User equipment and a radio network node, and methods therein for device-to-device communication

• US 9,414,268 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Fodor, Gabor, Kazmi, Muhammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Dung
• Application Number:
  US14/351,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20140274066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-440, 455/445, 455453-454
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point

Abstract

Embodiments relate to device-to-device (D2D) communications in a communications network (1), wherein the communications network (1) comprises a first user equipment (10), a first radio network node (14) serving the first user equipment (10), a second user equipment (12). and a D2D capable radio network node (18,18). The first user equipment (TO) is configured to recognize a second user equipment (12) to have a D2D communication with and to perform a cell change from the first radio network node (14) to the D2D capable radio network node (16,18), when the first radio network node (14) does not have D2D capability.

Claims

1. A method in a first user equipment for handling device-to-device, D2D, communications in a communications network, wherein the communications network comprises a first user equipment, a first radio network node serving the first user equipment, a second user equipment, and a D2D capable radio network node, wherein the method comprises:

recognizing a second user equipment to have a D2D communication with;

transmitting first D2D capability information associated with the first radio network node serving the first user equipment to the second user equipment;

receiving second D2D capability information associated with the D2D capable radio network node and a request from the second user equipment to change from the first radio network node to the D2D capable radio network node; and

performing a cell change from the first radio network node to the D2D capable radio network node, when the first radio network node does not have D2D capability.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a D2D communication between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, when the second user equipment is served by the D2D capable radio network node.

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

receiving Han the first D2D capability information from the first radio network node, which first D2D capability information relates to the D2D capability of the first radio network node;

determining the D2D capability of the first radio network node and of the D2D capable radio network node, respectively.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein receiving the first D2D capability information or the second D2D capability information comprises at least one of:

acquiring a message containing the D2D capability information, which message is received on a control channel;

acquiring an indicator representing the D2D capability, which indicator is received on a control channel; and

/or

acquiring a radio network node identifier, which identifier belongs to a pre-determined list of identifiers used for D2D capability radio network nodes.

5. The method according to any of claim 1, wherein performing a cell change comprises autonomously performing a cell change from the first radio network node to the D2D capable radio network node.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the radio network node measurement comprises a base station transmit power, a UL and/or DL resource block usage, and/or a cell, and wherein the load indication comprises a hardware load, a transport network load, a radio resource load, an interference load, and/or a traffic load.

7. A method in a second radio network node for enabling D2D communications in a communications network, wherein the communications network comprises a first user equipment served by a first radio network node, a second user equipment and a D2D capable radio network node, wherein the method comprises, when the first radio network node has no D2D capability:

requesting a cell change of the first user equipment to the D2D capable radio network node; and

transmitting one or more cell identifiers of one or more neighbouring radio network nodes capable of supporting D2D communication, wherein the one or more cell identifiers are transmitted to the second user equipment.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

allocating resources for a D2D communication between the second user equipment and the first user equipment, and

transmitting information about the allocated resources to the second user equipment and to the first user equipment.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein requesting a cell change comprises requesting the first radio network node to execute a cell change of the first user equipment to the D2D capable radio network node serving the second user equipment.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein requesting a cell change comprises requesting, via the first radio network node, the first user equipment to perform a cell change to the D2D capable neighbouring radio network node.

11. The method according to any of claim 7, further comprising identifying the first radio network node that serves the first user equipment by analyzing an uplink packet sent from the second user equipment to the first user equipment, and sending a D2D inquiry to the first radio network node to determine the D2D capability of the first radio network node.

12. A first user equipment for handling device-to-device, D2D, communications in a communications network, wherein the communications network comprises a first user equipment, a first radio network node serving the first user equipment, a second user equipment, and a D2D capable radio network node, wherein the first user equipment comprises:

a recognizing circuit configured to recognize a second user equipment to have a D2D communication with; and

a transmitting circuit configured to transmit first D2D capability information associated with the first radio network node serving the first user equipment to the second user equipment;

a receiving port configured to receive second D2D capability information associated with the D2D capable radio network node;

a performing circuit configured to perform a cell change from the first radio network node to the D2D capable radio network node, when the first radio network node does not have D2D capability.

13. The first user equipment according to claim 12, further comprising an establishing circuit configured to establish a D2D communication between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, when the second user equipment is served by the D2D capable radio network node.

14. The first user equipment according to claim 12, wherein:

the receiving port configured to receive the first D2D capability information from the first radio network node, which first D2D capability information relates to the D2D capability of the first radio network node, and to receive a second D2D capability information relating to the D2D capable radio network node; and

the first user equipment further comprises a determining circuit configured to determine the D2D capability of the first radio network node and of the D2D capable radio network node, respectively.

15. The first user equipment according to claim 14, wherein the receiving port is configured to:

acquire a message containing the D2D capability information, which message is received on a control channel; and

/or

acquire an indicator representing the D2D capability, which indicator is received on a control channel; and

/or

acquire a radio network node identifier, which identifier belongs to a pre-determined list of identifiers used for D2D capability radio network nodes.

16. The first user equipment according to of claim 12, wherein the performing circuit is configured to autonomously perform a cell change from the first radio network node to the D2D capable radio network node.

17. A second radio network node for enabling D2D communications in a communications network, wherein the communications network comprises a first user equipment served by a first radio network node, a second user equipment and a D2D capable radio network node, wherein the second radio network node comprises:

a requesting circuit configured to request a cell change of the first user equipment to a D2D capable radio network node, when the first radio network node has no D2D capability; and

transmitting one or more cell identifiers of one or more neighbouring radio network nodes capable of supporting D2D communication, wherein the one or more cell identifiers are transmitted to the second user equipment.

18. The second radio network node according to claim 17, further comprising:

an allocating circuit configured to allocate resources for a D2D communication between the second user equipment and the first user equipment, and

a receiving and transmitting circuit configured to transmit information about the allocated resources to the second user equipment and to the first user equipment.

19. The second radio network node according to claim 17, wherein the requesting circuit is configured to request the first radio network node to execute a cell change of the first user equipment to the D2D capable radio network node serving the second user equipment.

20. The second radio network node according to claim 17, wherein the requesting circuit is configured to request, via the first radio network node, the first user equipment to perform a cell change to a D2D capable neighbouring radio network node.

21. The second radio network node according to any of claim 17, further comprising a determining circuit configured to identify the first radio network node that serves the first user equipment by analyzing an uplink packet sent from the second user equipment to the first user equipment, and to send a D2D inquiry to the first radio network node to determine the D2D capability of the first radio network node.