Method and system for enabling device-to-device communication

• US 9,363,702 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hanh N
• Application Number:
  US14/126,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20150139197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 370329-331, 370/337, 370/468, 370/395.21, 370/338, 370/347, 370/426, 370/431
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• 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 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• 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. 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:

locally producing a change determination that a resource allocation between the first user equipment and the second user equipment should be changed;

sending one or more D2D uplink frames to the second UE;

sending a first timeslot assignment (TA) message arranged to indicate to the second UE a transmission window for consecutive D2D frames, wherein the transmission window includes consecutive uplink frames and downlink frames to be communicated between the first UE and the second UE;

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

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

wherein the change determination is produced based on an assessment of uplink D2D and downlink D2D asymmetry in an ongoing D2D session, and wherein the second TA message includes an indication of change in ratio of uplink and downlink frames to correspond to the uplink D2D and downlink D2D asymmetry.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to the change determination, changing a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for the D2D communication session.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the change determination, sending a request to effect a change in resource allocation to an evolved-node B (eNB) device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first TA message is arranged to indicate a size of the transmission window, and wherein the second TA message indicates a change in the size of the transmission window in response to the change determination.

5. A first user equipment (UE) arranged to communicate via a device to device (D2D) communication session between the first UE and a second UE, the first 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;

produce a change determination that a resource allocation between the first 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 first timeslot assignment (TA) message arranged to indicate to the second UE a transmission window for consecutive D2D frames, wherein the transmission window includes consecutive uplink frames and downlink frames to be communicated between the first UE and the second UE;

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

direct the transceiver to send a second TA message to the second UE to dynamically re-allocate the number of D2D frames between the first UE and the second UE;

wherein the change determination is produced based on an assessment of uplink D2D and downlink D2D asymmetry in an ongoing D2D session, and wherein the second TA message includes an indication of change in ratio of uplink and downlink frames to correspond to the uplink D2D and downlink D2D asymmetry.

6. The UE of claim 5 wherein the processor is further arranged to:

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

7. The UE of claim 5, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

in response to the change determination, direct the transceiver to send a request to effect a change in resource allocation to an evolved-node B (eNB) device.

8. The UE of claim 5, wherein the first TA message is arranged to indicate a size of the transmission window, and wherein the second TA message indicates a change in the size of the transmission window in response to the change determination.