MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE AND SYSTEM

• US 20150180565A1
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Rakotoharison, Lanto, Jactat, Caroline, Panaitopol, Dorin, Delsol, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,893,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• 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 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A mobile device (7) configured to provide relay capabilities in a communications system (1) by communicating network-level mobile device relaying capabilities and radio-level mobile device relaying capabilities from the mobile device (7) to a communications node (3) of the communications system (1) so that the mobile device (7) can relay communications between the communications node (3) and another mobile device (2). User subscription information related to relaying is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of providing relay capabilities in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving mobile device relaying capability information about a particular mobile device;

updating at a network controller of the communications system, a stored context for the particular mobile device with the mobile device relaying capability information for that mobile device indicating that the particular mobile device can be used as a relay for relaying communications for another mobile device; and

configuring the wireless communication system to enable the particular mobile device to be used to provide relay functionality based on the updated stored context to relay communications for another mobile device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the mobile device relaying capabilities about a particular mobile device, checking whether a user of the particular mobile device has granted consent to the use of the particular mobile device as a relay and only updating the stored context that the particular mobile device can be used as a relay, if the user has granted consent.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the consent to the use of the particular mobile device as a relay is provided in subscription information for the particular mobile device stored in a home subscriber server for the particular mobile device.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining relaying subscription information about the particular mobile device from the home server if the consent has been granted.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user can change whether consent to the use of the particular mobile device as a relay is given.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the user can temporarily change consent that has been given.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device relaying capability information comprises network-level mobile device relaying capabilities.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the network-level mobile device relaying capabilities comprise a level of relay capability indicating whether the particular mobile device can be used for all communications or for only a subset of communications.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the network-level mobile device relaying capabilities are received in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device relaying capability information comprises radio-level relaying capabilities about the particular mobile device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the radio-level relaying capabilities are received in an Access Stratum (AS) message.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the particular mobile device as a relay for communications to another mobile device based at least in part on the mobile device relaying capability information.

13. A mobile communications device for use in a communications system, comprising:

a first unit that communicates mobile device relaying capability information to a communications node of the communications system; and

a second unit that provides relay communications for another mobile device.

14. The mobile communications device according to claim 13, wherein the relay communications are provided between another mobile device and either the communications node or another relay device of the communications system.

15. The mobile communications device according to claim 13, wherein the mobile device relaying capability information comprises network-level mobile device relaying capabilities.

16. The mobile communications device according to claim 15, wherein the network-level mobile device relaying capabilities comprise a level of mobile device relay capability indicating whether the particular mobile device can be used for all communications, or for only a subset of communications.

17. The mobile communications device according to claim 15, wherein the network-level mobile device relaying capabilities are transmitted in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message.

18. The mobile communications device according to claim 15, wherein the network-level mobile device relaying capabilities are communicated during registration with the communications node.

19. The mobile communications device according to claim 13, wherein the mobile device relaying capability information comprises radio-level relaying capabilities about the particular mobile device.

20. The mobile communications device according to claim 19, wherein the radio-level relaying capabilities are transmitted in an Access Stratum (AS) message.

21. The mobile communications device according to claim 19, wherein the radio-level relaying capabilities comprises information regarding any one or more of supported carrier frequencies, supported frequency bands and supported radio access technologies.

22-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A network controller for use in a wireless communication system, the network controller comprising:

a unit that receives mobile device relaying capability information about a particular mobile device;

a unit that updates a stored context for the particular mobile device with the mobile device relaying capability information for that mobile device indicating that the particular mobile device can be used as a relay for relaying communications for another mobile device; and

a unit that configures the wireless communication system to enable the particular mobile device to be used to provide relay functionality based on the updated stored context to relay communications for another mobile device.

27. The network controller according to claim 26, further comprising:

a unit that checks whether a user of the particular mobile device has granted consent to the use of the particular mobile device as a relay and only updating the stored context that the particular mobile device can be used as a relay, if the user has granted consent.

28-37. -37. (canceled)