignment message is further arranged to indicate the size of the transmission window.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the size of the transmission window is fixed.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

changing a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for the D2D communication session.

38. A user equipment (UE) arranged to communicate via a device to device (D2D) communication session between the UE and a second UE, the user equipment comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver coupled to the processor and arranged to transmit and receive signals via an antenna assembly;

wherein

the processor is arranged to;

determine that a resource allocation between the UE and the second UE should be changed;

direct the transceiver to send one or more D2D uplink frames to the second UE;

direct the transceiver to send a timeslot assignment (TA) message arranged to indicate to the second UE to start sending D2D frames;

direct the transceiver to receive one or more D2D downlink frames from the second UE; and

send a TA message from the UE to the second UE to dynamically re-allocate the number of D2D frames between the UE and the second UE.

39. The UE of claim 38 wherein the timeslot assignment message is further arranged to indicate a size of a transmission window, wherein the size of the transmission window is equal to the sum of the number of D2D uplink frames from the first UE to the second UE and the number of D2D frames from the second UE to the first UE.

40. The UE of claim 38 wherein:

the size of the transmission window is variable; and

further wherein

the timeslot assignment message is further arranged to indicate the size of the transmission window.

41. The UE of claim 38 wherein the size of the transmission window is fixed.

42. The UE of claim 38 wherein the processor is further arranged to:

change a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for the D2D communication session.