Apparatus and method of scheduling resources for device-to-device communications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- designating two user equipments as a pair for device-to-device communications, each of the user equipment being configured to communicate directly with each other;
designating one of the user equipment within the pair as a pair head;
allocating an orthogonal resource of a network to the pair;
wherein the pair head is configured to receive a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change request from the other user equipment within the pair andallocate a transmit/receive timeslot configuration to the other user equipment based on the request, wherein the request comprising a relative or absolute request for a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change using piggyback information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An approach is provided for scheduling resources for device-to-device communications. A resource of a network is granted to a group designated for device-to-device communications. The group then determines how the resource allocation is utilized to support the communication session and allocates the resource among the user equipment within the group independently of the base station. Further, a user equipment pair in the group determines transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) timeslot configuration to allow TDD mode operations, and further configure the modulation and coding for the device-to-device connection, and error control scheme for the pair via control signaling independently from the group.
62 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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designating two user equipments as a pair for device-to-device communications, each of the user equipment being configured to communicate directly with each other; designating one of the user equipment within the pair as a pair head; allocating an orthogonal resource of a network to the pair; wherein the pair head is configured to receive a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change request from the other user equipment within the pair and allocate a transmit/receive timeslot configuration to the other user equipment based on the request, wherein the request comprising a relative or absolute request for a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change using piggyback information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following; designate two user equipments as a pair for device-to-device communications, each of the user equipment being configured to communicate directly with each other; designate one of the user equipment within the pair as a pair head; allocate an orthogonal resource of a network to the pair; wherein the pair head is configured to receive a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change request from the other user equipment within the pair and allocate a transmit/receive timeslot configuration to the other user equipment based on the request, wherein the request comprising a relative or absolute request for a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change using piggyback information. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following; receive an allocation of an orthogonal network resource from a base station for device-to-device communications among a group of user equipments; receive an indication to act as a group head for the device-to-device communications; allocate the resource to the other user equipment within the group based at least in part on one or more of a pair head buffer status report, device-to-device link quality measurement, and requested quality of service level; wherein the pair head is configured to receive transmit/receive timeslot configuration change request from the other user equipment within the pair and allocate a transmit/receive timeslot configuration to the other user equipment based on the request, wherein the request comprising a relative or absolute request for a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change using piggyback information.
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12. A method comprising;
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receiving an allocation of an orthogonal network resource for device-to-device communications between a pair of user equipment; receiving an indication to act as a pair head for the device-to-device communications; allocating the resource to the other user equipment within the pair by changing a transmit/receive timeslot configuration allowing time domain duplexing mode operations based at least in part on the buffer status report from the other user equipment in the pair and its own buffer status, device-to-device link quality measurement, and requested quality of service level; receiving transmit/receive timeslot configuration change request from the other user equipment within the pair, the request comprising a relative or absolute request for a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change using piggyback information; and allocating the transmit/receive timeslot configuration to the other user equipment based on the request.
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13. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable non-transitory medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:
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code for receiving an allocation of an orthogonal network resource for device-to-device communications between a pair of user equipment; code for receiving an indication to act as a pair head for the device-to-device communications; code for allocating the resource to the other user equipment within the pair by changing a transmit/receive timeslot configuration allowing time domain duplexing mode operations based at least in part on the buffer status report from the other user equipment in the pair and its own buffer status, device-to-device link quality measurement, and requested quality of service level; code for receiving a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change request from the other user equipment within the pair, the request comprising a relative or absolute request for a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change using piggyback information; and code for allocating the transmit/receive timeslot configuration to the other user equipment based on the request.
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14. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following; receive an allocation of an orthogonal network resource for device-to-device communications between a pair of user equipment; receive an indication to act as a pair head for the device-to-device communications; allocate the resource to the other user equipment within the pair by changing a transmit/receive timeslot configuration allowing time domain duplexing mode operations based at least in part on one the buffer status report from the other user equipment in the pair and its own buffer status, device-to-device link quality measurement, and requested quality of service level; receive a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change request from the other user equipment within the pair, the request comprising a relative or absolute request for a transmit/receive timeslot configuration change using piggyback information; and allocate the transmit/receive timeslot configuration to the other user equipment based on the request. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification