Network assistance for device-to-device discovery
First Claim
1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) for establishing, with network assistance, a device-to-device wireless connection, the method comprising:
- providing, according to a predetermined timing at an interval predefined by the UE, location information of the UE to an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) of a first wireless network, the first wireless network being one of 3GPP Long Term Evolution or a 3GPP Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE/LTE-A) wireless network, the UE in communication with the EPC;
providing device-to-device connection information to the EPC, the device-to-device connection information including information for connection with a second UE, to establish a device-to-device wireless connection between the UE and the second UE, the second UE in communication with the EPC; and
performing discovery of the second UE using a device-to-device communication transmitted via a second wireless network, based on a response from the EPC to establish the device-to-device wireless connection with the second UE.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of system and method configurations for device discovery and connection establishment in connection with use of device-to-device (D2D) and proximity-based services are generally described herein. In some examples, an evolved packet core (EPC) of a 3GPP Long Term Evolution or 3GPP Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE/LTE-A) network is arranged to assist D2D identification and discovery procedures at user equipment (UEs) connected to the LTE/LTE-A network. Various identification and discovery procedures may be implemented in connection with proximity detection and the establishment of communication times for the establishment of the D2D communication link, between the UEs. Accordingly, the EPC of the LTE/LTE-A network may assist the establishment of a device-to-device communication link between UEs on a wireless network employing a distinct wireless protocol (for example, a direct wireless network connection via a wireless local area network (WLAN) or wireless personal area network (WPAN)).
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) for establishing, with network assistance, a device-to-device wireless connection, the method comprising:
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providing, according to a predetermined timing at an interval predefined by the UE, location information of the UE to an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) of a first wireless network, the first wireless network being one of 3GPP Long Term Evolution or a 3GPP Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE/LTE-A) wireless network, the UE in communication with the EPC; providing device-to-device connection information to the EPC, the device-to-device connection information including information for connection with a second UE, to establish a device-to-device wireless connection between the UE and the second UE, the second UE in communication with the EPC; and performing discovery of the second UE using a device-to-device communication transmitted via a second wireless network, based on a response from the EPC to establish the device-to-device wireless connection with the second UE. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A user equipment (UE), comprising:
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a multi-mode transceiver comprising circuitry arranged to perform wireless communications with an evolved NodeB (eNodeB) in a 3GPP Long Term Evolution or a 3GPP Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE/LTE-A) network via a LTE/LTE-A network connection and with a second UE via a device-to-device connection, the circuitry further arranged to facilitate the device-to-device connection for direct communications between the UE and the second UE, by performing operations to; transmit, from the UE to an evolved packet core (EPC) in communication with the LTE/LTE-A network, location data of the UE according to a predetermined timing and at an interval predefined by the UE; transmit, from the UE to the EPC, a device-to-device connection request, the device-to-device connection request including an identification of the second UE, the second UE having a network connection established to the LTE/LTE-A network; receive, from the EPC, a device-to-device connection response, the device-to-device connection response including connection information for the second UE and timing information for performing discovery of the second UE; and transmit, from the UE to the second UE during a connection establishment period determined using the timing information, one or more device-to-device communications to establish the device-to-device connection using the connection information for the second UE. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) for facilitating a data flow via a direct device-to-device connection established between the UE and a second UE, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for establishing a device-to-device connection to the second UE, the request including an identification of the second UE and an identification of a discovery period, the request provided from an evolved packet core (EPC) of a 3GPP Long Term Evolution or 3GPP Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE/LTE-A) network in response to detection of proximity of the UE to the second UE; transmitting a response, to the EPC, to the request for establishing a device-to-device connection to the second UE; and establishing the device-to-device connection to the second UE during the discovery period, using the identification of the second UE, wherein a data flow between the UE and the second UE via the device-to-device connection is established to replace a data flow between the UE and the second UE existing via the EPC; wherein a second request for establishing the device-to-device connection is transmitted to the second UE from the EPC, the second request including an identification of the UE, wherein the UE and the second UE perform operations for establishing the device-to-device connection in response to an affirmative response to the second request for establishing the device-to-device connection. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An evolved packet core (EPC), the EPC arranged to operate processing components of a 3GPP Long Term Evolution or a 3GPP Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE/LTE-A) wireless network, the LTE/LTE-A wireless network arranged to establish a LTE/LTE-A network communication link between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE via one or more evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs), and the EPC including one or more components arranged to facilitate an establishment of a device-to-device communication link between the first UE and the second UE over a second wireless network, by performing operations to:
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determine an establishment of the LTE/LTE-A network communication link between the first UE and the second UE; determine proximity between the first UE and the second UE, wherein the detection of proximity of the first UE to the second UE is based on respective locations of the first UE and the second UE, the proximity determined by the EPC in comparison to a maximum communication range of the device-to-device communication link; and transmit identification information and a discovery timing via the LTE/LTE-A wireless network to the first UE and to the second UE, for use in the establishment of the device-to-device communication link via the second wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification